Are Ethical Codes of Conduct Toothless Tigers for Dealing with Employment Discrimination?

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_292ED8B442EE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Are Ethical Codes of Conduct Toothless Tigers for Dealing with Employment Discrimination?
Journal
Journal of Business Ethics
Author(s)
Petersen L.-E., Krings F.
ISSN
0167-4544
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2009
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
85
Number
4
Pages
501-514
Language
english
Abstract
This study examined the influence of two organizational context variables, codes of conduct and supervisor advice, on personnel decisions in an experimental simulation. Specifically, we studied personnel evaluations and decisions in a situation where codes of conduct conflict with supervisor advice. Past studies showed that supervisors' advice to prefer ingroup over outgroup candidates leads to discriminatory personnel selection decisions. We extended this line of research by studying how codes of conduct and code enforcement may reduce this form of discrimination. Eighty German managers evaluated and selected candidates from an applicant pool including Germans (ingroup members) and foreigners (outgroup members). Supervisor advice to prefer ingroup members lowered suitability ratings of outgroup members as well as their chances to be selected for an interview. Ethical codes of conduct referring to equal opportunities limited this form of discrimination, but only when codes were enforced by sanctions and integrated into organizational every-day practice. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
Keywords
Personnel selection, Employment discrimination, Codes of conduct, Code enforcement
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
14/05/2008 13:24
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:08
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