Employing a broad definition of ethics in developing the concept
of an ethical work climate, we encompassed the range
of perceptions that answer, for a member of an organization,
the Socratic question: "What should I do?" Included are the
perceived prescriptions, proscriptions, and permissions regarding
moral obligations in organizations. For example, in a
hiring decision, expectations about whose interests should be
considered and/or what codes or laws should be applied
would be an aspect of the ethical climate. With such an approach,
ethical climates are conceptualized as general and
pervasive characteristics of organizations, affecting a broad
range of decisions.