Abstract:  As an effective motivation tool, goal setting has been widely used in various types of organizations. However, while recent research has revealed that goal setting might lead to unethical behavior, research efforts in reviewing their relationships are still rare. Therefore, the present research aims to comprehensively review previous research on the impact of goal setting on unethical behavior. Specifically, we reviewed their direct relationships, boundary conditions, and also theoretical bases. Based on this review, we suggest that future research should be conducted in real organizations and pay more attention to their mediators, moderators and the social perspective of goal setting.

Key words:  goal setting, unethical behavior, goal shielding theory, moral disengagement theory, ego depletion theory