Stephen B. Knouse

Ethical decision-making in business: Behavioral issues and concerns

This article examines selected behavioral aspects of ethical decision making within a business context. Three categories of antecedents to ethical decision behaviors (individual differences, interpersonal variables, and organizational variables) are examined and propositions are offered. Moral development theory and expectancy theory are then explored as possible bases for a theory of ethical decision making. Finally, means of improving ethical decision making in firms are explored.

PERCENTAGE OF WORK-GROUP DIVERSITY AND WORK-GROUP EFFECTIVENESS

Abstract Diversity in group membership can present both advantages and disadvantages for group performance. The authors examined how different percentages in workgroup diversity categories (gender, minority, and persons with disabilities) affected measures of group effectiveness (commitment, overall effectiveness, satisfaction, cohesion, trust, equal opportunity climate, and quality) taken from the Military Equal Opportunity Climate Survey Test Version 3.1 (Talking Paper, 1998). The gender and minority, but not persons with disabilities, categories showed increases in perceived work-group effectiveness at the 11–30% diversity level. Results are discussed in terms of possible optimum diversity levels, expanded measures of diversity, and team development of diverse work groups.

Impressions of the resume: The effects of applicant education, experience, and impression management

Business persons each read a hypothetical variation of a resume arrayed in a 2 (relevant versus irrelevant education) × 2 (relevant versus irrelevant job experience) × 2 (impression management versus no impression management statements) factorial design and completed a survey on their perceptions. Results showed that relevant education produced more positive perceptions of competence, potential, and predicted salary, while relevant experience enhanced perceptions of competence, potential, self-confidence, and background checking. Education and experience interacted on several variables. Impression management produced positive perceptions of interpersonal skill, self-confidence, and hireability. Implications for writing resumes were discussed.

Justifying wrongful employee behavior: The role of personality in organizational sabotage

The role that personality plays in the justification of organizational sabotage behavior was examined. In a two phase study, 120 business students were first surveyed to create a list of 51 methods of sabotage. In the second phase, 274 other business students rated justifiability of the 51 methods and completed Machiavellian and hostility scales. A factor analysis of the justification ratings yielded four factors: (1) methods of sabotaging company profits and production, (2) informational sabotage, (3) violent and illegal methods, and (4) traditional labor methods of sabotage. A 2 (high versus low Machiavellianism) ×2 (high versus low hostility) ANOVA upon factor scores for justifiability revealed significant main effects for hostility and significant interactive effects on Factors 1 and 2. Results were discussed in terms of differences in management and blue collar methods of sabotage and in terms of a self-presentational approach to justification of sabotage.

Virtual networking for women and minorities

Networking is important for all employees to acquire the information, guidance, feedback, and social support necessary for career success. Women and minorities, however, do not have the large, strong, dense networks that white males have used to definite advantage. The article presents virtual networking (acquiring this important information through Internet resources) as a means of strengthening women and minority networks. It discusses how Web pages, e‐mail, chat rooms, and other Internet resources may improve these networks and makes recommendations for organizations to enhance virtual networking.

Impression Management, Candor, and Microcomputer-Based Organizational Surveys: An Individual Differences Approach

Abstract The present paper suggests an individual differences approach to the issue of whether responses on computerized surveys are more candid than those on paper-and-pencil scales. It was hypothesized that skilled and motivated impression managers — individuals high in self-monitoring (Snyder, 1974), would inflate their scores on an index of job satisfaction under paper-and-pencil assessment but would exhibit lower levels of job satisfaction under computer

Impression management in the resume and its cover letter

Eighty-one managers read application materials arrayed in a 2 (impression management versus nonimpression management cover letter) x 2 (impression management versus nonimpression management resume) x 2 (high versus low self-monitor) design and completed a survey on their perceptions. Managers rated the impression management cover letter negatively on several perceptions but positively on self-confidence. They rated the impression management resume negatively almost across the board. Implications were discussed in terms of the apparently counterproductive role of impression management in the resume but a limited possible role in the cover letter.

BALANCE THEORY APPLIED TO SERVICE QUALITY: A FOCUS ON THE ORGANIZATION, PROVIDER, AND CONSUMER TRIAD

As quality experts have focused primarily on manufacturing, theoretical frameworks for examining quality in the service sector are lacking. In order to fill this gap, Heiders (1958) balance theory is applied to explain how service organization, service provider, and consumer interrelationships influence service quality. Propositions are offered pertaining to: (a) how and why positive or negative relationships among the parties in this triad are developed, and (b) the consequences of these relationships on service quality, affective outcomes, and withdrawal behaviors. Examination of the “service triangle” within this framework can enhance understanding of quality service delivery and guide future research efforts in the continuous improvement domain.

Multinational enterprise decision principles for dealing with cross cultural ethical conflicts

Cross cultural ethical conflicts are a major challenge for managers of multinational corporations (MNEs) when an MNEs business practices and a host countrys practices differ. We develop a set of decision principles to help MNE managers deal with these conflicts and illustrate with examples of ethical conflicts faced by MNEs doing business in contemporary Russia (DeGeorge, 1994). We discuss the generalizability of the principles by comparing them to the Donaldson (1989) and Buller and Kohls (1997) decision models. Finally we discuss changes in the cross cultural ethical problems facing MNE managers and offer suggestions for future corporate and academic work on these problems.

Improve constantly and forever

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Demings ideas on the twenty‐first century.Design/methodology/approach – A ProQuest search of articles is done mentioning “Deming” and “quality” or “legacy” in the title published between 1994 (Deming died in December 1993) and 2006.Findings – It is found that 136 articles described Demings legacy. Legacy in five areas are examined: professional accreditation, customer satisfaction, business ethics, human error, and supply‐side management.Practical implications – Demings ideas have furthered not only quality management but have also touched areas in the social sciences, such as ethics and organizational relationships.Originality/value – This paper shows that Demings ideas continue to flourish in areas that he emphasizes, such as the importance of customer satisfaction and understanding human error, and areas that he did not foresee, such as business ethics and supply‐side management.