The goal of this paper is to expand understanding of the complex terrain that lies between an ethical message and resulting (un)ethical behavior in organizations. To do this, we integrate research in the ethics literature (i.e., ethical leadership, ethical climate, and moral judgment) with dual processing theory of ethical decision making and systems theory of communication to develop an integrated systems model of ethical messaging in organizations. We identify three components – resonation, activation, and cultivation – which represent how leaders, followers, and the work environment are interconnected. Further, we delineate the processes through which these components can lead to effective messaging about ethics by understanding how followers perceive, understand, and prioritize complex ethical messaging in the workplace. In doing so, we expand on the roles of leaders, the ethical environment, and followers in how to communicate effectively about ethics. Lastly, we provide practical prescriptions for organizations to create more effective messaging and how to create a shared meaning of ethical messaging in organizations to promote consistent, committed ethical behavior in employees.
