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Person-by-organization interactions
: effects of ethical climate, individual ethical framework and equity sensitivity on organizational commitment and personal justice norms

  • Yin Yee WONG

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

Although ethical climate-outcome relationships have been extensively studied, the mechanism by which this climate-to-outcome process occurs has yet to be examined. Based upon the model developed by Kopelman, Brief, and Guzzo (1990), this study proposed and examined the influence of ethical climate on a person’s cognitive and affective states (personal justice norms and organizational commitment), and examined the moderating influences of individual ethical frameworks and equity sensitivity. The results from a sample of 166 respondents and a peer evaluation of ethical climate revealed a positive relationship between conscientious climate (dimensions of egoistic and principle climate combined) and personal justice norms. However, only benevolent climate was found to be associated with organizational commitment. In addition, individual ethical frameworks moderated the relationship between conscientious climate and personal justice norms. Low-utilitarian individuals were more sensitive to procedural justice norms in conscientious climate, whereas low formalists were more sensitive to distributive justice norms. Furthermore, equity sensitivity moderated the relationship between benevolent climate and organizational commitment. Benevolent climate was more strongly related to organizational commitment among low-equity-sensitive individuals.
Date of Award3 Oct 2005
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • City University of Hong Kong
SupervisorKwok LEUNG (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Moral and ethical aspects
  • Organizational behavior

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