A
Academic Integrity and
University Corporate
Accountability
Sarah Elaine Eaton
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Synonyms
Accountability; Ethical behavior; Ethics; Integ-
rity; Justice; Trust
Introduction
Academic integrity is the foundation for ethical
decision-making in life, including in the work
environment. Academic integrity is more than
the absence of misconduct; it is based on a set of
values intended to guide learners toward ethical
behavior on a consistent basis. The ethical
decision-making skills students learn in school
can – and should – be transferrable to their
employment after they leave school (Bolívar
2005; Guerrero-Dib et al. 2020). In this chapter,
I show how academic integrity is related to ethics
and corporate accountability, exploring the roles
of education, employers, and professional
associations.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022
D. C. Poff, A. C. Michalos (eds.), Encyclopedia of Business and Professional Ethics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23514-1_1308-1
Understanding the Connection Between
Academic Integrity and Corporate
Accountability
Understanding the connection between academic
integrity in school and workplace ethical
decision-making is important for educators and
employers alike. Studies over time have shown
that students who engage in academic misconduct
in school are more likely engage in professional
malpractice (Guerrero-Dib et al. 2020; Bolívar
2005). One study found specifically that students
who cheated in school were more likely to engage
in theft, illegal drug use, and workers’ compensa-
tion fraud (Lucas and Friedrich 2005), which
could have not only ethical, but also financial
repercussions for the employer. Poor decisions
on the part of employees can impact corporate
accountability because when violations occur in
the workplace, the negative repercussions can not
only ripple throughout the organization, but
beyond it into the broader society.
The Role of Education
Educational institutions and those who work in
them set the stage for ethical decision-making
through policy and practice. It is incumbent
upon educators to teach the skills and principles
associated with academic integrity. Research in
one study showed that academic integrity became
more important to them when they were in a
2 Academic Integrity and University Corporate Accountability
teaching role compared with when they were stu-
dents, in part because they were not explicitly
taught expectations for ethical decision-making
when they were students (Austin et al. 2005). It
is imperative for educators to show the link
between academic integrity in the classroom and
ethics in the workplace so students understand the
two are connected (Austin et al. 2005; Harding et
al., 2004; Israel and Drenth 2016; LaDuke 2013).
In addition to promoting ethical decision-
making through academic integrity, institutions
also need policies and procedures in place to
address misconduct (Bretag et al. 2011; Eaton
2021). There are five core elements of exemplary
academic integrity policy: access, approach,
responsibility, detail, and support (Bretag et al.
2011). Access refers to how easy it is for people
to find, access, and read the academic integrity
policies. Policies related to academic integrity
should be readily available and easy to under-
stand. Approach refers to the principles and values
that underpin the policy. An educational approach
to academic integrity policy is preferred when
possible, emphasizing the need for students to
have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes
(Bretag et al. 2011), but of course, provisions must
also be made for those who knowingly or consis-
tently fail to follow the rules (Eaton 2021). The
third policy principle is responsibility. Policies
should outline clear responsibilities for relevant
stakeholders including students, management,
staff, and faculty. Academic integrity is not only
a matter of student conduct, but expectations must
be established for all members of the academic
community act with integrity, including when
breaches occur (Bretag et al. 2011; Eaton 2021).
Detail is the fourth principle of exemplary aca-
demic integrity policy (Bretag et al. 2011). Aca-
demic integrity policies should provide details
and examples, with clear processes and flow
charts to show how policy is implemented
(Bretag et al. 2011). The level of detail should be
extensive, without being overwhelming (Bretag
et al. 2011). The final academic integrity policy
principle is support. Policy support means having
systems and resources in place to support the
implementation of the policy. This includes, but
is not limited to, training, seminars, and
professional development for students and staff
alike (Bretag et al. 2011).
