Definition
Ethical impact theory (EIT) is a theoretical framework that delineates the effects of unethical work behavior on individual well-being.
Introduction
Multiple streams of research have demonstrated that ethics is related to job-related outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction, organizational commitment). Studies show that ethical work climate, leadership support for ethics, ethics codes, ethics training, and perceived corporate social responsibility are all linked with positive effects in the workplace (such as lower turnover) (e.g., Mulki et al. 2008). The perception of corporate ethical values is even positively related to group creativity.
In contrast, ethical impact theory (EIT) (Promislo et al. 2013) focuses on the individual, nonfinancial effects of unethical work behavior on employee well-being. EIT adopts a human-centered approach to workplace ethics...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Dulmus CN, Wodarski JS (2000) Trauma-related symptomatology among children of parents victimized by urban community violence. Am J Orthopsychiatry 70(2):272–277
Elovainio M, Kivimaki M, Vahtera J (2002) Organizational justice: evidence of a new psychosocial predictor of health. Am J Public Health 92(1):105–108
Evans C, Ehlers A, Mezey G, Clark DM (2007) Intrusive memories in perpetrators of violent crime: emotions and cognitions. J Consult Clin Psychol 75(1):134–144
Folkman S (1984) Personal control and stress and coping processes: a theoretical analysis. J Pers Soc Psychol 46:839–852
Giacalone RA, Promislo MD (2010) Unethical and unwell: decrements in well-being and unethical activity at work. J Bus Ethics 2:275–297
Giacalone RA, Thompson KR (2006) Business ethics and social responsibility education: shifting the worldview. Acad Manag Learn Educ 5(3):266–277
Glomb TM, Richman WL, Hulin CL, Drasgow F, Schneider KT et al (1997) Ambient sexual harassment: an integrated model of antecedents and consequences. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 71(3):309–328
Hobfoll SE (1988) The ecology of stress. Hemisphere Pub. Corp, New York
Jackson B, Kubzansky LD, Wright RJ (2006) Linking perceived unfairness to physical health: the perceived unfairness model. Rev Gen Psychol 10(1):21–40
Janoff-Bulman R (1992) Shattered assumptions: towards a new psychology of trauma. Free Press, New York
Kivimäki M, Ferrie JE, Brunner E, Head J, Shipley MJ et al (2005) Justice at work and reduced risk of coronary heart disease among employees: the Whitehall II study. Arch Intern Med 165(19):2245–2251
Klonoff EA, Landrine H, Ullman JB (1999) Racial discrimination and psychiatric symptoms among blacks. Cult Divers Ethn Minor Psychol 5(4):329–339
Koltko-Rivera ME (2004) The psychology of worldviews. Rev Gen Psychol 8(1):3–58
March JS (1993) What constitutes a stressor? The “Criterion A” issue. In: JRT D, Foa EB (eds) Posttraumatic stress disorder: DSM-IV and beyond. American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC, pp 37–54
Moore S, Grunberg L, Greenberg E (2004) Repeated downsizing contact: the effects of similar and dissimilar layoff experiences on work and well-being outcomes. J Occup Health Psychol 9(3):247–257
Motta RW, Kefer JM (1999) Initial evaluation of the secondary trauma questionnaire. Psychol Rep 85(3):997–1002
Mulki J, Jaramillo J, Locander W (2008) Effect of ethical climate on turnover intention: linking attitudinal- and stress theory. J Bus Ethics 78(4):559–574
Pavalko EK, Mossakowski KN, Hamilton VJ (2003) Does perceived discrimination affect health? Longitudinal relationships between work discrimination and women’s physical and emotional health. J Health Soc Behav 1:18–33
Pearlman LA (1999) Notes from the field: what is vicarious traumatization? In: Stamm B (ed) Secondary traumatic stress: self care issues for clinicians, researchers and educators, 2nd edn. Sidran Press, Baltimore, p xlvii
Promislo MD, Giacalone RA, Jurkiewicz CL (2013) Ethical Impact Theory [EIT]: unethical work behavior and well-being. In: Giacalone RA, Promislo MD (eds) Handbook of unethical work behavior: implications for individual well-being. M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, pp 3–20
Schnurr PP, Friedman MJ, Bernardy NC (2002) Research on posttraumatic stress disorder: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and assessment. J Clin Psychol 58(8):877–889
Walker EA, Gelfand A, Katon WJ, Koss MP, Von Korff M et al (1999) Adult health status of women with histories of childhood abuse and neglect. Am J Med 107(4):332–339
Zapf D, Knorz C, Kulla M (1996) On the relationship between mobbing factors, and job content, social work environment, and health outcomes. Eur J Work Org Psychol 5(2):215–237
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Giacalone, R.A., Promislo, M., Jurkiewicz, C. (2016). Ethical Impact Theory: How Unethical Behavior at Work Affects Individual Well-Being. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_2252-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_2252-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Economics and FinanceReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences