Title

Values and the perceived importance of ethics and social responsibility : the U.S. versus China

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Journal of Business Ethics

Publication Date

2-1-2007

Volume

70

Issue

3

First Page

265

Last Page

284

Keywords

Cross-cultural ethics, Personal values, Perceived Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility (PRESOR) scale

Abstract

This study examines the effects of nationality (U.S. vs. China) and personal values on managers' responses to the Perceived Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility (PRESOR) scale. Evidence that China's transition to a socialist market economy has led to widespread business corruption, led us to hypothesize that People's Republic of China (PRC) managers would believe less strongly in the importance of ethical and socially responsible business conduct. We also hypothesized that after controlling for national differences, managers' personal values (more specifically, self-transcendence values) would have a significant impact on PRESOR responses. The hypotheses were tested using a sample of practicing managers enrolled in part-time MBA programs in the two countries. The results indicate that nationality did not have a consistent impact on PRESOR responses. After controlling for national differences, self-transcendence values had a significant positive impact on two of the three PRESOR dimensions. Conservation values such as conformity and tradition also had a significant association with certain dimensions of the PRESOR scale.

DOI

10.1007/s10551-006-9110-9

Print ISSN

01674544

E-ISSN

15730697

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Springer 2006

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Shafer, W. E., Fukukawa, K., & Lee, G. M. (2007). Values and the perceived importance of ethics and social responsibility: The U.S. versus China. Journal of Business Ethics, 70(3), 265-284. doi: 10.1007/s10551-006-9110-9

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