Educational institutions can pay specific atten-
tion to the ways in which ethics is part of corpo-
rate accountability. If companies are to be held
responsible for their impact on people and the
planet, then educational institutions can set the
stage for this by ensuring that sustainability, envi-
ronmental impact, and social responsibility are
infused across the curriculum. It is essential that
students receive both philosophical and practical
training about the importance of sustainability,
climate change, human rights, and ethics through-
out their education.
Educational institutions not only offer students
training, but also provide students with opportu-
nities to develop their own ethical standards.
Then, when students enter the workforce they
can be better prepared to ask tough questions of
their employers that will help to ensure that cor-
porate accountability is not only maintained
through external scrutiny, but internally as well.
Taking a proactive approach to promote aca-
demic integrity as an expectation across the edu-
cational institution is key (Bretag et al. 2011;
Eaton 2021). Having policies and systems in
place to ensure breaches of integrity are addressed
is equally important. This sets the stage for stu-
dents to understand that when they enter the work-
place, there are consequences for misbehavior,
particularly if it is intentional.
The Role of Employers
Like educational institutions, employers need pol-
icies and procedures in place to investigate and
address misconduct of all kinds. If educational
institutions take an educational approach when-
ever possible when breaches of integrity occur,
then students should be prepared to face progres-
sive discipline in the workplace for breaches of
ethics. Misconduct within the workplace can be
further scrutinized by regulatory and professional
associations, as well as the media, the courts, and
government regulatory bodies (Israel and Drenth
2016). Providing regular training related to integ-
rity as an organizational value can reinforce
Academic Integrity and University Corporate Accountability
expectations for ethical behavior on a regular
basis. It is imperative that ethics not only be a
matter of regulatory compliance, but also as a
matter of professional practice (Israel and Drenth
2016).
Employers can develop systems to protect
whistleblowers who bring forward cases of mis-
conduct, to track and manage information related
to misconduct cases, and to ensure transparency in
their processes (Israel and Drenth 2016). It is
imperative for employers to develop cultures of
integrity and systems to address breaches of it
that go beyond mere lip service. This requires an
ongoing commitment of resourcing, including per-
sonnel whose roles are focused on ensuring ethical
decision-making is an employer expectation.
An organizational emphasis on ethics can be
communicated in both internal and external com-
munications on a regular basis. In addition, includ-
ing one or more questions during the hiring process
to determine how well a prospective applicant is
likely to align with organizational expectations of
ethics and accountability can set the stage for
employees before they are even hired.
Employers also have a role to play with regard
to educational institutions. Educational institu-
tions often have program advisory committees
that include external industry representatives.
These industry representatives are in a position
to influence educators, curriculum developers,
and academic leaders to ensure that ethics, sus-
tainability, and accountability are infused into the
curriculum and that academic integrity is an
educational priority. Similarly, when industry rep-
resentatives are invited to take part in education-
related activities such as judging business case
competitions, giving guest lectures, or participat-
ing as audience members for student project
showcases, emphasizing integrity in every inter-
action with educational institutions and programs
is an important way to convey organizational
values related to ethical decision-making.
Employers are also accountable to the profes-
sional bodies that oversee quality and standards. It
is up to employers to ensure that they hire indi-
viduals who demonstrate a commitment to ethical
standards and values. Then, it is incumbent upon
employers to ensure that ethical decision-making
3
is an expectation that is upheld through training
and daily workplace conduct.
The Role of Professional and
Accreditation Bodies
Professional bodies, including those that regulate
and oversee conduct across an industry, place an
essential role in ensuring that academic integrity is
a foundation for workplace ethical decision-making.
Professional bodies can ensure that academic integ-
rity is demonstrated in academic programs that lead
to a qualification to enter the profession.
One discipline-specific example is engineer-
ing. Academic researchers with disciplinary
expertise in engineering have demonstrated a
link between academic misconduct in school
with professional misconduct (Harding et al.
2004). Today, engineering professional bodies
require that schools demonstrate how they pro-
mote integrity and take steps to minimize miscon-
duct as part of the program accreditation process.
