“Opportunity” as a Factor Affecting Ethics
Presence of opportunity. Opportunity refers to the amount of freedom an organization gives an employee to behave unethically if he or she makes that choice. In some organizations, certain company policies and procedures reduce the opportunity to be unethical.
Ethical codes. The existence of an ethical code and the importance management places on this code are other determinants of opportunity
Enforcement. The degree of enforcement of company policies, procedures, and ethical codes is a major force affecting opportunity. When violations are dealt with consistently and firmly, the opportunity to be unethical is reduced