INSTITUT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Moral Disengagement in Idea Competitions – The Dark Side of

Participation

Christian Scheiner, Christian Baccarella, Katja Krämer, Kai-Ingo Voigt Open and User Innovation Conference 2015 - Lisboa

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Behavior locus Moral justification

Pallative comparison Euphemistic labeling

Outcome locus Disregarding consequences Distortion of consequences

Recipient locus Attribution of blame

Dehumanization

Agency locus Displacement of responsibility

Diffusion of responsibility

Reprehensible conduct Detrimental effects Victim

Bandura et al. 1996

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Operationalization •  Moral disengagement (Detert et al., 2008)

•  Motives for participation (Walcher, 2007)

•  Unethical behavior

Method •  Linear regression modeling

Sample •  123 students

Moral disengagement

Social manipulation

Hedonic motives

Needs and dissatisfaction

motives

Monetary motives

Idea manipulation

System manipulation

Contact motives

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Initial Results:

•  Participants with hedonic motives are significantly less likely to engage in moral disengagement.

•  Hedonic motives have a significant negative effect on unethical behavior in idea competitions through moral disengagement (mediator).

Practical implications: à To counteract moral issues in idea competitions, organizers of

idea competitions could emphasize hedonic incentives, such as fun, mental stimulation or proudness, e.g. initiate idea competitions with game mechanics

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INSTITUT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

17.07.15 Prof. Dr. Christian W. Scheiner, Marc Stelzner 8