Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement and correlates of social attitudes

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A review of research addressing correlates of attitudes toward social responsibility of business leads to the conclusion that little can currently be confidently stated concerning such correlates and that progress toward the understanding of relevant linkages is largely dependent on the development of psychometrically adequate indices of social attitudes.

Using a sample of high level executives from a large number of industries, this paper examines various psychometric properties of an index of social attitudes, the Social Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) (Aldag and Jackson, 1977) and considers relationships of SAQ subscale scores to multiple measures of firm size and economic performance and to managerial demographic and social psychological characteristics. Results of this study reflect favorably on psychometric integrity of the SAQ and reveal a complex set of correlates of its subscales.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackerman, R. and Bauer, R.: 1976,Corporate Social Responsiveness: The Modern Dilemma, Reston Publ. Co., Inc., Reston, Virginia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldag, R. J. and Bartol, K. M.: 1978, ‘Empirical Studies of Corporate Social Performance and Policy: A Survey of Problems and Results’, in L. E. Preston (ed.),Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy: An Annual Compilation of Research, Volume 1, JAI Press, Greenwich, Conn., pp. 165–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldag, R. J. and Jackson, D. W., Jr.: 1975, ‘A Managerial Framework for Social Decision Making’,MSU Business Topics 23, 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldag, R. J. and Jackson, D. W., Jr.: 1977, ‘Assessment of Attitudes Toward Social Responsibilities’,Journal of Business Administration 8, 65–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, E. H. and Haire, M.: 1975, ‘A Strategic Posture Toward Corporate Social Responsibility’,California Management Review 18, 49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bragdon, J. H., Jr. and Marlin, J. A.T.: 1972, ‘Is Pollution Profitable?’,Risk Management.

  • Buehler, V. M. and Shetty, Y. K.: 1976, ‘Managerial Response to Social Responsibility Challenge’,Academy of Management Journal 19, 66–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B.: 1979, ‘A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Model of Corporate Social Performance’,Academy of Management Review 4, 497–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, A. B.: 1981,Business and Society: Managing Corporate Social Performance, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cattell, R. B.: 1966, ‘The Scree Test for the Number of Factors’,Multivariate Behavioral Research 1, 245–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crowne, D. and Marlowe, D.: 1964,The Approval Motive, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, K.: 1967, ‘Understanding the Social Responsibility Puzzle: What Does the Businessman Owe to Society?’,Business Horizons 10, 45–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eilbirt, H. and Parket, R.: 1973, ‘The Current Status of Social Responsibility’,Business Horizons 16, 5–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fogler, H. R. and Nutt, F.: 1975, ‘A Note on Social Responsibility and Stock Valuation’,Academy of Management Journal 18, 155–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M.: 1970, ‘The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits’,New York Times Magazine, pp. 23–33.

  • Fry, F. L. and Hock, R. J.: 1976, ‘Who Claims Corporate Responsibility? The Biggest and the Worst’,Business and Society Review 18, 62–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomolka, E. G.: 1975, ‘An Analysis of Social Responsibility Activities Undertaken By Small Business Companies’,Proceedings of the Thirty-fifth Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, pp. 336–338.

  • Gray, E.: 1968, ‘Changing Values in the Business Society’,Business Horizons 11, 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty, W. H. and Sims, H. P., Jr.: 1976, ‘The Reinforcement of Unethical Decision Behavior: An Experiment’,Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Conference of the American Institute for Decision Sciences, pp. 250–252.

