ABSTRACT. This investigation applies a social cognition
framework to examine moral awareness in business situations.
Using a vignette-based instrument, the investigation
compares the recall, recognition, and ascription of importance
to moral- versus strategy-related issues in business
managers (n = 86) and academic professors (n = 61).
Results demonstrate that managers recall strategy-related
issues more than moral-related issues and recognize and
ascribe importance to moral-related issues less than
academics. It also finds an inverse relationship between
socialization in the business context and moral awareness.
Future directions for moral awareness research and the
practical implications for these findings are discussed.
KEY WORDS: moral awareness, moral sensitivity,
social cognition, managers