How do managers make teleological evaluations in ethical dilemmas? Testingpart of and extending the Hunt-Vitell model

A study involving purchasing managers was conducted to test specific Hunt-V itell theoretical propositions concerning the determinants of managers' tel eological evaluations. We extended the Hunt-Vitell model by developing a ne w integrative construct, namely the desirability of consequences to self ve rsus others. We hypothesized that desirability of consequences affects tele ological evaluations in that the more desirable the consequences of a parti cular action, the more likely managers evaluate that action positively. The results of the present study provided support for this hypothesis. Further more, we extended the Hunt-Vitell model by developing a new integrative con struct, namely the desirability of consequences of self versus others. We h ypothesized that cognitive moral development moderates the relationship bet ween the desirability of consequences of self versus others and teleologica l evaluation. The results failed to support this hypothesis. We explained t he lack of support in terms of the level of aggregation of the data, the po ssibility of the confounding effect of respondents' sensitivity to ethical issues, and the possibility that deontological evaluations confounded the r espondents' teleological judgments. Future research and managerial implicat ions of the findings were also discussed.