From Values to Actions: Investigating the Impact of Organizational Values and Moral Attentiveness on Unethical Behavior at Work

This study explores the influence of organizational values, their strength, and collective moral attentiveness on unethical behavior. This multilevel study identifies the roles played by multiple dimensions of organizational culture and not just consider aspects of the culture that are focused on ethics. An analysis of data from 713 employees across 210 branches of a Brazilian bank reveals that Moral attentiveness did emerge as a collective construct (ICC(1) = .05 and .08). A hierarchical linear regression indicated that Autonomy, Egalitarianism, Harmony, and Harmony Strength are associated with a lower level, and Mastery is associated with higher levels of unethical behavior (F(10, 199) = 4.85, p<.01, R2=.20). Collective moral attentiveness did not significantly impact unethical behavior, and values strength did not interact with organizational values. These findings underscore the importance of organizational values in shaping ethical conduct, highlighting the need for further exploration of multilevel influences on moral behavior within organizational contexts.