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The Antecedents of Moral Imagination in the Workplace: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective

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  • Brian Whitaker
  • Lindsey Godwin

Abstract

As corporate scandals proliferate, organizational researchers and practitioners have made calls for research providing guidance for those wishing to influence positive moral decision-making and behavior in the workplace. This study incorporates social cognitive theory and a vignette-based cognitive measure for moral imagination to examine (a) moral attentiveness and employee creativity as important antecedents of moral imagination and (b) creativity as a moderator of the positive relationship between moral attentiveness and moral imagination. Based on the results from supervisor–subordinate dyadic data (N = 162) obtained from employed students, hypotheses were largely supported as expected. Implications are discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Whitaker & Lindsey Godwin, 2013. "The Antecedents of Moral Imagination in the Workplace: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(1), pages 61-73, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:114:y:2013:i:1:p:61-73
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1327-1
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    12. Foulk, Trevor A. & Venkataramani, Vijaya & Cao, Rujiao & Krishnan, Satish, 2022. "Thinking outside the box helps build social connections: The role of creative mindsets in reducing daily rudeness," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
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