The Effect of Ethics on the Professional and Organizational Commitment of Accountants (A Case Study: The Universities of Medical Sciences)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor of Accounting, Shiraz University, and Certified Public Accountant

2 Ph. D. Student in Accounting, Shiraz University

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this research is to examine the effect of ethics on professional and organizational commitment of accountants. For this purpose, the effect of some factors such as ethical climate and ethical culture of the organization on the affective organizational commitment and the organizational-professional conflict is investigated. Besides, the effect of Machiavellism on the affective organizational commitment, and the relationship between the affective organizational commitment and the organizational-professional conflict are also examined.
Method: This research is applied in terms of purpose, and regarding the method, it is a descriptive survey, and considering the time criteria, it is cross-sectional. The statistical population of this research include the accounting experts of the Universities of Medical Sciences of Iran who have participated in the new financial system plan of the Universities of Medical Sciences. The volume of the used population is 150 individuals. This research has been done in the year 2012, and in order to test the hypotheses, the regression model and Pearson correlation coefficient have been employed by using SPSS Software Version 18.
Results: The results of the research state that the effect of some aspects of ethical climate on the affective organizational commitment and the organizational-professional conflict, and also, the effect of ethical culture of the organization on the organizational-professional conflict are significant. Moreover, the results indicate that Machiavellism has a negative and significant effect on the affective organizational commitment. Investigating the relationship between the affective organizational commitment and the organizational-professional conflict also suggest the negative and significant relationship between these two variables.
Conclusion: The obtained evidence in this research represent the effect of ethics on the organizational and professional commitment of accountants. As a result, it is important to contemplate some policies for improving the ethical environment of the organization.

Keywords


1      Mowday, R. T.; Porter, L. W.; and R. M. Steers (1982). Organizational Linkages, New York: Academic Press.
2      Meyer, J. P. and N. J. Allen (1991). “A Three-Component Conceptualization of Organizational Commitment”, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 61-89.
3      Delgoshaie, B.; Tofighi, Sh.; and B. Kermani (2008). “The Relationship between Organizational Climate and Organizational Commitment of Managers and Employees of Educational Hospitals of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences”,Journal of the Horizons of Medical Sciences, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 60-69. [In Persian]
4      Aranya, N. and K. R. Ferris (1984). “A Reexamination of Accountants’ Organizational-Professional Conflict”, The Accounting Review, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 1-15.
5      Arab Salehi, M.; Kazemi, J.; and M. Zolf-e-alizadeh (2011). “Investigating the Reducing Behaviors of Audit Quality from the Viewpoint of Psychological Contract and the Affective Organizational Commitments”,Journal of Accounting Knowledge, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 127-147. [In Persian]
6      Setayesh, M.; Maher, M.; and M. Abol-hallaj (2012). “Investigating the Effect of Personal and Social Components on the Perception of Moral Principles among Financial and Budget Managers of the Universities of Medical Sciences of Iran”, Journal of Health Accounting, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 17-32. [In Persian]
7      Jamshidi, N. and Z. Noori (2013). “Investigating the Effect of Islamic Cultural Values Based on Hofstede's Dimensions on Transparency of Financial Reporting and Accountability Level (A Case Study: The Ministry of Health and Medical Education)”, Journal of Health Accounting, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 1-18. [In Persian]
8      Mahdavi, Gh. and F. Ebrahimi (2013). “Professional Values and Ethical Perception of Internal Auditors of the Universities of Medical Sciences of Iran”, Journal of Health Accounting, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 54-67. [In Persian]
9      El-Rajabi, M. T. A.  (2007). “Organizational-Professional Conflict and Cultural Differences among Auditors in Emerging Markets”, Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 22, No. 5, pp. 485-502.
10  Shafer, W. (2009). “Ethical Climate, Organizational-Professional Conflict and Organizational Commitment: A Study of Chinese Auditors”, Accounting, Auditing andAccountability Journal, Vol. 22, No. 7, pp. 1087-1110.
11  Victor, B. and J. B. Cullen (1988). “The Organizational Bases of Ethical Work Climates”, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 101-125.
12  Rahimnia, F. and Z. Nik-khah Farkhani (2011). “The Effect of Ethical Climate on Organizational Identity and Turnover Intentions among Salespeople”,  Journal of Ethics in Science and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 84-94. [In Persian]
13  Trevin˜o, L. K.; Butterfield, K. D.; and D. L. McCabe (1998). “The Ethical Context in Organizations: Influences on Employee Attitudes and Behaviors”, Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 447-76.
14  Martin, K. D. and J. B. Cullen (2006). “Continuities and Extensions of Ethical Climate Theory: A Meta-Analytic Review”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 69, No. 2, pp. 175-194.
15  Shafer, W. E. and Z. Wang (2010). “Effects of Ethical Context on Conflict and Commitment among Chinese Accountants”, Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 377-400.
16  Trevino, L. K. (1990). “A Cultural Perspective on Changing and Developing Organizational Ethics”, Research in Organizational Change and Development, Vol. 4, pp. 195-230.
17  Shafer, W. E. and R. S. Simmons (2008). “Social Responsibility, Machiavellianism, and Tax Avoidance: A Study of Hong Kong Tax Practitioners”, Accounting, Auditing andAccountability Journal, Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 695-720.
18  Ghosh, D. and T. L. Crain (1995). “Ethical Standards, Attitudes toward Risk, and Intentional Noncompliance: An Experimental Investigation”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp. 353-365.
19  Ross, W. T. and D. C. Robertson (2000). “Lying: The Impact of Decision Context”, Business EthicsQuarterly, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 409-440.
20  McHoskey, J. W.; Worzel, W.; and C. Szyarto (1998). “Machiavellianism and Psychopathy”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 74, No. 1, pp. 192-210.
21  Cullen, J. B.; Victor, B.; and J. W. Bronson (1993). “The Ethical Climate Questionnaire: An Assessment of Its Development and Validity”, Psychological Reports, Vol. 73, pp. 667-74.
22  Shafer, W. E.; Park, L. J.; and W. M. Liao (2002). “Professionalism, Organizational-Professional Conflict and Work Outcomes: A Study of Certified Management Accountants”, Accounting,Auditing and Accountability Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 46-68.
23  Christie, R. and F. L. Geis (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism, New York: Academic Press.
24  Mahdavi, Gh. and S. R. Mousavinezhad (2011). “The Effect of Moral Amount and Conditions on Financial Managers' Decision-Making in Executive Government Agencies in Fars Province”, Journal of Ethics in Science and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 41-52. [In Persian]
25  Finegan, J. E. (2000). “The Impact of Person and Organizational Values on Organizational Commitment”, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 73, No. 2, pp. 149-169.
26  Grojean, M. W.; Resick, C. J.; Dickson, M. W.; and D. B. Smith (2004). “Leaders, Values, and Organizational Climate: Examining Leadership Strategies for Establishing an Organizational Climate Regarding Ethics”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 223-241.