Leadership and ethics in work groups - A longitudinal assessment

    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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