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

APPENDIX E:

2003 STUDENT

QUESTIONNAIRE

DATE: October 24, 2003

TO: ANBHF Board Member

FROM: _____________________

Paul C. Thistlethwaite

Professor of Marketing

RE: Ethics Survey

Last spring at the ANBHF Board meeting, we discussed doing a follow-up survey of business executives, faculty and students. The original studies were conducted in 1983, 1988, 1989 and 1995. Two research assistants (Ellen Sutor and Kathleen Casey) and I examined the 4 previous studies and discovered slight differences in the wording of questions that were on all surveys. These are the first 29 questions on the survey. We let Dick Hattwick decide on the best wording for those questions. The next 9 questions were on the 1983 business study and the 1988 faculty study. The next 9 questions were on the 1983 study and the 1995 study of students. Thus the majority of the questions were on all 3 surveys.

We are sending out the survey to 1500 businesses and 634 accredited colleges of business. The deans at the colleges of business were asked to complete the survey and have 3 of their faculty complete the survey.

We now ask for your assistance as a member of the Board. In order to have as large of a student pool of information as possible, we would like for you to copy the survey and distribute it to as many of your principles of marketing OR your principles of management classes as possible. After collecting the questionnaires, mail them back to me as soon as possible.

My email is MFPCT@wiu.edu. Please email me to let us know if you will be able to participate in this very meaningful update of the ANBHF ethics studies. I will be happy to reimburse you or your department for the copying and mailing costs associated with the study.

Thanks so much for your support of the ANBHF. The results will be reported at the spring ANBHF meeting in Chicago. Anyone would who like access to the data may certainly have it by contacting Dick.

ATTITUDES ABOUT ETHICS IN BUSINESS

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

Demographic Characteristics

1. Did you ever take a formal course in ethics or moral philosophy? 1. Yes 2. No

2. What is your gender? 1. Male 2. Female

3. What is your year in school? 1. Fr 2. Soph 3. Jr 4. Sr 5 Graduate

4. What is your major? _____________________ 5. What is your minor? _________________________

Thanks so much for your ideas. They are very valuable.