Business Research In Gender Ethical Decision-Making

Business Research in Gender Ethical Decision-Making

University of Phoenix

RES 341 - Research and Evaluation I

February 26, 2007

Abstract

Low ethics standards in business is a problem in many organizations. How to address this issue has the researchers, Rittenburg and Valentine, trying to define which gender, male or female, may have higher ethical judgment in decision-making. The purpose to identify this data is to provide organizations guidance on ethics training programs and conduct codes to create non-retaliatory work environments. The conclusion of this business research is that females, along with increased age and years of business experience may be a factor in the grouping that demonstrated the higher ethical judgment in decision-making.

Business Research in Gender Ethical Decision-Making

The International Business Ethics Institute regularly undertakes research projects in the fields of business ethics and corporate responsibility in order to help create non-retaliatory work environments. (Unknown Author, n.d.). These efforts are intended to produce relevant and practical information to help with various business developments. A recent research project in this field focused on the differences between males and females and the level of ethical behavior as a characteristic of each gender. The focus of the research study was to determine if an individual's sex can impact the manner in which ethical dilemmas are negotiated. (Rittenburg and Valentine, 2007, p. 125).

The purpose of this business research is to determine which gender may have a higher ethical reasoning in decision-making, and used a cross-cultural population mix in the research. The study used the hypothesis: "After controlling for individual differences, women's generalized ethical reasoning is higher than men's ethical reasoning". (Rittenburg and Valentine, 2007, p. 127). The parties that are involved in conducting the research, Rittenburg and Valentine, want to investigate this unanswered business question to help provide guidance with future business problems regarding codes of conduct and ethics training support. Another business problem that can be addressed is in the area of future staffing, especially in international organizations.

The researchers used survey questionnaires as the primary data collection method. The survey used a sample of various business scenario vignettes to help identify the reasoning process of the respondents. Along with answering the various vignette scenarios, the respondents provided secondary demographic data. To define the respondents' demographics, gender and ethnicity were the key details collected to develop the sample characteristics of the population. The researchers also considered the respondents' levels of education, years of business experience and age as part of the research measurements to create a variable analysis for comparison.

After analysis of all the data measures,