1. Attitudes, Values, and Ethics
Chapter 4 Organizational Behavior: Foundations, Realities, & Challenges Nelson & Quick, 5th edition
Attitudes, Values, and Ethics

2. Attitude
Attitude – a psychological tendency expressed by evaluating an entity with some degree of favor or disfavor
Should poor performance be
blamed on “bad attitude”? 2

3. Component Measured by Example
Model of an Attitude A B C
Component Measured by Example
ffect Physiological indicators I don’t like my
Verbal statements boss.
about feelings A A
ehavioral Observed behavior I want to
intentions Verbal statements transfer to
about intentions another dept. B B
ognition Attitude scales I believe my
Verbal statements boss plays
about beliefs favorites. C C
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by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning.
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4. Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance – a state of tension that is produced when an individual experiences conflict between attitudes and behavior 4

5. Two Influences on Attitude Formation
Direct Experience
Social Learning
the process of deriving attitudes from
family, peer groups, religious
organizations, and culture 5

6. Four Processes for Social Learning through Modeling
The learner must
Focus on the model
Retain what was observed
Practice the behavior
Be motivated 6

7. Work Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
Job Satisfaction – a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experience
Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Behavior that is above and beyond duty
Related to job satisfaction 8

8. Values
Enduring beliefs that a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence 14

9. Values
Instrumental – values that represent the acceptable behaviors to be used in achieving some end state
Examples: honesty, politeness, courage
Terminal – values that represent the goals to be achieved, or the end states of existence
Examples: happiness, salvation, prosperity 15

10. Work Values Achievement (career advancement)
Concern for others (compassionate behavior)
Honesty (provision of accurate information)
Fairness (impartiality) 16

11. Cultural Differences in Values
Chinese value an
individual’s contribution
to relationships
in the work team
Americans value an individual’s contribution to task accomplishment 17

12. Handling Cultural Differences
Learn about others’ values
Avoid prejudging business customs
Operate legitimately within others’ ethical points of view
Avoid rationalizing “borderline” actions with excuses
Refuse to violate fundamental values
Be open and above board 18

13. Ethical Behavior
Acting in ways consistent with one’s personal values and the commonly held values of the organization and society 19

14. Qualities Required for Ethical Decision Making
The competence to identify ethical issues and
evaluate the consequences of alternative courses
of action
The self-confidence to seek out different opinions
about the issue and decide what is right in terms of
a situation
Tough mindedness – the willingness to make
decisions when all that needs to be known cannot
be known and when the ethical issue has no
established, unambiguous solution 20

15. Individual/Organizational Model of Ethical Behavior
Individual Influences
Value systems
Locus of control
Machiavellianism
Cognitive moral development
Ethical
Behavior
Organizational Influences
Codes of conduct
Norms
Modeling
Rewards and punishments
Copyright ©2006
by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning.
All rights reserved 21

16. Values, Ethics, and Ethical Behavior
Value Systems – systems of beliefs that affect what the individual defines as right, good, and fair
Ethics – reflects the way values are acted out
Ethical Behavior – actions consistent with one’s values 22