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First, thanks to Ron for posting this, an issue we all directly confront (By the way Brooks has covered some really interesting emerging issues in the psychology of ethics recently).

We have seen some evidence that business students score lower on cognitive moral development (Reynolds, and at least one other paper). One of the more telling comparisons would be between U.S.  students and students of the same age from Western Europe. I routinely have students from France and Germany in my classes – and it may be selection bias, but these students are generally more morally sensitive than my average U.S. student.    (I'm not sure that study has been done – I'd like to see it!).  So, how many factors have to be controlled for?  But, I can say this.  My business school, (and I suspect many in this age of economic stress)  is much more interested in satisfying the expressed "needs" of the check-writing-business-stakeholder than educating students about how to think critically or morally.   That's actually not a criticism, the curriculum is a zero-sum game- I want my students to get a job, to be professionally prepared, etc., but – it seems there is a fine line between education, indoctrination and training.   

George W. Watson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Editor, Journal of Organizational Moral Psychology

Department of Management and Marketing

School of Business Box 1100

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, Il 62026

618-650-2291