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Painting with the Same Brush? Surveying Unethical Behavior in the Workplace Using Self-Reports and Observer-Reports

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  • Franziska Zuber
  • Muel Kaptein

Abstract

Research by academics, professional organizations, and businesses on ethics in the workplace often relies on surveys that ask employees to report how frequently they have observed others engaging in unethical behavior. But what do these frequencies in observer-reports say about the frequencies of committed unethical behavior? This paper is the first to address this question by empirically exploring the relationship between observer- and self-reports. Our survey research among the Swiss working population shows that for all 37 different forms of unethical behavior investigated, observer-reports show higher frequencies than self-reports. Ratios of observer- to self-reports vary substantially among these forms, ranging from 1.46 for improperly gathering competitor’s confidential information to 6.4 for engaging in (sexual) harassment or creating a hostile work environment. The results indicate that researchers should not assume that the frequency in self-reports can generally be approximated by the frequency in observer-reports. Four possible explanations are presented for the differences in ratios, with recommendations for future research. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Franziska Zuber & Muel Kaptein, 2014. "Painting with the Same Brush? Surveying Unethical Behavior in the Workplace Using Self-Reports and Observer-Reports," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(3), pages 401-432, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:125:y:2014:i:3:p:401-432
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-1920-y
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    2. Reader, Tom W. & Gillespie, Alex & Hald, Julie & Patterson, Megan, 2020. "Unobtrusive indicators of culture for organizations: a systematic review," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 104482, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    4. Xin Liu & Byron Y. Lee & Tae-Yeol Kim & Yaping Gong & Xiaoming Zheng, 2023. "Double-Edged Effects of Creative Personality on Moral Disengagement and Unethical Behaviors: Dual Motivational Mechanisms and a Situational Contingency," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(2), pages 449-466, June.
    5. Esraa Al-Shatti & Marc Ohana & Philippe Odou & Michel Zaitouni, 2022. "Impression Management on Instagram and Unethical Behavior: The Role of Gender and Social Media Fatigue," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-11, August.
    6. Raymond O. S. Zaal & Ronald J. M. Jeurissen & Edward A. G. Groenland, 2019. "Organizational Architecture, Ethical Culture, and Perceived Unethical Behavior Towards Customers: Evidence from Wholesale Banking," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 825-848, September.
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