The majority of managers operate at which level of personal moral development?

Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, a comprehensive stage theory of moral development based on Jean Piaget’s theory of moral judgment for children [1932] and developed by Lawrence Kohlberg in 1958. Cognitive in nature, Kohlberg’s theory focuses on the thinking process that occurs when one decides whether a behaviour is right or wrong. Thus, the theoretical emphasis is on how one decides to respond to a moral dilemma, not what one decides or what one actually does.

Kohlberg’s theory, though extremely influential, was based on research that used only boys as subjects. In the 1980s the theory was criticized by the American psychologist Carol Gilligan for universalizing patterns of moral development exhibited by boys and ignoring the distinct patterns characteristic of girls.

Theoretical framework

The framework of Kohlberg’s theory consists of six stages arranged sequentially in successive tiers of complexity. He organized his six stages into three general levels of moral development.

Basic tenets of Kohlberg’s theory

The numerous studies investigating moral reasoning based on Kohlberg’s theory have confirmed basic tenets regarding the topic area. Cross-sectional data have shown that older individuals tend to use higher stages of moral reasoning when compared with younger individuals, while longitudinal studies report “upward” progression, in accordance with Kohlberg’s theoretical order of stages. In addition, studies have revealed that comprehension of the stages is cumulative [e.g., if a person understands stage 3, he or she understands the lower stages but not necessarily the higher stages], and comprehension of higher stages is increasingly difficult. Moreover, age trends in moral development have received cross-cultural support. Lastly, data support the claim that every individual progresses through the same sequence of development; however, the rates of development will vary.

Measurement of moral development

Since the development of Kohlberg’s theory, a number of measurement tools that purport to measure moral reasoning have been constructed. Kohlberg’s Moral Judgment Interview [1969] is a rather lengthy structured interview requiring trained interviewers and scorers. Another instrument is the Defining Issues Test developed by James Rest [1974]. These measures, ranging from projective tests to structured, objective assessments, all consist of a set of hypothetical stories involving moral dilemmas.

In what stage of personal moral development is a person mostly concerned with external rewards?

Which of the following is most important at the top management level?

Which of the following are important elements for managers to consider when using the moral rights rule?

What is the key operating question of moral management?