Abstract
In an increasingly global environment, managers face a dilemma when selecting and applying moral values to decisions in cross-cultural settings. While moral values may be similar across cultures (either in different countries or among people within a single country), their application (or ethics) to specific situations may vary. Ethics is the systematic application of moral principles to concrete problems.
This paper addresses the cross-cultural ethical dilemma, proposes a tentative model for conceptualizing cross-cultural ethics, and suggests some ways in which the model may be tested and operationalized.
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William A. Wines is Professor of Legal Environment and Business Ethics in the Management Department, College of Business, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA. His research interests include business ethics, employment law, and public sector collective bargaining.
Nancy K. Napier is Professor of Management and Chairman of the Management Department, College of Business, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA. Her research interests include international business, mergers and acquisitions, and human resource management.
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Wines, W.A., Napier, N.K. Toward an understanding of cross-cultural ethics: A tentative model. J Bus Ethics 11, 831–841 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00872361
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00872361