Title

Leadership and ethics in work groups - A longitudinal assessment

Authors

Authors

M. Schminke; D. Wells; J. Peyrefitte;T. C. Sebora

Abbreviated Journal Title

Group Organ. Manage.

Keywords

BUSINESS ETHICS; GROUP POLARIZATION; ORGANIZATIONS; COHESIVENESS; PERCEPTIONS; CONFORMITY; CHOICE; MODEL; TASK; Psychology, Applied; Management

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between leadership style and individual ethics in work groups. We present a model of how active leadership affects conformity in members' ethical decision frameworks (formalism and utilitarianism). We tested this model by examining 36 work groups over a 12-week period. Results supported the hypothesis that more active leadership would lead to greater conformity in both types of ethical frameworks. A second hypothesis, that group cohesion would mediate this relationship between leadership style and ethical conformity, was partially supported. Implications of these findings for leadership, groups, and ethics research are discussed.

Journal Title

Group & Organization Management

Volume

27

Issue/Number

2

Publication Date

1-1-2002

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

272

Last Page

293

WOS Identifier

WOS:000176992200006

ISSN

1059-6011

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