Article2019

The money or the morals? When moral language is more effective for selling social issues.

David M. Mayer · Madeline Ong · Scott B. Sonenshein · Susan J. Ashford

77 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Applied Psychology

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Ethics in Business and Education Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior Psychology of Social Influence

Abstract

We examine the effectiveness of economic and moral language used by employees when selling social issues to management. In contrast to prior work finding that employees believe it is best to use economic language to influence management to address social issues, we draw on the issue selling, persuasion, and behavioral ethics literatures to demonstrate that moral language is actually most influential-especially when the language is framed to align with the organization's values and/or mission. The results from a combination of 3 field survey studies and 1 experimental vignette study provide support for this hypothesis. In addition, we find support for obligation (i.e., manager's anticipated guilt), rather than inspiration (i.e., manager's prosocial motivation), as a mediator of this interactive effect. We discuss implications for literatures on issue selling, persuasion, and behavioral ethics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

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References

1999Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives 2010Strategic management a stakeholder approach 2007The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits 1987THE PEOPLE MAKE THE PLACE 2006The Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ): Developing and validating a comprehensive measure for assessing job design and the nature of work.1991KEEPING AN EYE ON THE MIRROR: IMAGE AND IDENTITY IN ORGANIZATIONAL ADAPTATION.1998Understanding and assessing the motivations of volunteers: A functional approach.1993SELLING ISSUES TO TOP MANAGEMENT

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