ABSTRACT
Awareness of the phenomenon of ethical blindness helps us understand why, how, and under what conditions individuals make ethically sound decisions and when they fail to do so. Ethical blindness is the temporary inability of a decision-maker to see the ethical dimension of some particular situation. Under specific circumstances the ethical aspect of a decision fades away so that the decision-maker gradually becomes unaware of it. People may behave unethically without being aware of it; they may even be convinced that they are doing the right thing. It is only later that they realize the unethical dimension of their decision. Ethical blindness can be one possible explanation for non-reporting of wrongdoing in this whistleblowing process. Both employees and leaders in organizations can be ethically blind and momentarily unable to see wrongdoing or report on it. Frames filter and structure what people see and how they apprehend reality. Rigid framing may cause ethical blindness. Flexible framing may reduce the risk of ethical blindness.
