The Influence of Ethical Practices on the Organizational Performance: A Special Reference to Ruaha Catholic University

Abstract

Current unethical practices have heightened the scrutiny on researchers, organizations, governments and business practitioners. This study examined the influence of ethical practices on organizational performance, paying particular attention to the preconventional and post conventional stages of moral development stages of the Kohlberg’s theory. 145 workers were polled using a quantitative method in a cross-sectional design based on positivism.  Participants were chosen using simple random selection and stratified random sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data, which were acquired via standardized, closed ended questionnaires. Results indicated that ethical practices based on integrity and accountability positively correlated with performance, while discipline and fear-based compliance showed a weak negative association. The study stressed the significance of developing a culture of ethical decisions-making, ethical training, ethical leadership, transparent communication, and orientation for new hires.  The single-institutional sample and some other unidentified performance affecting factors were among the limitations.  Future studies should look into employee motivation, communication dynamics, and the long-term effects on interventions promoting ethical behaviours on performance.