Chapter 6: Ethical Work Climate: A Weather Report and Forecast

Long before the ethical scandals at companies like Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom undermined confidence in the corporate world, research revealed that the ethical context or climate of the organization has the potential to influence a variety of important organizational outcomes. One important consequence of these recent and recurring headlines is that corporations have felt increasing pressures to improve the ethical work climate of their organizations. As a result, researchers and corporate leaders alike have demonstrated a renewed interest in the subject.

Since the introduction of a theory and measure of ethical work climates (EWC) by Victor and Cullen (1987), a significant quantity of research on this construct has emerged. This work represents the foundation for our understanding of the ethical context of organizations, and we suggest that it is time to take stock of what we know about this critical aspect of organizational work climates. This knowledge has the potential to offer invaluable information regarding the ethical environments of organizations and how to manage them. In addition, this knowledge may present a sound foundation for future research and investigation on this important topic.