You are here

Home » Content

Self-perception of ethical behaviour: The case of listed Spanish companies

Journal Name:

  • Intangible Capital

Publication Year:

  • 2016
DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.3926/ic.699

Key Words:

Author NameUniversity of Author
Abstract (2. Language): 
Purpose: This article aims to research into the perception that companies have of their ethical behavior. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was conducted in June 2014 among the listed companies that comprise the IBEX 35 index of Spanish stock exchanges. For the statistical analysis, contingency tables (double entry) were drawn up as well and several statistical tests (Cramer’s V, Pearson’s x2, Kendall’s correlation coefficient; and Goodman and Kruskal’s Gamma). Findings: The results show the self-perception that listed Spanish companies have of their ethical behaviour, with the observation that, generally, they have a greater perception than the reality of the study actually shows. Research limitations/implications: Main limitations are that the sample size is small, although it includes the largest listed companies in the country. Respondents were essentially the Corporate Social Responsibility managers, so they may not be familiar with some of the subjects on which they were questioned, as we are dealing with large companies where responsibilities may be very compartmentalised. Practical implications: This line of research helps to know more about the self perception of big Spanish listed companies about their ethical behavior.Social implications: The evidence provided by this study helps to know more about aspects than can be improved in connection the ethical behavior in companies. Recent scandals make the topic very relevant from a social point of view. Originality/value: In recent years there has been much talk about the ethics of organisations and studies on the subject are plentiful. However, there has been scarcely any research into the perception that companies themselves have of their ethical behaviour.
Bookmark/Search this post with
FULL TEXT (PDF): 
PDF icon arastirmax-self-perception-ethical-behaviour-case-listed-spanish-companies.pdf
  • 1
319
335
  • English

JEL Codes:

REFERENCES

References: 

