Cognitive moral development (CMD) theory has been accepted as a construct to help explain business ethics, social responsibility and other organizational phenomena. This article critically assesses CMD as a construct in business ethics by presenting the history and criticisms of CMD. The value of CMD is evaluated and problems with using CMD as one predictor of ethical decisions are addressed. Researchers are made aware of the major criticisms of CMD theory including disguised value judgments, invariance of stages, and gender bias (...) in the initial scale development. Implications for business ethics research are discussed and opportunities for future research delineated. (shrink)

While at one level, the literature in ethics for some issues is broad, deep, and complex, for others it appears limited and lacking in sophistication. This cross — cultural study deals not only with the moral reasoning behind moral dilemmas in business but also with the magnitudes these dilemmas in concert with their possible outcomes and consequences. While many studies discuss the effect of these outcomes, we have found none that have explicitly examined them.The methodology and analysis use a novel (...) approach for this topic, and is a major contribution of the paper: that of tradeoff analysis. Tradeoff analysis is capable of revealing both the nature of an individual's moral reasoning as well as interactions between this and the rewards or consequences for the moral action. These interactions are illustrated with a cross — cultural pilot study conducted in Singapore and the United States, which reveal noteworthy differences in moral decision making. (shrink)

The purpose of this study was to investigate some factors which may influence moral decision-making in psychiatric nursing practice. The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, a 30-item, seven-point Likert scale, measures six dimensions that are assumed to be related to moral sensitivity. In scoring, the test is divided into six categories: interpersonal orientation, structuring moral meaning, expressing benevolence, modifying autonomy, experiencing conflict, and reliance on medical authority. Seventy-nine nurses, employed in the same psychiatric district, were included in the sample. Significant differences were (...) found for some items in five of the six categories regarding gender, post-basic nursing education, experience as a mental care worker and type of clinical setting. Le but de cette étude était d'investiguer quelques éléments qui pourraient influencer les décisions morales dans la pratique infirmière psychiatrique. Le Questionnaire de Sensibilité Morale de 30 questions, sept points échelle Likert, mesure six dimensions qu'on assume d'être lié à la sensibilité morale. En marquant les points, le test est divisé entre les six catégories: orientation interpersonnelle, structurant un sens moral, l'expression de bénévolence, la modification de l'autonomie, l'expérience de conflit et dépendance de l'autorité médicale. Soixante-dix neuf infirmiers/ères, employé(e)s dans le même rayon de psychiatrie, ont participé dans l'étude. On a trouvé des différences considérables pour quelques questions dans cinq des six catégories en ce qui concerne le genre, l'éducation avancée, l'expérience d'infirmier/ère psychiatrique et type de cadre clinique. Das Ziel dieser Studie war die Untersuchung einiger Faktoren, die Einfluss haben auf die moralische Entscheidungsfindung in der psychiatrischen Krankenpflege. Der Fragebogen zur 'Moralischen Einfühlsamkeit' ist eine sieben-Punk Likert Skala für 30 Sachaspekte und misst sechs Dimensionen, von denen man annimmt, daß sie zur moralischer Einfühlsamkeit gehören. Für die Auswertung ist der Test in sechs Kategorien eingeteilt: Orientierung zu andem Personen, das Strukturieren moralischer Bedeutungselemente, Wohlwollen ausdrücken, Modifizierung von Selbstbestimmung. (shrink)

The possible relationship between widespread unauthorized copying of microcomputer software (also known as software piracy) and level of moral judgment is examined through analysis of over 350 survey questionnaires that included the Defining Issues Test as a measure of moral development. It is hypothesized that the higher one''s level of moral judgment, the less likely that one will approve of or engage in unauthorized copying. Analysis of the data indicate a high level of tolerance toward unauthorized copying and limited support (...) for the hypothesis. The most plausible explanation for these findings is that software copying is perceived as an issue of low moral intensity. This study calls into question the software industry''s strategy of concentrating exclusively on institutional compliance with copyright rules, rather than working to raise the perceived moral intensity about software piracy at the individual level. As long as the issue remains low in moral intensity, the industry cannot expect significant shifts in copying behaviors. Individuals must become more aware of and concerned about the nature and magnitude of harm to society and to the rightful copyright owners from unauthorized copying before their attitudes and behaviors come to reflect higher levels of moral judgment. (shrink)