Understanding the ethical cost of organizational goal-setting: A review and theory development

Abstract

Goal-setting has become a popular and effective motivational tool, utilized by practitioners and substantiated with decades of empirical research. However, the potential for goal-setting to enhance performance may come at the cost of ethical behavior. I propose a theoretical model linking attributes of goals and goal-setting practices to unethical behavior through two psychological mechanisms - ethical recognition and moral disengagement; and addressing the moderating role of individual differences (e.g., goal commitment and conscientiousness), as well as the broader organizational ethical context.