Unethical Behavior in Organizations and Ethics Programs: The Mediation Role of Trust in Top Management

Researchers and professionals have made considerable effort to understand the effects of ethics programs on ethical behavior. Although there have been advancements, the literature on the subject lacks information about the mechanisms that cause this effect. This study aims at this gap and explores the mediating effect of trust in top management on the relationship between compliance- and values-oriented ethics programs and unethical behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 241 workers. The scales used measured unethical behavior, trust in management, and type of integrity program. Social desirability was controlled. Semi-Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted for all scales. Results of a path analysis showed that trust mediated the relationship between values-oriented ethics programs and unethical behavior. Compliance-oriented programs did not influence unethical behavior but significantly impacted trust in top management. In conclusion, this study shows that ethics programs prioritizing values are more successful in reducing unethical behavior than compliance-oriented programs.