Principles and Influence in Codes of Ethics: A Centering Resonance Analysis Comparing Pre- and Post-Sarbanes-Oxley Codes of Ethics

Abstract

codes of ethics, organizational discourse, Sarbanes-Oxley, structuration theory,

Toward Effective Codes: Testing the Relationship with Unethical Behavior

“…Much research has been conducted into the adoption of BCEs by companies (e.g., Brooks, 1989;Canary and Jennings, 2008;Carasco and Singh, 2003;Cressey and Moore, 1983;Schlegelmilch and Houston, 1989;White and Montgomery, 1980). According to Somers (2001) and Stevens (2004), a BCE has significant intrinsic value.…”

“…Companies are increasingly pressurized by their stakeholders, or even legally obliged, to adopt a BCE (Canary and Jennings, 2008;Sethi, 2002;Waddock et al, 2002). As a result, nowadays many companies have a BCE.…”

The Determinants of Regulatory Compliance: An Analysis of Insider Trading Disclosures in Italy

“…Surprisingly, very little effort has been made to determine whether corporate governance affects the propensity of firms to comply with regulatory regimes. 1 The arrival of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has motivated researchers to examine the role of regulation on corporate behavior and performance (Canary and Jennings, 2008;Chhaochharia and Grinstein, 2007;Cunningham, 2003;De Franco et al, 2005;Romano, 2004;Zhang, 2007). However, the US is unusual in that recent enforcement of punishments relating to non-compliance have diligently been implemented.…”

The Effects of Ethical Codes on Ethical Perceptions of Actions Toward Stakeholders

“…The utility of codes also is increased by specifying guidelines for behaviors beyond what is obviously appropriate in light of social norms or common sense (Schwartz, 2001). To this end, codes of conduct post Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 have changed to provide more specificity related to legal and compliance issues (Canary and Jennings, 2008). Moreover, codes that not only identify specific behaviors but also include potential punishments for violations are likely to be more effective in changing perceptions and behaviors (Lere and Gaumnitz, 2007).…”