Ethical models

1
List of Ethical Decision Making Models
▪ Kohlberg ▪ Rest
▪ Trevino ▪ Arnaud
▪ Hunt & Vitell

2
Kohlberg’s Model of Cognitive
Moral Development
Preconventional
• Obedience & Punishment Orientation
• Instrumental Orientation
Conventional
• Good boy / Nice girl
• Law & Order
Post Conventional
• Social Contract Orientation
• Universal-ethical Principle Orientation
3
 Level 1: Preconventional
Obedience & Punishment Rules are obeyed to avoid punishment
Orientation
Instrumental Orientation Actions according to personal needs / wants
Level 2: Conventional
Good boy/ nice girl Actions to get praise
Law & Order Respect authority & rules
Level 3: Post Conventional
Social Contract Orientation “Good” is according to social standards
Universal-ethical Principle “Right” may extend beyond the law
Orientation

4
Trevino’s Model

5
 Trevino’s Person-Situation Interactionist Model
Moderators

Stage of Ethical /
Ethical
Cognitive Moral unethical
Dilemma
Development behaviour

Moderators

▪ Moderators = factors that either strengthen the main association (A affecting

B) or weakens the effect (higher level of ethical thinking→ > ethical behaviour)
▪ Egs.: Intelligence High marks
(Effort)
6
Trevino’s Person-Situation Interactionist Model

7
 Trevino’s Person-Situation Interactionist
Model (continued)
▪ Interactionist as the moderators interact with the main model
▪ The level of moral thinking (stage of cognitive moral development) → ethical /
unethical behaviour
▪ Strengthened /weakened by a person’s characteristics = individual factors
(moderators)
▪ Individual characteristics:
▪ Ego strength: personal ego (confidence, arrogance, pride)
▪ Field dependence: how much a person is influenced by surroundings
▪ Locus of control: perception of control over fate

8
 Trevino’s Person-Situation Interactionist
Model (continued)
▪ The level of moral thinking (stage of cognitive moral development) → ethical /
unethical behaviour
▪ Strengthened /weakened by situational factors (moderators)
▪ Situational moderators:
▪ Immediate job context: reinforcement & other pressures
▪ Organisational Culture: normative structure, referent others, obedience to
authority, responsibility for consequences
▪ Characteristics of the Work: role-taking & resolution of moral conflict

9
Rest’s Ethical Decision-making model

Moral Moral Moral Moral

Sensitivity Judgement Motivation Character

10
Arnaud’s Model

Collective Collective Collective Collective

Moral Moral Moral Moral
Sensitivity Judgement Motivation Character

11
Hunt & Vitell
Antecedents
Moral
Sensitivity

Rules / Duty

Moral
Moral Motivation
Judgement

Consequences

Outcomes
12
End of Topic 2

13