Attitudes of management students towards workplace ethics: A comparative study between South Africa and Cyprus
Journal
African Journal of Business Ethics
Date Issued
2008
DOI
10.15249/3-1-73
Abstract
In order to understand attitudes towards work-related ethics and
the teaching of business ethics in management programmes at
universities, a survey was conducted with management students
at two universities, one in the Republic of Cyprus (hereafter
referred to as Cyprus) and the other in the Republic of South
Africa (hereafter referred to as South Africa). An attempt was
also made to investigate whether such differences, if any, were
linked to differences in national culture. The findings indicate
that no significant differences between the two samples exist on
four of the five dimensions of national culture (Hofstede, 1994)
and, accordingly, differences in attitudes towards workplace
ethical issues cannot be said to be linked to this variable.
Significant differences were found between the two samples on
certain questionnaire items that related to workplace practices
with the Cypriot sample, more so than the South African sample,
appearing to be willing to engage in certain workplace practices
that would be deemed unethical in society. It is recommended
that ethics education be integral to a business curriculum and
that teaching methodologies explore ways in which to develop
moral reasoning in students.
the teaching of business ethics in management programmes at
universities, a survey was conducted with management students
at two universities, one in the Republic of Cyprus (hereafter
referred to as Cyprus) and the other in the Republic of South
Africa (hereafter referred to as South Africa). An attempt was
also made to investigate whether such differences, if any, were
linked to differences in national culture. The findings indicate
that no significant differences between the two samples exist on
four of the five dimensions of national culture (Hofstede, 1994)
and, accordingly, differences in attitudes towards workplace
ethical issues cannot be said to be linked to this variable.
Significant differences were found between the two samples on
certain questionnaire items that related to workplace practices
with the Cypriot sample, more so than the South African sample,
appearing to be willing to engage in certain workplace practices
that would be deemed unethical in society. It is recommended
that ethics education be integral to a business curriculum and
that teaching methodologies explore ways in which to develop
moral reasoning in students.
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