The organization for which you have been working for five years is suffering from a global recession. In response, it changes your compensation structure. Discuss the role of moral intensity, moral sensitivity, and situational influences in this context.


Moral intensity is the degree to which an issue demands application of ethical principles. In this situation, the organization is facing financial instability and needs your support, nevertheless, this is just one of the factors which contributes to the moral intensity of the issue. 

Moral sensitivity is a personal characteristic that enables people to recognize the presence of an ethical issue and determine its relative importance. Even after having worked for five years in the organization, it depends on you as a person, and also on the information that you have about the situation, higher moral sensitivity leads to higher empathy. 

Situational factors could be a pressure from top management, peer pressure, social pressure and family responsibilities, and your comfort zone within the organization. Based on these situational factors, you may choose to stay with the organization, accept the new compensation or look for work elsewhere.

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