�LEADERS� FOR 2003
In this section, the focus is only on the business leaders for the 2003 study.� Table 5A presents a summary version of the information for each of the 47 attitudinal questions.� For each question, the percent that agreed with each statement is given.� In addition, the average response (low is positive) and the standard deviation for each question are provided.� The number of responses completes the information for each group for each question.� Questions 30 to 38 are given at the end of the table since their answers should have reflected �to what extent� instead of a SA to SD perspective.� See Table 5B for a clearer understanding of these questions.� Table 5B gives the percentage of respondents who either Strongly Agreed, Agree, gave No Opinion, Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed for each question.�
�One can examine the differences in the actual responses in these two tables depending upon his or her interest in the particular question and/or group.� A detailed analysis of the information in this section is beyond the scope of the project.
TABLE 5A.���� PERCENT OF THE BUSINESS LEADERS IN 2003 AGREEING WITH EACH STATEMENT (1 = SA; 5=SD) | |||||||
Q# | QUESTION | Year | Type | % Agree | Mean | Std. Dev. | n= |
1 | The corporation has a responsibility to take the lead in solving major social problems such as pollution, discrimination, and safety. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 76% | 2.1 | 1.0 | 66 |
2 | The corporation has a responsibility to not become involved in solving social problems unless doing so becomes a cost of doing business or the opportunity to earn a profit. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 11% | 4.0 | 1.0 | 66 |
3 | The corporation has the responsibility to get involved in social responsibility projects because outside pressures make such� an involvement a cost of doing | Business |
business. | 2003 | Leaders | 35% | 3.1 | 0.9 | 66 | |
4 | The corporation has a responsibility to promote equal opportunity in hiring and promotion. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 99% | 1.3 | 0.5 | 66 |
5 | The corporation has a responsibility to promote conservation of energy even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 71% | 2.4 | 1.0 | 66 |
6 | The corporation has a responsibility to conserve natural resources, even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 70% | 2.4 | 1.0 | 66 |
7 | The corporation has a responsibility to clean up or avoid causing air, noise, and water pollution even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 92% | 1.9 | 0.8 | 66 |
8 | The corporation has a responsibility to contribute money and management time to civic activities in communities where the firm has plants or offices. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 88% | 1.7 | 0.9 | 66 |
9 | The corporation has a responsibility to help minority owned businesses. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 56% | 2.6 | 1.1 | 66 |
10 | The corporation has a responsibility to be truthful in advertising. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 99% | 1.2 | 0.4 | 66 |
11 | The typical business executive has two sets of ethical standards, one which he/she applies to business activities and another which is applied to his/her private life. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 12% | 4.3 | 1.0 | 66 |
12 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in government. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 11% | 4.2 | 0.9 | 66 |
13 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in most religious organizations. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 28% | 3.5 | 1.2 | 66 |
14 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in the typical American family. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 19% | 3.8 | 1.1 | 66 |
15 | The ethical standards used in business are as high as those practiced with family and friends. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 67% | 2.5 | 0.9 | 66 |
16 | Occasionally, business people make decisions that are right for business but which are inconsistent with their personal ethical principles. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 59% | 2.8 | 1.1 | 66 |
17 | Much advertising done by business is misleading to the consumer. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 29% | 3.3 | 1.0 | 66 |
18 | Effective advertising may have to be somewhat misleading. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 8% | 4.1 | 0.8 | 66 |
19 | It is in the long run self- interest of business to protect | Business |
the customer. | 2003 | Leaders | 91% | 1.8 | 0.8 | 66 | |
20 | The average customer is less ethical in dealing with business than the business is in dealing with that customer. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 31% | 3.1 | 1.0 | 66 |
21 | No employee should be required to engage in business practices that employee considers unethical. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 87% | 1.7 | 0.9 | 66 |
22 | In accepting an employment offer each employee implicitly agrees to abide by the ethical standards of the employer, even if the company standards differ from those of the employee. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 53% | 2.8 | 1.2 | 66 |
23 | Wages and salaries should vary according to an employee�s productivity. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 88% | 1.8 | 0.8 | 66 |
24 | Wages and salaries should vary according to both the employee�s productivity and years of service with the firm. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 49% | 2.9 | 1.1 | 66 |
25 | Wages and salaries should vary primarily with the employee's years of service with the firm. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 3% | 4.2 | 0.7 | 66 |
26 | Labor unions serve a useful purpose by prodding a particular management into fulfilling its responsibilities to labor. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 29% | 3.6 | 1.2 | 66 |
27 | The corporation should seek to maximize short run profits. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 29% | 3.4 | 1.2 | 66 |
28 | The corporation should seek to earn a satisfactory rate of return for stockholders. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 99% | 1.5 | 0.5 | 66 |
