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Ethical Decision Making in Multinational Organizations: A Culture-Based Model

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between national culture and ethical decision making. Established theories of ethics and moral development are reviewed and a culture-based model of ethical decision making in organizations is derived. Although the body of knowledge in both cross-cultural management and ethics is well documented, researchers have failed to integrate the influence of cultural values into the ethical decision-making paradigm. A conceptual understanding of how managers from different nations make decisions about highly ethical issues will provide business ethics researchers with a sound theoretical foundation upon which future empirical inquiry can be based.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, College of Business Administration, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, U.S.A

    Chris Robertson

  2. Department of Management & Information Systems, School of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, 1500 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 31698, U.S.A

    Paul A. Fadil

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  1. Chris Robertson
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  2. Paul A. Fadil
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Robertson, C., Fadil, P.A. Ethical Decision Making in Multinational Organizations: A Culture-Based Model. Journal of Business Ethics 19, 385–392 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005742016867

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