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Spirituality, Moral Identity, and Consumer Ethics: A Multi-cultural Study

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Abstract

This article presents the results of a cross-cultural study that examines the relationship between spirituality and a consumer’s ethical predisposition, and further examines the relationship between the internalization of one’s moral identity and a consumer’s ethical predisposition. Finally, the moderating impact of cultural factors on the above relationships is tested using Hofstede’s five dimensions. Data were gathered from young adult, well-educated consumers in five different countries, namely the U.S., France, Spain, India, and Egypt. The results indicate that the more spiritual an individual consumer is, the more likely that consumer is to be ethically predisposed. Furthermore, the stronger one’s internalization of a moral identity, the more likely one is to be ethically predisposed. These two relationships are further moderated by Hofstede’s cultural factors such as the degree of collectivism versus individualism in the culture. However, the strength and direction of the moderation may vary depending upon the specific Hofstede dimension.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marketing, School of Business Administration, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA

    Scott J. Vitell, Robert Allen King & Katharine Howie

  2. Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France

    Jean-François Toti

  3. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA

    Lumina Albert

  4. University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Encarnación Ramos Hidalgo

  5. Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    Omneya Yacout

Authors
  1. Scott J. Vitell
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  2. Robert Allen King
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  3. Katharine Howie
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  4. Jean-François Toti
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  5. Lumina Albert
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  6. Encarnación Ramos Hidalgo
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  7. Omneya Yacout
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Correspondence to Scott J. Vitell.

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Vitell, S.J., King, R.A., Howie, K. et al. Spirituality, Moral Identity, and Consumer Ethics: A Multi-cultural Study. J Bus Ethics 139, 147–160 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2626-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2626-0

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