Cultivating ethical behaviour in corporate culture

Numerous Canadian and international organizations have fallen victim to unethical conduct, resulting in high-profile scandals involving employees and causing lasting harm to organizational reputations. These incidents have inspired research in the field of moral motivation, defined as the motivation to behave in an ethical manner.   

This is why Telfer professor Lance Ferris has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant for his project titled “Moral motivation: A self-determination theory perspective.” Ferris aims to explore a method for evaluating both autonomous and controlled moral motivation. The former refers to being motivated to behave morally because it aligns with one’s values, whereas the latter involves feeling obligated to behave morally because of organizational policies and the enforcement of penalties.

Developing training to foster autonomous motivation 

To address and prevent company scandals, it is crucial to distinguish between autonomous and controlled motivation. By examining both, companies can recognize the importance of fostering a culture that supports autonomous motivation.  

Ferris’ research introduces a fresh perspective on moral motivation. He aims to design a method to evaluate both types of motivation, involving participants who complete surveys and in-person tasks, and summarize a YouTube video. Data gathered will inform the development of a training program to be delivered to a range of companies through in-person or virtual workshops. 

Ferris’ work on understanding moral motivation and developing training will benefit companies that have faced public setbacks due to unethical conduct. It will also provide students with valuable training and first-hand research experience.