Die ontwikkeling van 'n werksetiekvraelys gebaseer op 'n holistiese filosofiese model van etiese besluitneming

[摘要] English: Unethical behaviour is a general tendency in the current work situation wherethere appears to be a decrease in ethical behaviour on a national as well as international level within organisations. Unethical behaviour including bribery, nepotism, fraud and corruption are also found in South African organisations. Unethical behaviour can have financial consequences and market related risks for organisations, and can lead to negative media exposure. Apart from the negative consequences which unethical behaviour holds for organisations, unethical behaviour also leads to low morale under employees and a high employee turnover. The negative consequences which unethical behaviour holds for organisations, as well as the South African economy, necessitates a focus on factors which may have an influence on ethical behaviour, and specificallywork ethics. Current research supports a person-situation-interaction approach to ethical decision-making where both individual and situational factors influence the decisions that the individual makes. Regarding individual factors, researchers indicate that the individual's ethical decision-making philosophy influences the manner in which ethical problems are managed and behavioral decisions are made. It is apparent from the literature that different authors identified different philosophical approaches regarding ethical decision-making. There is however no model in existence which integratesthese approaches. Furthermore, it also became apparent from the literature that there is a need within the South African context for the development of a reliable and valid work ethics questionnaire which determines individuals' ethical decision-making approaches as well as their level of ethical behaviour. The purpose of this study was therefore twofold:Firstly a holistic philosophical model of ethical decision-making was developed. The model integrated the following six philosophical approaches regarding ethical decision-making, namely the rule-bound approach; the consequensialistic approach; the rule-bound consequensialistic approach; the virtue approach; the social justice approach and relativism. Secondly a work ethics questionnaire (Work Convictions Questionnaire)(WCQ), which was administered upon a sample of five hundred and twenty four respondents, was developed. Item analysis and selection of items for the final questionnaire was performed by use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The following conclusions regarding objective 1 and objective 2 of the WCQ were reached from the statistical analysis.Objective 1 (Scale A): The determination of the individual's level of ethical behaviourScale A possesses a satisfactory content reliability. Furthermore, it is apparent that with regards to the validity (construct validity), the construct, level of ethical behaviour is well defined.Objective 2 (Scale B): Identification of the philosophical approaches that are followed during ethical decision-making Regarding the six philosophical approaches regarding ethical decisionmaking identified from the literature, one dimensionality was primarilysuggested for the approaches. It is apparent from the statistical analyses that the six approaches each exhibit a satisfactory content reliability. Furthermore, it is apparent that with regards to the validity (construct validity), the concept philosophical approaches regarding ethical decision-making (six-factor structure) is well defined and that the sixfactor structure exhibits a good fit and a stable measuring model.Hereafter all two hundred and fifteen items were subjected to exploratory factor analysis without suggestion of any previously identified factor structure. Thereafter confirmatory factor analysis was applied to the factor structure. Three factors emerged, namely the rule bound, consequensialistic and discretionary approaches. The three approaches each exhibited a satisfactory content reliability. Furthermore, it is apparent that with regards to the validity (construct validity), the concept philosophical approaches regarding ethical decision-making (three-factor structure) is well defined and that the three-factor structure exhibits a good fit and stable measurement model. Therefore the six-factor structure or the alternative three-factor structure can be utilised. The important value of the study stems from the fact that it addresses the need for a reliable and valid work ethics questionnaire for the South African context. This measuring instrument not only provides an indication of the individual's level of ethical behaviour, but also the approachfollowed during ethical decision-making.

[发布机构] University of the Free State