Ethics in business: Why some behave badly without feeling guilty

In this book chapter published in Sage Business Foundations, I explain why people can act against their own moral standards and not feel guilty. Employees can cognitively restructure the behavior, minimize their own role in the bad behavior, or focus on others’ unfavorable aspects instead of on themselves. Within these 3 categories, 8 different strategies are explained and illustrated with workplace examples. Readers can better understand how others may use moral disengagement to act poorly without feeling guilty.

Abstract: Why do people act against their own moral standards, yet not feel guilty about it? This publication explores the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Thought and Action, one of the theories used in understanding behavioral ethics, or the study of why people behave the way they do inside of social settings. The theory illuminates how individuals can morally disengage, convincing themselves that acting unethically is acceptable. Both a theoretical explanation and practical application of the theory in organizational settings are provided.

Citation: Lassu, R. A. (2023). Moral Disengagement. In L. B. Nair, (Ed.), Sage Business Foundations:

Business Ethics. SAGE Publications, Inc.

URL: https://sk.sagepub.com/foundations/moral-disengagement?format=practice