Dr. Sean Valentine received Best Paper Award at SWAM 2022!

Congratulations Dr. Sean Valentine, Chair and Professor in The Middle School of Entrepreneurship & Management, received the Best Paper Award at the Southwest Academy of Management Meeting in 2022!

Authors: Robert Giacalone (John Carroll University) and Sean Valentine (University of North Dakota)

Title: “The Hazards of Unethical Work Experiences: The Serial Impact of Moral Injury on Work-Related Stress, Trauma-Induced Ill-Being, and Moral Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”

Abstract: The business ethics literature highlights the many ways that an unethical work context negatively impacts employees. However, limited research has investigated how unethical experiences can injure individuals from a moral perspective, possibly leading to significant distress and moral trauma. Using ethical impact theory and data collected from business professionals, this study explored the relationships among moral injury, work-related stress, trauma-induced ill-being, and moral post-traumatic stress disorder. The serial mediation analysis indicated that moral injury was positively related to stress, and that both moral injury and stress were positively related to ill-being. Moral injury, stress, and ill-being were also positively related to moral post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, the results indicated that moral injury indirectly influenced post-traumatic stress disorder through stress and ill-being, suggesting that moral injury progressively affects multiple adverse work experiences. Employers should focus on reducing the unethical experiences associated with moral injury, thus mitigating its harmful effects on employees.