ARGANDOÑA, A. (2008). The stakeholder theory and the common good. Journal of Business
Ethics, 17(9-10): 1093-1102.
BEST, K. (2004). Interfacing the Environment: Networked screens and the ethics of visual
consumption. Ethics and the Environment, 9.2(Fall 2004): 65-85.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2979/ETE.2004.9.2.65
BLODGET, H. (2008). Why Wall Street Always Blow It. The Atlantic Quarterly, 302(5): 50-60
BROBERG, P.; TAGESSON, T.; COLLIN, S.O. (2010). What explain variation in voluntary
disclosure? A study of the annual reports of corporations listed on the Stockholm Stock
Exchange. Journal of Management and Governance, 14(4): 351-377.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10997-009-9104-y
BROOKS, L. (1989). Corporate Codes of Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 8: 117-129.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00382576
CARTER, C.R. (2000). Ethical issues in international buyer-supplier relationships: A dyadic
examination. Journal of Operations Management, 18(2): 191-209.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0272-6963(99)00016-9 CHITAKORNKIJSIL, P. (2012). Moral meaning in green marketing and socially responsible
marketing. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, (Online) 4.3(Winter 2012):
113-128.
COOKE, T.E. (1989). Voluntary Corporate Disclosure by Swedish Companies. Journal of
International Financial Management and Accounting, 1(2): 171-195.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-646X.1989.tb00009.x
CORMIER, D.; MAGNAN, M.; VAN VELTHOVEN, B. (2005). Environmental disclosure quality in
large German companies: Economic incentives, public pressures or institutional conditions?.
European Accounting Review, 14(1): 3-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0963818042000339617
CRANE, A. (2000). Marketing and the natural environment: What role for morality?. Journal of
Macro Marketing, 20(2): 144-154. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0276146700202004
CRESSEY, D.R.; MOORE, C.A. (1983). Managerial Values and Corporate Codes of Ethics.
California Management Review, 25(4): 53-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/41165032
DE GEORGE, R.T. (2010). A History of Business Ethics. Available online at:
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/conference/pres....
(Last access date: April 25th, 2010).
DEAN, P.J. (1992). Making Codes of Ethics Real. Journal of Business Ethics, 11: 285-290.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00872170
DEEGAN, C.; RANKIN, M. (1996). Do Australian Companies Report Environmental News
Objectively? An Analysis of Environmental Disclosures by Firms Prosecuted Successfully by
the Environmental Protection Authority. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 9(2):
50-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09513579610116358
DUMMET, K. (2008). Corporate Environmental Responsiblity. Available online at:
http://www.researchbank.rmit.edu.au
GIBBINS, M.; RICHARDSON, A.; WATERHOUSE, J. (1990). The management of corporate
financial disclosures: Opportunism, ritualism, policies and processes. Journal of Accounting
Research, 28(1): 121-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2491219
GRAY, R.; KOUHY, R.; LAVERS, S. (1995). Corporate Social and Environmental Reporting: A
Review of the Literature and a Longitudinal Study of UK Disclosure. Accounting, Auditing &
Accountability Journal, 8(2): 47-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09513579510146996
GOLJA, T.; PAULISIC, M. (2010). Corporate governance, social responsibility and corporate
reputation: An empirical analysis of the situation in Croatia. International Journal of
Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 3(4): 368-384.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJEPEE.2010.037583 GUILLEN, M.; GULER, I.; MUIR, J. (2002). Global Competition, Institutions, and the Diffusion of
Organizational Practices: The International Spread of the ISO 9000 Quality Certificates.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(June): 207-232.
HEALY, P.; HUTTON, A.P.; PALEPU, K.G. (1999). Stock performance and intermediation changes
surrounding sustained increases in disclosure. Contemporary Accounting Research, 16(3):
485-520. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.1999.tb00592.x
HOLME, C. (2008). Business ethics – Part One: Does it mat-ter?. Industrial and Commercial
Training, 40(5): 248-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00197850810886487
HOOGHIEMSTRA, R. (2000). Corporate Communication and Impression Management: New
Perspectives Why Companies Engage in Corporate Social Reporting. Journal of Business
Ethics, 27(1/2): 55-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1006400707757
IJIRI, Y. (1983). On the accountability-based conceptual framework of accounting. Journal of
Accounting and Public Policy, 2(2): 75-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0278-4254(83)90001-7
KIDD, J. (2003). Learning and trust in supply chain management: Disintermediation, ethics
and cultural pressures in brief dynamic alliances. International Journal of Logistics:
Research & Applications, 6(4): 259-276. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13675560310001626972
KOLK, A. (2003). Trends in Sustainability Reporting by the Fortune Global 250. Business
Strategy and the Environment, 12(5): 279-291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bse.370
LEV, B. (1992). Information disclosure strategy. California Management Review, 34(summer):
9-32.
MCLEAY, S. (2004). International financial analysis. In C. Nobes& R. Parker (Eds.),
Comparative international accounting (8th ed., pp. 463-484). London: Pearson Education.
MELÉ, D. (1994). Códigos de conducta empresarial: ¿Pueden contribuir al desarrollo ético de
los empleados?. Research paper DI-279 (IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain).
MOBERG, C.R. (2003). Evaluating the relationship between questionable business practices
and the strength of supply chain relationships. Journal of Business Logistics, 24(2): 1-19.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2158-1592.2003.tb00043.x
MOLANDER, E.A. (1987). A Paradigm for Design, Promulgation and Enforcement of Ethical
Codes. Journal of Business Ethics, 6: 619-631. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00705778
NANTEL, J.; WEEKS, W. (1997). Marketing ethics: Is there more to it than utilitarian
approach?. European Journal of Marketing, 30(5): 9-19.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03090569610118713 NASH, L.L. (1992). A survey of three stages in the evolution of corporate ethics programs.
Ethikos, 5(6): 1–3, 11.
NATASE, M.; GLIGOR-CIMPOIERU, D.C. (2013). A Plea for the Importance of Business Ethics
Education for Future Managers in an International Competitive Environment. Journal of
International Management, 14.2(May): 191-201.
NOREEN, E. (1988). The Economics of Ethics: A New Perspective on Agency Theory.
Accounting, Organizations and Society, 13(4): 359-369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0361-
3682(88)90010-4
OSBORNE, R. (1991). Core Value Statements: The Corporate Compass. Business Horizons, 34:
28–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0007-6813(91)90043-U
PRENCIPE, A. (2004). Proprietary Costs and Determinants of Voluntary Segment Disclosure:
Evidence from Italian Listed Companies. European Accounting Review, 13(2): 319-340.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0963818042000204742
REVERTE, C. (2009). Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure ratings by
Spanish listed firms. Journal of Business Ethics, 88(2): 351-366.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9968-9
ROBBINS, S.P.; JUDGE, T.A.; CAMPBELL, T.T. (2010). Organisational Behaviour. UK: Prentice
Hall.
RYAN, L.V. (1991). Conflicts Inherent in Corporate Codes. Journal of Value Based Management,
4(1): 119-137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01714897
SCHLEGELMILCH, B. (1989). The Ethics Gap between Britain and the United States: A
Comparison of the State of Business Ethics in both Countries. European Management
Journal, 7(1): 57-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0263-2373(89)90144-8
SKINNER, D. (1994). Why firms voluntarily disclose bad news. Journal of Accounting Research,
32(Spring): 38-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2491386
SVENSSON, G. (2009). The transparency of SCM-ethics: Conceptual framework and empirical
illustrations. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 14(4): 259-269.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13598540910970090
SCHWARTZ, M. (2002). A code of ethics for corporation code of ethics. Journal of Business
Ethics, 41: 27-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1021393904930
SYLPH, J.M. (2009). Corporate governance and ethics. Dubai International Financial Centre,
Seminar, 12th March 2009. VERRECCHIA, R.E. (1983). Discretionary disclosure. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 5:
179-194. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(83)90011-3
WATSON, A.; SHRIVES, P.; MARSTON, C. (2002). Voluntary disclosure of accounting ratios in
the UK. British Accounting Review, 34: 289-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/bare.2002.0213
WEAVER, G.R. (1993). Corporate Codes of Ethics: Purpose, Process and Content Issues.
Business & Society, 32(1): 44-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/000765039303200106
WOOD, G.G.; SVENSSON, J.; SINGH, E.; CARASCO, G.; CALLAGHAN, M. (2004). Implementing
the Ethos of Corporate Codes of Ethics: Australia, Canada, and Sweden. Business Ethics: A
European Review, 13(4): 15-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8608.2004.00378.x

Thank you for copying data from http://www.arastirmax.com