Organizational membership and environmental ethics: A comparison of managers in state-owned firms, collectives, private firms and joint ventures in China

This study empirically examines the relationship between organizational typ e and the environmental, ethical orientation of managers in the People's Re public of China (PRC) on three dimensions-stewardship and long- and short-t erm utilitarianism. It was found that Chinese managers uniformly self-repor t strong ethical commitments to environmental protection. In addition, orga nizational type was found to be a significant predictor for the different e thical dimensions. Overall, managers in state-owned firms uniformly reporte d the strongest values. Managers in private firms, on the other hand, self- reported lower values and appeared relatively more skeptical of emergent ut ilitarian arguments that economic performance and environmental performance are compatible in the short term. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.