Competition and Sensemaking in Ethical Situations

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Social Psychology
• Business Ethics

Background:

• Intra-organizational competition is prevalent but its ethical implications are complex.
• Understanding factors influencing ethical decision-making in competitive environments is crucial for organizational integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different aspects of intra-organizational competition affect ethical decision-making.
• To examine the influence of competitor group membership (in-group vs. out-group), information corroboration, and expressed competitor goals on ethicality.

Main Methods:

• Participants engaged in competitive scenarios with manipulated variables.
• Evaluated ethical decisions and pro-ethical reasoning strategies based on competitor characteristics and information provided.

Main Results:

• Uncorroborated information led to less ethical decisions and reduced pro-ethical reasoning.
• In-group competitors resulted in more ethical decisions compared to out-group competitors.
• Complex interactions were observed between information corroboration, competitor group status, and competitor motives.

Conclusions:

• The presentation of competition significantly influences ethical decision-making in ambiguous situations.
• Organizational context, including competitor identity and information reliability, plays a key role in shaping ethical outcomes.
• Interventions promoting ethicality should consider these competitive dynamics.