29 | The ethical standards in competition are determined by the least ethical competitor.� If one firm engages in unethical conduct, the others will have to follow to survive. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 0% | 4.5 | 0.6 | 66 |
39 | All institutions in our society should seek to protect and promote the interests of individuals. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 34% | 3.1 | 1.0 | 65 |
40 | Individual freedom may have to be partly restricted in order for organizations to effectively function. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 56% | 2.7 | 1.1 | 66 |
41 | Government should redistribute income in order to assure a minimum standard of living for all citizens. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 23% | 3.7 | 1.1 | 66 |
42 | Government should provide incentives for business to get involved in solving social problems. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 55% | 2.8 | 1.1 | 66 |
43 | Truth in lending regulations are needed to protect the | Business |
customer. | 2003 | Leaders | 86% | 2.0 | 0.8 | 66 | |
44 | Antitrust laws prohibiting price fixing benefit the customer. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 85% | 2.1 | 0.8 | 66 |
45 | Lazy or incompetent employees should be fired. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 86% | 1.9 | 0.9 | 66 |
46 | A company should have formal policies to guarantee that every employee has an equal opportunity for promotion, pay increases, and other rewards provided by the firm. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 86% | 1.8 | 1.0 | 66 |
47 | The corporation should seek to maximize long run profits. | 2003 | Business Leaders | 93% | 1.7 | 0.8 | 66 |
30 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by peer group pressures? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 55% | 2.8 | 1.0 | 64 |
31 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by prevailing industry practice? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 66% | 2.6 | 1.0 | 64 |
32 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by perceived preference of top executives? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 81% | 2.2 | 0.9 | 64 |
33 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by family experiences? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 83% | 2.2 | 0.8 | 64 |
34 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by church experiences? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 74% | 2.4 | 0.9 | 64 |
35 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by your educational experiences? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 83% | 2.2 | 0.7 | 64 |
36 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by company's ethical code or policy? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 90% | 1.9 | 0.8 | 64 |
37 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by professional ethical code? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 85% | 2.0 | 0.8 | 64 |
38 | To what extent are ethical standards influenced by society's moral climate? | 2003 | Business Leaders | 75% | 2.3 | 0.9 | 64 |
TABLE 5B.������ PERCENT OF THE BUSINESS LEADERS IN 2003 PROVIDING THEIR DEGREE OF AGREEMENT WITH EACH STATEMENT (1=SA;� 5=SD) | |||||||||
Q# | QUESTION | Year | Type | %SA | %A | %NO | %D | %SD | n= |
�� 1 | The corporation has a responsibility to take the lead in solving major social problems such as pollution, discrimination, and safety. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 29 | 47 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 66 |
�� 2 | The corporation has a responsibility to not become involved in solving social problems unless doing so becomes a cost of doing business or the opportunity to earn a profit. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 3 | 8 | 8 | 52 | 30 | 66 |
�� 3 | The corporation has the responsibility to get involved in social responsibility projects because outside pressures make such� an involvement a cost of doing business. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 2 | 33 | 21 | 42 | 2 | 66 |
�� 4 | The corporation has a responsibility to promote equal opportunity in hiring and promotion. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 76 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 66 |
�� 5 | The corporation has a responsibility to promote conservation of energy even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 15 | 56 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 66 |
�� 6 | The corporation has a responsibility to conserve natural resources, even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 11 | 59 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 66 |
�� 7 | The corporation has a responsibility to clean up or avoid causing air, noise, and water pollution even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 26 | 66 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2003 |
�� 8 | The corporation has a responsibility to contribute money and management time to civic activities in communities where the firm has plants or offices. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 53 | 35 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 66 |
�� 9 | The corporation has a responsibility to help minority owned businesses. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 14 | 42 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 66 |
10 | The corporation has a responsibility to be truthful in advertising. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 85 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
11 | The typical business executive has two sets of ethical standards, one which he/she applies to business activities and another which is applied to his/her private life. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 0 | 12 | 2 | 33 | 53 | 66 |
12 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in government. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 0 | 11 | 5 | 44 | 41 | 66 |
13 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in most religious organizations. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 5 | 23 | 15 | 32 | 26 | 66 |
14 | Ethical standards in business are lower than in the typical American family. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 2 | 17 | 11 | 45 | 26 | 66 |
