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Competitive Irrationality: The Influence of Moral Philosophy

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  • Arnett, Dennis B.
  • Hunt, Shelby D.

Abstract

This study explores a phenomenon that has been shown to adversely affect managers’ decisions—competitive irrationality. Managers are irrationally competitive in their decisions when they focus on damaging the profits of competitors, rather than improving their own profit performance. Studies by Armstrong and Collopy (1996) and Griffith and Rust (1997) suggest that the phenomenon is common but not universal. We examine the question of why some individuals exhibit competitive irrationality when making decisions, while others do not by focusing on four aspects of moral philosophy—deontological orientation, cognitive moral development, idealism, and relativism. Results suggest that individuals high in deontological orientation, high in cognitive moral development, high in idealism, and low in relativism will be less competitively irrational than those who are not.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnett, Dennis B. & Hunt, Shelby D., 2002. "Competitive Irrationality: The Influence of Moral Philosophy," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 279-303, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:12:y:2002:i:03:p:279-303_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Neil Bendle & Mark Vandenbosch, 2014. "Competitor Orientation and the Evolution of Business Markets," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(6), pages 781-795, November.
    2. Kumar Alok, 2017. "Sāttvika Leadership: An Indian Model of Positive Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 117-138, April.
    3. J. Alexander, 2006. "Economic Instability and the Unfortunate, and Unavoidable, Consequences of Acting Ethically," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 66(2), pages 147-155, June.
    4. Lorenz Graf-Vlachy, 2019. "Like student like manager? Using student subjects in managerial debiasing research," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 347-376, April.
    5. Lance Brouthers & Dana-Nicoleta Lascu & Steve Werner, 2008. "Competitive Irrationality in Transitional Economies: Are Communist Managers Less Irrational?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 397-408, December.
    6. Işıl Mendeş Pekdemir & Aygül Turan, 2015. "The Influence of Ethical Ideologies on Promotive Extra Role Behaviors and Positive Work Behavior of Individuals," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 5(8), pages 34-47, August.
    7. Işıl Mendeş Pekdemir & Aygül Turan, 2015. "The Influence of Ethical Ideologies on Promotive Extra Role Behaviors and Positive Work Behavior of Individuals," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 5(8), pages 34-47, August.
    8. Kesten C. Green & J. Scott Armstrong, 2005. "Competitor-oriented Objectives: The Myth of Market Share," Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers 17/05, Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.
    9. Hinterhuber, Andreas & Kienzler, Mario & Liozu, Stephan, 2021. "New product pricing in business markets: The role of psychological traits," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 231-241.
    10. Cao, Shixiong, 2012. "Socioeconomic value of religion and the impacts of ideological change in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 2621-2626.
    11. Shelby D. Hunt, 2011. "Developing successful theories in marketing: insights from resource-advantage theory," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 1(2), pages 72-84, June.
    12. Shelby D. Hunt, 2012. "Trust, Personal Moral Codes, and the Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition: Explaining Productivity, Economic Growth, and Wealth Creation," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 6(2), June.
    13. Graf, Lorenz & König, Andreas & Enders, Albrecht & Hungenberg, Harald, 2012. "Debiasing competitive irrationality: How managers can be prevented from trading off absolute for relative profit," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 386-403.

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