A Contingency Framework for Understanding Ethical Decision Making in Marketing

Ferrell, O. C.; Gresham, Larry G.

doi:10.1177/002224298504900308

Cited by 1,056 publications

(747 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The roles of organizational/situational forces and individual dispositional characteristics are interactive (Davis-Blake and Pfeifer, 1989;House et al, 1996). Likewise, ethical decision-making theories have emphasized the cognitive nature of information processing encompassing belief, values, and judgments along with various environmental forces and the interactive nature of ethical beliefs and organizational environment in ethical decision-making (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985;Ferrell et al, 1989;Jones, 1991;Trevino, 1986).…”

Section: Idealism and Relativismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many business ethics theories have focused on ethical decision-making process where individuals' ethical philosophies or beliefs guide their ethical decision-making process and, at the same time, their philosophies and beliefs are influenced by the organizational environment (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985;Ferrell et al, 1989;Jones, 1991;Trevino, 1986). The sense of opportunity of ethical behavior (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985) signifies that individuals' personal ethics comes to action when the organizational environment provides adequate situation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sense of opportunity of ethical behavior (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985) signifies that individuals' personal ethics comes to action when the organizational environment provides adequate situation. However, there have been few research efforts given to ''how'' individual ethical philosophies or beliefs interact with organizational environment factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Role of Idealism and Relativism as Dispositional Characteristics in the Socially Responsible Decision-Making Process

Park

2005

J Bus Ethics

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This study investigated how decisionmakers differ in processing their organizational environment (peers and organizational control systems), depending on the levels of their idealism and relativism. Focusing on socially responsible buying/sourcing issues, responses from buying/sourcing professionals from U.S. apparel and shoe companies were analyzed, using a series of regression analyses. The results generally supported the proposition that the degrees of idealism and relativism determine involvement levels that, in turn, result in varying levels of reactions to the organizational environment and corresponding amounts of information processing. Highly idealistic (relativistic) individuals were influenced by only idealistic (relativistic) signals of organizational environment. Further analysis showed highly idealistic and relativistic individuals were more likely to evaluate the organizational environment in terms of its business merit. The results suggest that organizations need to carefully plan how to communicate underlying meanings of organizational initiatives with their employees, knowing that individuals who have strong ethical opinions will only react to what they believe and elaborate its value for business. Further theoretical and practical implications and suggestions are discussed.

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Section: Idealism and Relativismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Role of Idealism and Relativism as Dispositional Characteristics in the Socially Responsible Decision-Making Process

Park

2005

J Bus Ethics

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“…In terms of the role codes of ethics might play in influencing behavior, Ferrell and Gresham (1985) as part of their ''contingency model'' suggest that: ''Ethics related corporate policy will influence ethical/unethical behavior … Corporate policy and codes of ethics that are enforced will produce the highest level of compliance to established ethical standards'' (1985, p. 93). Trevino (1986) introduces a ''person-situation interactionist'' model of ethical decision-making.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective Corporate Codes of Ethics: Perceptions of Code Users

2004

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The study examines employee, managerial, and ethics officer perceptions regarding their companies' codes of ethics. The study moves beyond examining the mere existence of a code of ethics to consider the role that code content and code process (i.e. creation, implementation, and administration) might play with respect to the effectiveness of codes in influencing behavior. Fifty-seven in-depth, semi-structured interviews of employees, managers, and ethics officers were conducted at four large Canadian companies. The factors viewed by respondents to be important with respect to code effectiveness include: provisions of examples; readability; tone; relevance; realism; senior management support; training; reinforcement; living up to standards; reporting requirement; anonymous phone line; communicating violations; and enforcement. The factors found to be potentially important include: justification for provisions; employee involvement; and sign-off requirements. Factors found not to be important include: objectives for the code; prior distribution; testing; and relating one's performance review to compliance with the code.

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“…Industries also are attempting to improve their ethical climate as reflected in a recent study sponsored by the Direct Selling Association (Chonko et al, 2002). The focus on ethics is also seen in higher education through ethics research and increased offerings for ethics related courses (Shaw, 1996) Concern about ethical behavior and the desire to better understand ethical decision making has led to the development of numerous models and frameworks in the marketing (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985;Ferrell, Gresham and Fraedrick, 1989;Wobtruba, 1990Wobtruba, , 1993Hunt and Vitell, 1991;Chonko, 1995), management (Trevino, 1986;Boomer et al, 1987;Jones, 1991;Bowes-Sperry and Powell, 1999;Beu et al, 2003;Schepers, 2003) and accounting disciplines (McDevitt and Van Rise, 2002). For a review of ethical decision making models in the counseling and development context, one should read Cottone and Claus (2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Mere Exposure Effect on Ethical Tolerance: a Two-Study Approach

et al. 2005

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This paper reports on the results from two studies that were conducted eight years apart with different respondents. The studies examined the role of the Mere Exposure Effect on ethical tolerance or acceptability of particular business decisions. The results from Study 1 show there is a significant difference in ethical judgment for 12 out of 16 vignettes between those who have been exposed to such situations compared to those who have not been exposed to them. In those 12 situations, those who have been exposed to such situations adopted a more tolerant stance toward the ethically questionable behavior. The results from Study 2 show there is a significant difference in ethical judgment for 9 out of 16 vignettes between those who have been exposed to such situations compared to those who have not been exposed to them. Again, in those nine situations, those who have been exposed to such situations adopted a more tolerant stance toward the ethically questionable behavior. Interestingly, the 9 situations in Study 2 were 9 of the 12 situations found to be significant in Study 1, and in the same direction, suggesting that we have found consistency in our findings and support for the Mere Exposure Effect. Implications are provided for both higher education and practitioners.

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A Contingency Framework for Understanding Ethical Decision Making in Marketing

Cited by 1,056 publications

References 15 publications

The Role of Idealism and Relativism as Dispositional Characteristics in the Socially Responsible Decision-Making Process

The Role of Idealism and Relativism as Dispositional Characteristics in the Socially Responsible Decision-Making Process

Effective Corporate Codes of Ethics: Perceptions of Code Users

The Role of Mere Exposure Effect on Ethical Tolerance: a Two-Study Approach

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