When Are Norms Prescriptive? Understanding and Clarifying the Role of Norms in Behavioral Ethics Research

IF 3.4 2区 哲学 Q2 BUSINESS
Tobey K. Scharding, Danielle E. Warren
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Research on ethical norms has grown in recent years, but imprecise language has made it unclear when these norms prescribe “what ought to be” and when they merely describe behaviors or perceptions (“what is”). Studies of ethical norms, moreover, tend not to investigate whether participants were influenced by the prescriptive aspect of the norm; the studies primarily demonstrate, rather, that people will mimic the behaviors or perceptions of others, which provides evidence for the already well-substantiated social proof theory. In this review article, we delineate three streams of norms research in business ethics: behavioral, perceptual, and prescriptive. We argue that by properly categorizing norms, and designing studies to investigate when prescriptions, more than mere mimicry, improve ethical outcomes in organizations, researchers can enhance managers’ efforts to promote ethical outcomes in organizations.
什么时候规范具有指令性?理解和厘清规范在行为伦理学研究中的作用
近年来,对道德规范的研究有所增长,但不精确的语言使得这些规范何时规定了“应该是什么”,何时仅仅描述了行为或感知(“是什么”)变得不清楚。此外,对道德规范的研究往往不调查参与者是否受到规范的规定性方面的影响;相反,这些研究主要表明,人们会模仿他人的行为或看法,这为已经得到充分证实的社会认同理论提供了证据。在这篇综述文章中,我们描述了商业伦理规范研究的三个流派:行为、感知和规范。我们认为,通过适当地对规范进行分类,并设计研究来调查处方(而不仅仅是模仿)何时能改善组织中的道德结果,研究人员可以增强管理者促进组织中道德结果的努力。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
6.20
自引率
10.00%
发文量
38
期刊介绍: Business Ethics Quarterly (BEQ) is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that publishes theoretical and empirical research relevant to the ethics of business. Since 1991 this multidisciplinary journal has published articles and reviews on a broad range of topics, including the internal ethics of business organizations, the role of business organizations in larger social, political and cultural frameworks, and the ethical quality of market-based societies and market-based relationships. It recognizes that contributions to the better understanding of business ethics can come from any quarter and therefore publishes scholarship rooted in the humanities, social sciences, and professional fields.
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