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This study explores the general marketing ethics among Koreans. Based on a scenario approach, we focus on the ethical problems developed or identified from previous research in the western countries. We find that the people in our sample perceive the relative seriousness of ethics problems in Korean enterprises in this order: bribery, unfair price increases, exaggerated advertising and sexual discrimination. And, by examining marketing-related ethical issues, first we find marketing- related experiences make the sense of ethics weaker. Second, the younger generation in Korea shows less ethical reaction in general. Third, Koreans in the 30s show a unique ethical sense compared to the other age-groups.
Introduction
Recently, the Chosun-Ilbo, a major Korean newspaper, reported the existence of a strict 'code of conduct' for the foreign companies in Korea such as Shell, Volvo, Dow-Corning and IBM (2000/8/15). Specifically, it said that for them gifts, entertainment, and special treatment are mostly not allowed in doing business in Korea. Also, it said that it has not been easy for them to keep the 'code of conduct' in Korea on many occasions. This report indicates how hard it is for one to keep from breaking the code of business ethics in the usual business in Korea. Moreover, we believe a large part of Koreans still doubt whether such ethics ever exist. In this research, we examine "Korean business ethics," if they exist, and we ask whether they are either different from or the same as ethics found in advanced countries.
In this study, as argued in the "general theory of marketing ethics" (Hunt and Vitell 1986), we assume that the individual perception of ethical problems is the basis of an ethical decision and eventually leads to ethical behaviors. We particularly focus our attention on marketing ethics since marketing is an area frequently misunderstood by many Koreans due to its deceptive promotions.
Methodology
In this study, we follow the research tradition of the Vignette method, a scenario-based approach that is about how managers (participants in this study) respond to certain ethical dilemma situations (Baumhart 1961; Gifford and Norris 1987; DuPont and Craig 1996; Fritzsche et al 1995; Ward et al 1993; White and Rhodeback 1992; McCabe et al 1991; ShepardandHartenian 1991; Barnett and Karson 1989; Norris and Gifford...