BUSINESS ETHICS ACROSS CULTURES - A SOCIAL COGNITIVE MODEL

This article presents a social cognitive model that identifies, define s and relates key comprehensive factors that impact on business ethica l standards and conduct across cultures. In particular, national cultu res serve as the social foundation for generating and shaping in a tri adically interacting manner institutional, organizational, and persona l factors. The model predicts that these three antecedent factors comb ine to influence the perceptions of business ethical standards uniquel y in each culture. The model also predicts that the consequences of th e resulting ethical or unethical behaviors feed back to modify the sub sequent ethical standards and conduct. Examples and implications of th is social cognitive model are provided throughout.