DATE: �������������October 29, 2003
�
TO:������������������ Chief Executive Officer / President
FROM:������������
����������������������� Paul C. Thistlethwaite
����������������������� Professor of Marketing RE:� ���� ����������� Ethics Survey
This survey is conducted for the American National Business Hall of Fame as part of its continuing study of ethics in American business.� The first study of corporate executives was conducted in 1983.� Other studies of businesses, faculty and students were conducted in 1988, 1989 and 1995, respectively.� Based on this information, articles have been published in the Journal of Business Leadership.� The website is �anbhf.org�.�
As a professor of Marketing and a member of the ANBHF Board, I am conducting a follow-up study of the views of business leaders of ethics to determine how attitudes have changed over the past decade. You were randomly selected to receive this short survey.� The primary purpose of this survey is to allow you to tell us in the academic community about ethical beliefs and practices related to business. The results should help our students enter the job market better prepared to handle the ethical aspects of their work. �If you cannot complete the survey, please ask another corporate executive or top manager to complete it. �Thank you for investing your time in this project.�
Your assistance in providing insights concerning attitudes about ethics will be most appreciated.� We look forward to hearing from you.� If you have any questions, my telephone number is (309) 298-1401.� My email is��� MFPCT@wiu.edu.
ATTITUDES ABOUT ETHICS IN BUSINES
October 2003
There are no right or wrong answers because we are dealing with values.� Circle the answer that best matches your feelings about that statement. | StronglyAgree | Agree | NoOpinion | Disagree | StronglyDisagree |
The corporation has a responsibility to � | |||||
� 1.������ take the lead in solving major social problems such as pollution, discrimination, and safety. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 2.� ���� not become involved in solving social problems unless doing so becomes a cost of doing ����������� business or the opportunity to earn a profit. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 3.������ get involved in social responsibility projects because outside pressures make such an ����������� involvement a cost of doing business. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 4.������ promote equal opportunity in hiring and promotion. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 5.������ promote conservation of energy, even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 6.������ conserve natural resources, even if doing so means a reduction in profits. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 7. ����� clean up or avoid causing air, noise and water pollution, even if doing so means a ����������� reduction in profits. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 8.������ contribute money and management time to civic activities in communities where the firm ����������� has plants or offices. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
� 9.������ help minority-owned businesses. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
10.������� be truthful in advertising. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
Other Issues | |||||
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. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
12.������� Ethical standards in business are lower than in government. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
13.������� Ethical standards in business are lower than in most religious organizations. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
14.������� Ethical standards in business are lower than in the typical American family. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
15.������� The ethical standards used in business are as high as those practiced with family and friends. | SA | A | NO | D | SD |
16.������� Occasionally, business people make decisions that are right for business but which are ����������� inconsistent with their personal ethical principles. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
17.������� Much advertising done by business is misleading to the consumer. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
18.������� Effective advertising may have to be somewhat misleading. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
19.������� It is in the long run self interest of business to protect the customer. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
20.������� The average customer is less ethical in dealing with business than the business is in ����������� dealing with that customer. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
21.������� No employee should be required to engage in business practices that the employee ����������� considers unethical. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
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. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
23.������� Wages and salaries should vary according to an employee�s productivity. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
24.������� Wages and salaries should vary according to both the employee�s productivity and years ����������� of service with the firm. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
25.������� Wages and salaries should vary primarily with the employee�s years of service with the ����������� firm. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
26.������� Labor unions serve a useful purpose by prodding a particular management into fulfilling ����������� its responsibilities to labor. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
27.������� The corporation should seek to maximize short-run profits. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
28.������� The corporation should seek to earn a satisfactory rate of return for stockholders. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
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. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
To what extent are ethical standards of business executives influenced by: | ||||||
30.������� Peer group pressures | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
31.������� Prevailing industry practice | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
32.������� Perceived preference of top executives | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
33.������� Family Experiences | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
34.������� Church experiences | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
35.������� Educational experiences | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
36.������� Company�s ethical code or policy | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
37.������� Professional ethical code | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
38.������� Society�s moral climate | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
Other Issues | ||||||
39.������� All institutions in our society should seek to promote the interests of individuals. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
40.������� Individual freedom may have to be partly restricted in order for organizations to effectively ������� function. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
41.������� The government should redistribute income in order to assure a minimum standard of ����������� living for all citizens. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
42.������� Government should provide incentives for business to get involved in solving social ����������� problems. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
43.������� � Truth in lending regulations are needed to protect the customer. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
44.������� Antitrust laws prohibiting price fixing benefit the customer. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
45.������� Lazy or incompetent employees should be fired. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
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. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
47.������� The corporation should seek to maximize long run profits. | SA | A | NO | D | SD | |
Background Characteristics |
1. ������� Did you ever take a formal course in ethics or moral philosophy?�� 1.� Yes��������� ����������������������� 2.�� No |
2.� ������ What is your present title or position? |
3. ������� In which state do you work: |
4. ������� What is the approximate number of employees in your company? |
5.�� ����� What is the largest general area of business for your company? |
6.� ������ What is the functional area in which you have primarily worked? |
7.�������� What is your gender?���������������� 1.� Male�������������������� 2.� Female |