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Measuring moral judgement and the implications of cooperative education and rule‐based learning

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  • Steven Dellaportas
  • Barry J. Cooper
  • Philomena Leung

Abstract

The Defining Issues Test (DIT), developed by Rest (1986), measures a person's level of moral development using hypothetical social dilemmas. Although the DIT is useful for measuring moral development in social settings, it might not adequately capture an individual's moral judgement abilities in solving work‐related problems (Weber, 1990; Trevino, 1992; Welton et al., 1994). In the present study, the moral judgement levels of 97 accounting students were measured over a 1 year period using two separate test instruments, the DIT and a context‐specific instrument developed by Welton et al. (1994). The test scores are significantly higher on the DIT than the Welton instrument (between the instruments and over time), suggesting that accounting students use higher levels of moral reasoning in resolving hypothetical social dilemmas and lower levels of moral reasoning in resolving context‐specific dilemmas. The difference in test scores was highest during cooperative education (work placement programme), implying that the environment is a significant determinant on students’ test scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Dellaportas & Barry J. Cooper & Philomena Leung, 2006. "Measuring moral judgement and the implications of cooperative education and rule‐based learning," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 46(1), pages 53-70, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:46:y:2006:i:1:p:53-70
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00161.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sweeney, John T. & Roberts, Robin W., 1997. "Cognitive moral development and auditor independence," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 22(3-4), pages 337-352.
    2. Windsor, Carolyn A. & Ashkanasy, Neal M., 1995. "The effect of client management bargaining power, moral reasoning development, and belief in a just world on auditor independence," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(7-8), pages 701-720.
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    Cited by:

    1. Diana Elisabeta MATICA & Lucian CERNUȘCA & Sorina-Ioana MOCIAR COROIU, 2022. "Ethics In The Romanian Accounting Profession. A Gender And Religion Comparative Study," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 2(2), pages 131-142, December.
    2. Elaine Doyle & Jane Frecknall-Hughes & Barbara Summers, 2009. "Research Methods in Taxation Ethics: Developing the Defining Issues Test (DIT) for a Tax-Specific Scenario," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 35-52, August.
    3. Ann Dzuranin & Rebecca Shortridge & Pamela Smith, 2013. "Building Ethical Leaders: A Way to Integrate and Assess Ethics Education," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 101-114, June.
    4. Rafael Robina Ramirez & Pedro R. Palos-Sanchez, 2018. "Willingness to Comply with Corporate Law: An Interdisciplinary Teaching Method in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-21, June.
    5. Elaine Doyle & Jane Frecknall Hughes & Barbara Summers, 2013. "An Empirical Analysis of the Ethical Reasoning of Tax Practitioners," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 325-339, May.
    6. Guillermina Tormo-Carbó & Elies Seguí-Mas & Víctor Oltra, 2018. "Business Ethics as a Sustainability Challenge: Higher Education Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, August.
    7. Noor Lela Ahmad & Habib Ahmed, 2017. "The Acceptability and Impact of Sharia Foundation of Islamic Ethics in Accounting Education," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(2), pages 494-506, February.
    8. Peter E. Mudrack & E. Sharon Mason, 2022. "Vignette Themes and Moral Reasoning in Business Contexts: The Case for the Defining Issues Test," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(4), pages 979-995, December.
    9. Heinz, Philip & Patel, Chris & Hellmann, Andreas, 2013. "Some theoretical and methodological suggestions for studies examining accountants' professional judgments and earnings management," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 299-311.
    10. Ahmed Musbah & Christopher J. Cowton & David Tyfa, 2016. "The Role of Individual Variables, Organizational Variables and Moral Intensity Dimensions in Libyan Management Accountants’ Ethical Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 335-358, March.
    11. Doyle, Elaine & Frecknall-Hughes, Jane & Summers, Barbara, 2022. "Ethical reasoning in tax practice: Law or is there more?," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).

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