Supporting moral awareness in organizations. A qualitative study of formal and informal systems at INFOMED that are related to moral awareness of employees
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2017-04-13
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en
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Abstract
This study aimed to gain insights in the way formal and informal systems, that are part of an ethical infrastructure, are related to moral awareness of employees. This has been done by studying which formal and informal systems are present at INFOMED and in what way they are related to the moral awareness of employees. To answer this question, a qualitative single case study, with nine in-depth interviews with several employees of INFOMED, has been conducted. In order to analyse the data, a template has been used that has been developed based on the literature of ethical infrastructures. Themes that are present are: formal communication systems, recurrent communication, formal surveillance and sanctioning systems, informal communication systems and informal surveillance and sanctioning systems.
The results of this study indicate that the employees are made especially aware of compliance-based ethical principles by means of different elements of the systems. The elements within the formal communication system consistently communicate compliance based ethical principles. Especially the recurrent communication and explanations of ethical principles seem crucial in contributing to moral awareness of employees. In addition, the surveillance and sanctioning systems on ethical behavior are insufficiently decisive to strengthen the communicated ethical principles and contribute to moral awareness. Also, the informal systems can be more strengthened to reinforce the ethical principles as the consistency between elements seems crucial for ethical effectiveness.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen