Does national context matter in ethical decision making? An empirical test of integrative social contracts theory

Andrew Spicer, Thomas W. Dunfee, Wendy J. Bailey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

105 Scopus citations

Abstract

We tested the empirical validity of integrative social contracts theory by comparing the responses on an ethics survey of Americans working in Russia and in the United States. "Hypernorms" and "local norms" moderated the effect of national context on ethical evaluations and intended behaviors. In hypernorm situations, location played little role: all respondents shared similar ethical attitudes. In local norm situations, however, attitudes diverged. Our findings support the hypothesis that integrative social contracts theory can explain how expatriates evaluate ethical dilemmas abroad.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)610-620
Number of pages11
JournalAcademy of Management Journal
Volume47
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Business and International Management
  • General Business, Management and Accounting
  • Strategy and Management
  • Management of Technology and Innovation

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