An Analysis of the Factor Structure of the Ethical Climate Questionnaire

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide additional empirical evidence concerning the factor structure of the Ethical Climate Questionnaire. A random sample of 1,000 members of the American Marketing Association were selected and mailed a copy of the survey. Usable responses were received from 207 marketers, representing 207 organizations from various industries across the United States. The results provide relatively strong support for the dimensions of ethical work climate conceptualized by Victor and Cullen (1988). Factor analysis yielded six dimensions of ethical work climate, namely, (1) Team Spirit, (2) Rules and Codes, (3) Social Responsibility, (4) Self-interest, (5) Efficiency, and (6) Personal Morality.

Perceptions of the Ethical Climate in the Korean Tourism Industry

“…Cullen (1987, 1988) and Cullen et al (1993). Four of the six identified factors such as 'Efficiency', 'Self-interest', 'Law and Code' and 'Rules' proved to be consistent with the theoretical dimensions of the ECQ, and empirically proven by earlier studies (Cullen et al, 1993;Malloy and Agarwal, 2003;Fritzche, 2000;Trevino et al, 1998;Vaicys et al, 1996;Cullen, 1987, 1988).…”

“…The 'Team Spirit' factor was a combination of the two theoretical dimensions of 'Friendship' and 'Team Interest'. This was recognized by two earlier studies (Trevino et al, 1998;Vaicys et al, 1996). However, the 'Moral Caring' factor uncovered was a combination of the four theoretical dimensions of 'Friendship', 'Team Interest', 'Social Responsibility' and 'Personal Morality'.…”

“…However, Peterson (2002), Dickson et al (2001) andFritzsche (2000) argue that the nine ethical climate types presented by Victor and Cullen are still the most convincing and most widely used (Cullen et al, 2003;Deshpande, 1996;Koh and Boo, 2001;Malloy and Agarwal, 2003;Joseph and Deshpande, 1997;Peterson, 2002;Vaicys et al, 1996). Accordingly, this study will use Victor and Cullen's model as the main theoretical basis for this analysis.…”

“…Respondents were asked to respond to the items based on how it really is inside their company and not how they would prefer it to be. ECQ has been widely used in previous studies to examine ethical climate types in organization (Dickson et al, 2001;Fritzshe, 2000;Malloy and Agarwal, 2003;Peterson, 2002;Vaicys et al, 1996).…”

Can an ethical work climate influence payment discipline?

“…That methodology was often criticised, both from theoretical and practical points of view, regarding (among others) the question of whether its model is actually two-dimensional or merely that both dimensions are linked (for example, Vaicys, Barnett & Brown, 1996;Wimbush, Shepard & Markham, 1997) • collective moral sensitivity, consisted of…”