Rules,standards, and ethics: Relativism predicts cross-national differences in the codification of moral standards |
| |
| Authors: | Donelson R. Forsyth Ernest H. O’Boyle |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. University of Richmond, Jepson School of Leadership Studies, 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA 23173, United States;2. Longwood University, United States;1. Sezione di Gastroenterologia, Di.Bi.M.I.S., University of Palermo, Italy;2. Institute of Policy and Economics, Graduate school of Health Economics and Management, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy;3. Dipartimento di Scienze Statistiche e Matematiche “S. Vianelli”, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;4. Division of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Foundation IRCCS San Matteo Hospital, University of Pavia, Italy;5. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, GastroenteroLogia, e Economica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy;6. Department of Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Italy;1. College of Communication, DePaul University, 1 E Jackson, Chicago, IL 60604, United States;2. College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, 2085 Weimer, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States;1. Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Department of Management, Cannaregio 873, 30121 Venice, Italy;2. Copenhagen Business School, Department of Strategic Management and Globalization, Kilevej 14, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark;3. BI Norwegian Business School, Department of Strategy and Logistics, Nydalsveien 37, 0484 Oslo, Norway;1. Aalto University School of Business, Department of Management Studies, Finland;2. Stockholm School of Economics, Department of Marketing and Strategy, Sweden;1. Leibniz University Hannover, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany;2. Freie Universität Berlin, Garystr. 21, 14195 Berlin, Germany;3. WHU–Otto Beisheim School of Management, Burgplatz 2, 56179 Vallendar, Germany |
| |
| Abstract: | This research examines the relationship between the code of ethics adopted by businesses in a country and the ethics positions of the inhabitants of that country. Ethics Position Theory (EPT) maintains that individuals’ personal moral philosophies influence their ethical judgments, actions, and emotions. The theory, when describing individual differences in moral philosophies, stresses two dimensions: relativism (skepticism with regards to inviolate moral principles) and idealism (concern for positive outcomes). Extending previous research that identified differences in relativism and idealism between residents of different countries and world regions, we examined the relationship between relativism, idealism, and the regulatory standards governing commercial activities of firms headquartered in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, the UK, and the US. The results indicated that the level of relativism of a nation's populace predicted degree of ethical codification of commerce in that nation. These findings suggest that the ethical conduct of business will be more closely regulated in countries where relativism is low (e.g., Australia, Canada) but less closely regulated in countries where the residents are more ethically relativistic (e.g., Hong Kong, Spain). |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