15 | The ethical standards used in business are as high as those practiced with family and friends. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 6 | 61 | 9 | 24 | 0 | 66 |
16 | Occasionally, business people make decisions that are right for business but which are inconsistent with their personal ethical principles. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 6 | 53 | 6 | 29 | 6 | 66 |
17 | Much advertising done by business is misleading to the consumer. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 3 | 26 | 15 | 53 | 3 | 66 |
18 | Effective advertising may have to be somewhat misleading. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 0 | 8 | 8 | 56 | 29 | 66 |
19 | It is in the long run self-interest of business to protect the customer. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 35 | 56 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 66 |
20 | The average customer is less ethical in dealing with business than the business is in dealing with that customer. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 5 | 26 | 30 | 33 | 6 | 66 |
21 | No employee should be required to engage in business practices that employee considers unethical. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 55 | 32 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 66 |
22 | In accepting an employment offer each employee implicitly agrees to abide by the ethical standards of the employer, even if the company standards differ from those of the employee. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 14 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 8 | 66 |
23 | Wages and salaries should vary according to an employee�s productivity. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 36 | 52 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 66 |
24 | Wages and salaries should vary according to both the employee�s productivity and years of service with the firm. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 41 | 11 | 35 | 6 | 66 |
25 | Wages and salaries should vary primarily with the employee's years of service with the firm. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 0 | 3 | 6 | 61 | 30 | 66 |
26 | Labor unions serve a useful purpose by prodding a particular management into fulfilling its responsibilities to labor. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 3 | 26 | 9 | 33 | 29 | 66 |
27 | The corporation should seek to maximize short run profits. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 21 | 11 | 44 | 17 | 66 |
28 | The corporation should seek to earn a satisfactory rate of return for stockholders. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 52 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
29 | The ethical standards in competition are determined by the least ethical competitor.� If one firm engages in unethical conduct, the others will have to follow to survive. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 0 | 0 | 3 | 49 | 49 | 66 |
39 | All institutions in our society should seek to protect and promote the interests of individuals. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 2 | 32 | 25 | 37 | 5 | 65 |
40 | Individual freedom may have to be partly restricted in order for organizations to effectively function. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 6 | 50 | 14 | 24 | 6 | 66 |
41 | Government should redistribute income in order to assure a minimum standard of living for all citizens. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 2 | 21 | 11 | 38 | 29 | 66 |
42 | Government should provide incentives for business to get involved in solving social problems. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 47 | 14 | 26 | 6 | 66 |
43 | Truth in lending regulations is needed to protect the customer. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 21 | 65 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 66 |
44 | Antitrust laws prohibiting price fixing benefit the customer. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 20 | 65 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 66 |
45 | Lazy or incompetent employees should be fired. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 33 | 53 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 66 |
46 | A company should have formal policies to guarantee that every employee has an equal opportunity for promotion, pay increases, and other rewards provided by the firm. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 44 | 42 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 66 |
47 | The corporation should seek to maximize long run profits. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 46 | 47 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 66 |
30 | * Ethical standards are influenced by peer group pressures? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 2 | 53 | 13 | 28 | 5 | 64 |
31 | * Ethical standards are influenced by prevailing industry practice. | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 3 | 63 | 8 | 25 | 2 | 64 |
32 | * Ethical standards are influenced by perceived preference of top executives? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 17 | 64 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 64 |
33 | * Ethical standards are influenced by family experiences? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 75 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 64 |
34 | * Ethical standards are influenced by church experiences? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 66 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 64 |
35 | * Ethical standards are influenced by your educational experiences? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 75 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 64 |
36 | * Ethical standards are influenced by company's ethical code or policy? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 27 | 63 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 64 |
37 | * Ethical standards are influenced by professional ethical code? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 27 | 58 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 64 |
38 | * Ethical standards are influenced by society's moral climate? | 2003 | Bus. Leaders | 8 | 67 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 64 |
Source:� ��������������� 2003 Study of Ethics
* The actual question on the questionnaire was � * To what extent are ethical standards influenced by ��