Impact of Culture on the Ethical Reasoning Behaviour of an Individual
Impact of Culture on the Ethical reasoning of an Individual
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify, relate and assess the impact of culture on the ethical reasoning of an individual. This report reviews current literature on this topic and identifies the various factors involved in the same. Established theories on ethics and moral development are reviewed and a culture-based model of ethical decision making is derived. Prepositions concerning the influence of various cultural dimensions on ethical reasoning using Hofstede’s typology are developed. Sequential steps involved in ethical reasoning of an individual are cross examined on the basis of cultural dimensions. Further, difference in ethical perceptions is analyzed using various cultural dimensions.
Table of Contents
Abstract 1 Ethical Attitudes 3 Culture 3 The Kohlberg stages of moral development 4 Rest’s model of moral action 5 Culture and the identification of an ethical dilemma 6 Culture and prescriptive judgment 7 Culture and ethical intention 8 Culture and Ethical action 8 Conclusion 9 References: 9
Ethical Attitudes
Ethical attitudes involve people 's affective, cognitive and behavioural inclinations to respond to issues and events involving social standards for what are morally correct and virtuous. Models of ethical decision-making (e.g., Ferrell et al., 1989; Hunt and Vitell, 2006; Srnka, 2004) suggest that moral judgments depend on two characteristics; namely Deontological (inherent righteousness) and Teleological (consequential) aspect of the issue, and in part on the evaluator’s individual and situational characteristics. Deontological theories focus on the specific actions or behaviours of an individual whereas teleological theories focus on the consequences of those actions or behaviours. Behaviour is influenced by varied factors ranging from an individual’s culture, religious stand among other elements. These same factors also influence
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify, relate and assess the impact of culture on the ethical reasoning of an individual. This report reviews current literature on this topic and identifies the various factors involved in the same. Established theories on ethics and moral development are reviewed and a culture-based model of ethical decision making is derived. Prepositions concerning the influence of various cultural dimensions on ethical reasoning using Hofstede’s typology are developed. Sequential steps involved in ethical reasoning of an individual are cross examined on the basis of cultural dimensions. Further, difference in ethical perceptions is analyzed using various cultural dimensions.
Table of Contents
Abstract 1 Ethical Attitudes 3 Culture 3 The Kohlberg stages of moral development 4 Rest’s model of moral action 5 Culture and the identification of an ethical dilemma 6 Culture and prescriptive judgment 7 Culture and ethical intention 8 Culture and Ethical action 8 Conclusion 9 References: 9
Ethical Attitudes
Ethical attitudes involve people 's affective, cognitive and behavioural inclinations to respond to issues and events involving social standards for what are morally correct and virtuous. Models of ethical decision-making (e.g., Ferrell et al., 1989; Hunt and Vitell, 2006; Srnka, 2004) suggest that moral judgments depend on two characteristics; namely Deontological (inherent righteousness) and Teleological (consequential) aspect of the issue, and in part on the evaluator’s individual and situational characteristics. Deontological theories focus on the specific actions or behaviours of an individual whereas teleological theories focus on the consequences of those actions or behaviours. Behaviour is influenced by varied factors ranging from an individual’s culture, religious stand among other elements. These same factors also influence
References: 27. Scott J. Vitell, Saviour L. Nwachukwu and James H. Barnes Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 12, No. 10 (Oct., 1993), pp. 753-760