The combined use of formal and informal ethics training in the Indian IT companies

Abstract

The Indian IT industry, an important contributor to global GDP, is recognized for its low-cost and high quality performance. Additionally, ethical performance is an imperative, to compete in today’s world. This study attempts to investigate the effectiveness of the present state of ethics training in the Indian IT sector. First, we have conceptualized a theoretical framework, the Perception of Ethics Training in Employees and Organisations (PETINEO), to underline the importance of the perception toward ethics with respect to individual ideologies and organizational values. Second, we have studied the statistical relationships among various components of this model. Third, under the rubric of PETINEO, we have examined the effectiveness of ethics training programs for Indian IT companies. Our results suggest that the combination of formal and informal approaches to ethics training has stronger impact on ethical decision-making than the use of any one of them in isolation.