  • Kerr, S. and Jermier, J. M.: 1978, ‘Substitutes for Leadership: Their Meaning and Measurement’,Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 22, 375–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lane, R. E.: 1955, ‘Political Personality and Electoral Choice’,American Political Science Review 49, 173–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levitt, T.: 1958, ‘The Dangers of Social Responsibility’,Harvard Business Review 36, 44–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCall, M. W., Jr. and Lombardo, M. M. (eds.): 1978,Leadership: Where Else Can We Go?, Duke University Press, Durham, N.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malkiel, B. G. and Quandt, R. E.: 1971, ‘Moral Issues in Investment Policy’,Harvard Business Review 49, 37–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskowitz, M.: 1974a, ‘Social Responsibility Portfolio 1973’,Business and Society 7, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskowitz, M.: 1974b, ‘46 Socially Responsible Corporations’,Business and Society 7, 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moskowitz, M.: 1975, ‘Profiles in Corporate Responsibility’,Business and Society 13, 28–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nader, R.: 1972,Unsafe At Any Speed, Grossman Publ., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally, J. C.: 1967,Psychometric Theory, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parket, I. R. and Eilbirt, H.: 1975, ‘Social Responsibility: The Underlying Factors’,Business Horizons 18, 5–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preston, L. E.: 1978, ‘Analyzing Corporate Social Performance: Methods and Results’,Journal of Contemporary Business 7, 135–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, L. E. (ed.): 1981a,Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy, Vol. 3, JAI Press, Greenwich, Conn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, L. E.: 1981b, ‘Corporate Power and Social Performance: Approaches to Positive Analysis’, in Preston, L. E. (ed.),Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy, Vol. 3, JAI Press, Greenwich, Conn., pp. 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimann, B. C.: 1975, ‘Organizational Effectiveness and Management's Public Values: A Canonical Analysis’,Academy of Management Journal 18, 224–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, J. P. and Shaver, P. R.: 1973,Measures of Social Psychological Attitudes, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M.: 1956, ‘Misanthropy and Political Ideology’,American Sociological Review 21, 690–695.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M.: 1957,Occupations and Values, The Free Press, Glencoe, Illinois.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rostow, E. V.: 1966, ‘To Whom and For What Ends is Corporate Management Responsible?’, in E. S. Mason (ed.),The Corporation in Modern Society, Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotter, J. B.: 1966, ‘Generalized Expectancies for Internal versus External Control of Reinforcement’,Psychological Monographs 80 (1 Whole No. 609).

  • Schwab, D. P. and Heneman, H. G. III: 1977, ‘Age and Satisfaction with Dimensions of Work’,Journal of Vocational Behavior 10, 212–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, H. D.: 1973, ‘Social Responsibility Funds Get Off to a Bad Start’,Business and Society Review/Innovation 5, 81–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sturdivant, F. D. and Ginter, J. L.: 1977, ‘Corporate Social Responsiveness: Management Attitudes and Economic Performance’,California Management Review 3, 30–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wicker, A. W.: 1971, ‘An Examination of the “Other Variables” Explanation of the Attitude-Behavior Inconsistency’,Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 19, 18–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrightsman, L. S.: 1966, ‘Wallace Supporters and Adherence to “Law and Order”’,Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 4, 328–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the University of Wisconsin, 53706, Madison, Wis., USA

    Ramon J. Aldag (Professor of Business)

  2. the Arizona State University, 85287, Tempe, Ariz., USA

    Donald W. Jackson Jr. (Professor of Marketing)

Authors
  1. Ramon J. Aldag
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Donald W. Jackson Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

He presently serves as Vice President-Program Chair, Midwest Academy of Management. He was previously Chairperson of the Public Sector Division, National Academy of Management. He is co-author ofTask Design and Employee Motivation (Scott, Foresman & Co., 1979) andIntroduction to Business (South-Western Publ. Co., in press). He is also author or co-author of over 40 journal articles. His writings appear inPsychological Bulletin, Academy of Management Journal and various other journals.

He is at present member of the Editorial Review Board of theJournal of Marketing. He is co-author ofMarketing Profitability Analyses and author or co-author of over fifty journal articles and professional papers. His writings appear inJournal of Business Administration, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Advertising and elsewhere.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aldag, R.J., Jackson, D.W. Measurement and correlates of social attitudes. J Bus Ethics 3, 143–151 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388816

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388816

Keywords

Search

Navigation