The Influence Of Ethics Instructions On Ethical Judgment Of Minority Students

Abstract

Recent ethical scandals in corporate America have brought to the fore the issue of ethics in business. Many have questioned the role of the American educational system in general and the business school curriculum in particular for failing to inculcate in students and future business leaders good ethical standards. This exploratory study examines the influence of ethics instruction on the ethical judgment of students. Business students in an accredited (AACSB International) business program who have taken at least two formal courses in business ethics were compared to engineering seniors and freshmen business students who had not been introduced to formal instructions in ethics. Respondents were exposed to realistic ethical business scenarios dealing with conflict of interest transactions and personal integrity. The results showed a significant difference between the two groups of respondents on conflict of interest scenarios but no difference on personal integrity scenarios. Implications are considered for ethics education.