1. In the beginning: ethical perspectives of business and non-business college freshmen
- Author
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Luthy, Michael R., Padgett, Barry L., and Toner, Julie F.
- Subjects
Business ethics -- Evaluation ,Business students -- Education ,Business students -- Ethical aspects ,Business schools -- Management ,Business schools -- Curricula ,Company business management ,Law - Abstract
Recent scandals involving the actions of some prominent U.S. corporate leaders have reignited discussions concerning ethical behavior in business. These events have brought more attention to post-secondary schools of business that educate business professionals. The current study explores whether there are differences among college students at the beginning of their studies, prior to any post-secondary educational transformation. The central focus is whether there are ethical differences among freshman college students majoring in business disciplines compared to their non-business major counterparts. Results from a survey of several hundred first semester undergraduate freshmen in the United States indicate that with minor exceptions, the two groups have similar histories of ethical behavior and view the severity of various questionable behaviors similarly. Differences between the two groups concerning self-reported knowledge of moral perspectives and ethical issues, as well as the significance of various influences on students' ethical development are identified., INTRODUCTION In the last decade stories of questionable, and at times criminal, corporate activities have dominated the U.S. business press. Beyond the most well-known case involving Enron Energy, Cendant's 'creative [...]
- Published
- 2009