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Deans_ad2.qxd 10/12/07 1:46 PM Page 1 Deans Conference offered different estimates for the amount of money in the jar. The subjects were asked to play the role of "approvers," accepting or reject- ing the estimates. Subjects were also told that they and the estimators would be paid more for higher- approved estimates. However, they risked a penalty for approving exag- gerated estimates. In some of the experiments, esti- mators changed the amount of their estimates abruptly; in others, their estimates increased gradually. Indi- viduals were more likely to approve very high estimates if estimators built to them gradually, rather than making the leap all at once. The researchers believe these findings support the conclusion that fraudulent behavior can often be blamed on employees' failure to notice the gradual erosion in an orga- nization's ethical environment—not on deliberate attempts to defraud. "We find that individuals are more apt to engage in unethical behavior when it falls along a slip- pery slope, because they aren't aware that it's happening," Gino says. She draws an analogy to "boil- ing frog syndrome," which holds that frogs will hop out of boiling water, but will slowly cook to death when placed in cool water that is gradually heated. The best way for companies to combat this tendency is to focus less on changing the behavior of individual employees and more on changing the organizational fac- tors that feed these types of gradual breakdowns. "Companies must clearly and consistently communi- cate ethical standards to employees and strive to create a culture where there's a commitment to doing the right thing," Gino says. n z BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 61 February 6-8, 2008 San Antonio, Texas, USA Driving the Mission Save 200 USD with the early registration discount when you register by January 6, 2008. Business school deans worldwide face more challenges than ever before as competition and the demand for quality education grow. Join more than 300 deans in San Antonio, Texas, at this must-attend event exclusively for deans* to network, share, and explore solutions to common challenges. From compelling ideas to expert perspectives from influential speakers, this conference is one that no dean will want to miss. *Registration is limited to deans and heads of higher education business units only. For the latest information, including registration details, please visit www.aacsb.edu/conferences This conference will be held in conjunction with the Maintenance of Accreditation Seminar February 6, 2008, in San Antonio, Texas. A separate registration fee applies. For details, please visit www.aacsb.edu/conferences/events/seminars. AACSB International Conferences