Inter-country differences of consumer ethics in Arab countries

Recent geopolitical events have placed the Arab world at the center of attention of the global stage. Nevertheless, there are many potentially profitable opportunities in the region for interested Western firms. Today global firms and public policymakers consider the task of understanding the Arabs' mindset a major priority and a must for successfully operating in the region. Despite this heightened interest, limited effort has been made by social and behavioral scientists to study that part of the world and its people. Most of the current research is journalistic in nature and tends to treat the Arab region as monolithic rather than one that consists of different likes, attitudes and behaviors.The present study overcomes some of this shortcoming by specifically evaluating whether consumers within the Arab world differ from each other with respect to their ethical beliefs, ethical ideologies, and degree of Machiavellianism. Utilizing a sample of 683 consumers from four Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Oman), the findings suggest that Arab consumers differ significantly in their ethical beliefs and ideologies. Specific results are discussed and managerial implications are offered.