PERCEPTIONS OF BUSINESS ETHICS SCENARIOS: CHINA, LEBANON AND THE UNITED STATES

Jean M. McEnery
Linda C. Isenhour
Fraya Wagner-Marsh
Eastern Michigan University
Hasanna Tabch
Hussein J. Hejase
American University of Science and Technology
ABSTRACT
This study examined relations between individual characteristics (i.e., gender, work experience, nationality and ethics education) and perceptions of major and minor business ethics violations. Business students in China, Lebanon and the United States provided responses to a survey of thirteen common business scenarios. Nationality, gender and work experience were related to differences in perceptions of major and minor ethics violations. Specifically, U.S. business students reported the highest levels of ethics violations, followed by China and Lebanon, respectively. Ethics education was unrelated to perceptions of ethics violations. Identified differences may impede consistent ethical behaviors and decision making for global organizations seeking ethical global corporate citizenship. Human resource managers may be required to offer ethics training to transcend national differences and achieve organizational goals associated with ethical compliance.