21949: Ethical Dimensions in Career Development

Morality, defined as the principles and psychological processes that guide perceptions of right and wrong, plays an important role in decision-making and behavior in both personal and professional contexts. Despite its significance, morality has been largely overlooked in career research, which has traditionally focused on more general individual factors such as skills, interests, and personality traits. Similarly, while the field of behavioral ethics provides valuable insights into moral behavior within organizations, it has rarely explored how morality influences career development, success, or decision-making over time. This lack of integration leaves a significant gap in understanding how individual morality shapes career trajectories. This panel symposium aims to address this gap by examining the role of morality in career development at multiple levels. At the individual level, morality influences career goals and values. At the organizational level, it affects selection processes, leadership representation, and career advancement. At the societal level, ethical failures in organizations, often tied to individual careers, underscore the need to connect ethical behavior with career development to foster trust and social well-being. To advance this discussion, we bring together leading scholars in career research and behavioral ethics: Jos Akkermans (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Ans De Vos (University of Antwerp), Svetlana N. Khapova (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Wolfgang Mayrhofer (WU Vienna), and Christopher Wong Michaelson (University of St. Thomas & New York University). This symposium provides a platform for dialogue and collaboration, aiming to lay the groundwork for more systematic research on the ethical dimensions of career development.