THE ETHICAL VIEWS BUSINESS LEADERS, UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

SECTION 11:

FOCUS ON STUDENTS

FOR TWO YEARS

SECTION 11:

FOCUS ON STUDENTS

FOR ALL YEARS

INTRODUCTION

In this section, the focus is only on the students for two years. Table 11A 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 11B for a clearer understanding of these questions. Table 11B gives the percentage of respondents who either Strongly Agreed, Agree, gave No Opinion, Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed for each question.

ANALYSIS

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 11A. FOR EACH OF THE TWO STUDIES, PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS 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	Students	77%	2.2	0.9		1009
1		1995	Students	NI	NI	NI		191

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	Students	25%	3.4	1.0		1009
2		1995	Students	NI	NI	NI		191

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	Students	60%	2.5	0.9		1009
3		1995	Students	NI	NI	NI		191

4	The corporation has a responsibility to promote equal opportunity in hiring and promotion.	2003	Students	93%	1.5		0.8	1009
4		1995	Students	NI	1.7		0.7	191

5	The corporation has a responsibility to promote conservation of energy even if doing so means a reduction in profits.	2003	Students	66%	2.3		1.0	1009
5		1995	Students	NI	1.9		0.8	191

6	The corporation has a responsibility to conserve natural resources, even if doing so means a reduction in profits.	2003	Students	72%	2.2		0.9	1009
6		1995	Students	NI	1.9		0.7	191

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	Students	83%	1.9		0.8	1009
7		1995	Students	NI	1.6		0.6	191

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	Students	73%	2.2		0.9	1009
8		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

9	The corporation has a responsibility to help minority owned businesses.	2003	Students	30%	3.0		1.0	1009
9		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

10	The corporation has a responsibility to be truthful in advertising.	2003	Students	94%	1.5		0.7	1009
10		1995	Students	NI	1.7		0.6	191

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	Students	60%	2.6		1.2	1009
11		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

12	Ethical standards in business are lower than in government.	2003	Students	20%	3.4		1.0	1009
12	Ethical standards in business are lower than in government.	1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

13	Ethical standards in business are lower than in most religious organizations.	2003	Students	55%	2.6		1.1	1009
13		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

14	Ethical standards in business are lower than in the typical American family.	2003	Students	46%	2.8		1.0	1009
14		1995	Students	NI	2.8		0.9	191

15	The ethical standards used in business are as high as those practiced with family and friends.	2003	Students	24%	3.3		1.0	1009
15		1995	Students	NI	2.3		1.0	191

16	Occasionally, business people make decisions that are right for business but which are inconsistent with their personal ethical principles.	2003	Students	24%	3.3		1.0	1009
16		1995	Students	NI	2.3		1.0	191

17	Much advertising done by business is misleading to the consumer.	2003	Students	60%	2.5		1.0	1009
17		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

18	Effective advertising may have to be somewhat misleading.	2003	Students	36%	3.2		1.1	1009
18	Effective advertising may have to be somewhat misleading.	1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

19	It is in the long run self-interest of business to protect the customer.	2003	Students	76%	2.1		0.9	1009
19		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

20	The average customer is less ethical in dealing with business than the business is in dealing with that customer.	2003	Students	31%	3.1		1.0	1009
20		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

21	No employee should be required to engage in business practices that employee considers unethical.	2003	Students	84%	1.8		0.9	1009
21		1995	Students	NI	1.8		0.8	191

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	Students	55%	2.7		1.1	1009
22		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

23	Wages and salaries should vary according to an employee’s productivity.	2003	Students	84%	1.9		0.8	1009
23		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

24	Wages and salaries should vary according to both the employee’s productivity and years of service with the firm.	2003	Students	81%	2.1		0.9	1009
24		1995	Students	NI	2.0		0.8	191

25	Wages and salaries should vary primarily with the employee's years of service with the firm.	2003	Students	36%	3.1		1.1	1009
25		1995	Students	NI	NI		NI	191

26	Labor unions serve a useful purpose by prodding a particular management into fulfilling its responsibilities to labor.	2003	Students	47%	2.8		1.0	1009
26		1995	Students	NI