Social Factors Affecting Ethics
Cultural norms. A person’s behavior in the workplace, to some degree, is determined by cultural norms, and these social factors vary from one culture to another.
Co-workers. The actions and decisions of co-workers constitute another social factor believed to shape a person’s sense of business ethics.
Significant others. The moral values and attitudes of “significant others” -spouses, friends, and relatives, for instance- also can affect an employee’s perception of what is ethical and unethical behavior in the workplace.
Use of the Internet. Even the Internet presents new challenges for firms whose employees enjoy easy access to sites through convenient high-speed connections at work. An employee’s behavior online can be viewed as offensive to co-workers and possibly lead to lawsuits against the firm if employees engage in unethical behavior on controversial Web sites not related to their job.