THE EFFECT OF ETHICAL SIGNALS ON RECRUITMENT ...

Theoretical Implications
This research has many theoretical implications. First, regarding ethics and the
ethical theories developed, this research suggests that ethics matters during recruitment.
Specifically, as both studies demonstrated, ethical signals do affect organizational
attraction. Given these results, organizations may consider adopting a more
deontological perspective (i.e., stressing what is “right” instead of the end result),
especially in regards to recruitment. This ethical stance will be the most beneficial in
terms of attracting the most applicants in the recruitment process. Finally, by applying
ethics to recruitment research in both a field and a laboratory experiment, this research
also answers a call for more rigorous empirical studies in ethics as well as addresses a
gap in the literature regarding the consequences of ethics.
Schneider’s ASA framework and the fit literature suggest that ethical individuals
should be more attracted to ethical organizations and unethical individuals should be
more attracted to unethical organizations, and this research provides some support.
Future researchers should examine how ethics applies to ASA at later stages (i.e.,
attrition). For example, after accepting and starting the job, one is faced with a complex
ethical dilemma. Individuals with high CMD will recognize the dilemma and reason
through it using their own value systems (in addition to the organization’s ethical codes).
Those low in CMD will be more likely to just follow the customs and norms of the
organization (look for signals from the organization as to how they should act; i.e.,
Trevino, 1990). If the organization has an unethical culture, those high in CMD may
recognize that there is an “ethical misfit” and leave, while those low in CMD may
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