ETHICS OF FUTURE ENGINEERS: DOES GENDER MATTER?

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine the influence of gender on ethical perceptions of future engineers. Relationship between gender and ethics is a highly debated topic but, consensus results are rarely found. That is, some scholars argue women are more ethical than men and others vice versa. Drawing from the gender identity theory, this paper argues gender consists of not only biological sex, but it also consists of psychological gender traits and gender-role attitudes. Furthermore, the latter two factors influence ethical perceptions of workplace behaviors than biological sex. Findings highlight based on biological sex ethical perceptions do not differ between men and women. However, with a multidimensional perspective of gender, findings emphasize men and women with expressive traits and egalitarian gender role attitudes recognize unethical workplace behaviors as unethical. Implications are drawn from these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords: Business ethics, gender, expressive traits, egalitarian gender-role attitudes

For full Paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac.lk