Moral Intensity and Organizational Pressures
Definition
Moral intensity refers to how strongly a situation demands ethical attention, influenced by potential harm, urgency, and visibility.
Introduction
Not all decisions carry equal ethical weight. High-intensity issues—like safety or environment—require heightened moral sensitivity.
Explanation
1️⃣ Magnitude of Consequences – Bigger harm, higher moral intensity.
2️⃣ Social Consensus – Shared agreement that action is wrong.
3️⃣ Probability of Effect – Likelihood of harm occurring.
4️⃣ Temporal Immediacy – Urgency of response.
5️⃣ Organizational Pressure – Peer influence may suppress ethics.
Key Takeaways
Sensitivity predicts ethical behavior.
Pressure reduces moral awareness.
Courage is moral intensity in action.
Real-World Case
Boeing 737 MAX crisis—ethical blindness under performance pressure led to ignoring safety intensity, costing lives.
Reference: https://www.boeing.com