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Ethical Behavior of Marketing Managers and MBA Students: A Comparative Study

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Teaching Business Ethics

Abstract

The ethical tendencies of graduate business students from the United States were examined by analyzing their reactions to ethical dilemmas in a replicated study, which presented a set of ethical problem situations. These dilemmas dealt with coercion and control, conflict of interest, physical environment, paternalism and personal integrity. A comparison of these findings with the previous study of marketing managers indicates that the MBA students exhibited a greater degree of sensitivity to the ethical dimensions of business decision-making. Implications are drawn for business education and further research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marketing, Copenhagen Business School, Struenseegade 7-9, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark

    David E. Smith, J. Robert Skalnik & Patricia C. Skalnik

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  1. David E. Smith
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  2. J. Robert Skalnik
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  3. Patricia C. Skalnik
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Smith, D.E., Skalnik, J.R. & Skalnik, P.C. Ethical Behavior of Marketing Managers and MBA Students: A Comparative Study. Teaching Business Ethics 3, 321–335 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009874007235

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