One example is Engineers Canada (2021), the
professional body that oversees standards for
more than 300,000 professional engineers across
the country. As part of their accreditation process,
Engineers Canada requires that postsecondary
engineering programs to demonstrate how they
embed principles of ethics and integrity into cur-
riculum and policy. Having curriculum and policy
requirements related to academic integrity in
order for programs to maintain their professional
accreditation status ensures that schools maintain
a constant focus ethical decision-making not only
as a core value, but also as part of classroom and
administrative practice.
Although this example highlights engineering,
the same principles apply to any profession where
accreditation bodies play a role in ensuring its
members are prepared to undertake a career in the
profession. This includes medicine, nursing, social
work, education, and many other professions.
In turn, professional bodies can hold
employers accountable for the decisions of their
employees, managers, and executives. Corporate
accountability can be understood thorugh an eth-
ical lens in a variety of contexts.
4 Academic Integrity and University Corporate Accountability
Professional bodies provide a link between
educational programs and the profession. The
influence professional bodies have ensuring that
integrity and ethics are foundational concepts in
educational programs that prepare students to
enter the profession cannot be overstated.
Conclusion
Ethical decision-making is the foundation for aca-
demic integrity as much as it is the basis for
corporate accountability. Academic integrity
extends beyond student conduct in school set-
tings. Connecting academic integrity to work-
place ethics and corporate accountability can
help students understand why schools have rules
and procedures in place to address academic mis-
conduct. Employers and professional associations
should be concerned with the ways in which edu-
cational institutions uphold and enact academic
integrity because schools provide an opportunity
for students to learn about and practice ethical
decision-making and accountability, skills they
can use on a daily basis. Educational institutions,
employers, and professional bodies can and
should work together to ensure that ethical
decision-making and accountability are infused
into the curriculum and into workplace behavior.
Ethical conduct and accountability can then be
reinforced on a regular basis by employers to
ensure it is not only expressed as a corporate
value, but also as part of organizational culture,
with substantive systems in place to protect integ-
rity and ensure breaches of it are addressed in a
transparent and consistent manner.
Students must learn about ethics and account-
ability long before they enter the workplace. They
must learn that their actions – for better or for
worse – have consequences. Just as breaches of
academic integrity are not a victimless crime,
breaches of ethics in the workplace can and do
have a long-lasting impact.
Cross-References
▶ Academic Ethics and Academic Integrity
▶ Company Socialization and Ethical Fit
▶ Corporate Crime
▶ Marketization of Higher Education: Ethical and
Societal Dilemmas
▶ Universities and Corporate Social
Responsibility
▶ Work Ethic
References and Additional Readings
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in our students, but in ourselves’: academic honesty and
moral development in health professions education–
results of a pilot study in Canadian pharmacy. Teach
High Educ 10(2):143–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/
1356251042000337918
Bolívar A (2005) El lugar de la ética profesional en la
formación universitaria. Rev Mex Investig Educ
10(24):93–123. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?
id¼14002406
Bretag T, Mahmud S, Wallace M, Walker R, James C,
Green M, . . . Partridge L (2011) Core elements of
exemplary academic integrity policy in Australian
higher education. Int J Educ Integr 7(2):3–12. https://
doi.org/10.21913/IJEI.v7i2.759
Eaton SE (2021) Plagiarism in higher education: tackling
tough topics in academic integrity. Libraries Unlimited,
Santa Barbara
Engineers Canada (2021) Public guideline on the code of
ethics. https://engineerscanada.ca/publications/public-
guideline-on-the-code-of-ethics
Guerrero-Dib JG, Portales L, Heredia-Escorza Y (2020)
Impact of academic integrity on workplace ethical
behaviour. Int J Educ Integr 16(1):2. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s40979-020-0051-3
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(2004) An examination of the relationship between
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.10.009
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