Assessing Unethical Behavior in Organizations: Validity Evidence of Two Measurement Scales
Keywords:
unethical behavior, unethical pro-organizational behavior, organizational ethics, validity evidenceAbstract
Ethical behavior in organizations refers to actions aligned with social norms that guide appropriate conduct in the workplace. Unethical behavior, on the other hand, can have negative impacts on both employees and the organization, and therefore must be strategically and continuously identified, monitored, and addressed by managers. This study aimed to find validity evidence for the Brazilian Portuguese versions of two instruments: the Observed Unethical Behavior in Organizations Scale (7 items) and the Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior Scale (6 items). The instruments were administered online to a sample of 1,219 employees (628 men; mean age = 41.59 years, SD = 13.05). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the original one-factor structure of each scale, with satisfactory internal consistency. These instruments can assist managers in tracking unethical behaviors in the workplace and in developing strategies to address them.
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