The Complex interplay of Income, Employment Type, and Ethical Decision-Making: A Case Study

Abstract

The theory of motivation in organisational behaviour literature has demonstrated how external factors contribute to behavioral patterns of an individual or groups. The motivation is categorized into intrinsic and extrinsic, financial and non-financial because they play major roles in determining behavioral outcomes. On this premise, the paper investigates the role of income and employment nature in predicting unethical behaviour among employees in Nigeria. The study employed a quantitative approach, and data from 2,623 workforce in government, private, and self-employed sectors in Nigeria were analyzed to evaluate how these factors influence unethical conducts. The results of this study demonstrate that both income and employment type significantly predict unethical behaviour. In addition, lower-income employees and those in private or self-employed sectors showed a higher likelihood of unethical actions. However, the findings further revealed that, neither age nor education moderates the effects of income and employment type on unethical behavior, and this suggests consistent patterns across demographic groups. The findings underscore the importance of addressing organisational and environmental factors, such as job security and ethical culture, to minimize unethical practices, particularly in financially pressured or competitive sectors in Nigeria.

Key Words: employment type, ethical decision-making, income, Nigerian employees, unethical behavior