THE EFFECT OF ETHICAL SIGNALS ON RECRUITMENT ...

influence on applicant perceptions of the organization (Turban, Forret, & Hendrickson,
1998). Others have found that recruitment websites can influence applicants’
perceptions of the organizational culture (Braddy et al., 2006). Authors have called for
research on different perceptions that may have outcomes that are important to the
recruitment literature. Ryan and Ployhart (2000) additionally called for more research
exploring what could be determining applicant perceptions. The study of moral
perceptions may address both of these concerns. Applicant perception of the
organization as ethical has not been studied in previous research and is the mediating
variable in Figure 1.
In this study, I propose that the ethical signals from the organizational and
recruitment practices influence perceptions of the organization as ethical. Each
applicant uses the information signaled to them from the organization in order to form
meaning and individual perceptions. These perceptions, in turn, affect attraction to the
organization.
Hypothesis 3a: The relationship between ethical organizational practices and
organizational attraction will be mediated by applicant perception of the
organization as ethical.
Hypothesis 3b: The relationship between ethical recruitment practices and
organizational attraction will be mediated by applicant perception of the
organization as ethical.
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