An Exploration of Ethical Decision-making Processes in the United States and Egypt |
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Authors: | Rafik I Beekun Ramda Hamdy James W Westerman Hassan R HassabElnaby |
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Institution: | (1) Managerial Sciences Department 28, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557-0206, U.S.A.;(2) College of Commerce, Cairo University, Cairo, Giza, 12211, Egypt;(3) Department of Management, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32089 Boone, NC, 28608, U.S.A.;(4) Department of Accounting, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | In this comparative survey of 191 Egyptian and 92 U.S. executives, we explore the relationship between national culture and
ethical decision-making within the context of business. Using Reidenbach and Robin’s (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument,
we examine how differences on two of Hofstede’s national culture dimensions, individualism/collectivism, and power distance,
are related to the manner in which business practitioners make ethical decisions. Egypt and the U.S. provide an interesting
comparison because of the extreme differences in their economies and related business development. Our results indicate that
respondents from the U.S, individualistic and low in power distance, were likely to view the decision making outcome in ethics
scenarios as more unethical than the more collectivistic and high power distance Egyptians, when applying ethical criteria
based on justice, utilitarianism, relativism, and (contrary to our predictions) egoism. However, we also found that both Egyptians
and Americans rely on justice, utilitarianism, and relativism in predicting their intentions to behave ethically, and that
Americans substitute egoism for justice, when the behavioral intentions of peers are examined. |
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Keywords: | Egypt justice ethics national culture U S relativism egoism and utilitarianism intention to behave |
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