Running Head: Moral Courage in the Workplace Moral Courage in the Workplace: Moving to and from the Desire and Decision to Act

Moral courage is not necessarily a limited resource, yet it continually appears to be in short supply in many organizations. If we expect to see greater moral strength in response to the ethical challenges posed in daily work life, a better understanding of the influences that foster the desire to engage in right action is necessary. Current theory explains ethical decision-making and various factors that impact an individual’s response. We build upon this research by identifying specific affective and cognitive factors that influence the desire to act, which we claim precede moral judgment and intention to act. Intention is formulated in response to self-regulatory efforts that govern the efficacy of one’s desire to act. Our theory adds value to the literature by depicting how higher order self-regulatory processes come into play, which we believe are essential for developing habits of moral courage in the workplace. Key words: Ethical decision-making, moral courage, organizational behavior, second-order desires