IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v136y2016i3d10.1007_s10551-014-2531-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethical Codes in Sports Organizations: Classification Framework, Content Analysis, and the Influence of Content on Code Effectiveness

Author

Listed:
  • Els Waegeneer

    (Ghent University)

  • Jeroen Sompele

    (Ghent University)

  • Annick Willem

    (Ghent University)

Abstract

Sports organizations face various ethical challenges. To tackle these, ethical codes are becoming increasingly popular instruments. However, a lot of questions remain concerning their effectiveness. There is a particular lack of knowledge when it comes to their form and content, and on the influence of these features on the effectiveness of these codes of ethics. Therefore, we developed a framework to analyze ethical codes and used this to assess codes of ethics in sports clubs from six disciplines (soccer, gymnastics, badminton, equestrian sports, tennis, and judo). The form and content characteristics of the codes were tested for their impact on the ethical climate of sports clubs. Our results show that most codes focus on the themes of integrity, and on solidarity among the members of sports clubs. Deontological phrasing is dominant in ethical codes in sports clubs. The occurrence of comprehension aids, such as examples, and procedural content, such as the mentioning of sanctions, is low. When it comes to code effectiveness, i.e., the influence on the ethical climate, we see a positive significant effect of the use of consequentialist oriented statements, and of the combination of regulatory and inspirational phrasing. Also the presence of explicit guidelines for the members of the board had a positive significant affect. This shows that codes should be a source of inspiration and stimulate moral awareness, rather than merely guide behavior by simple rules. Other content elements do not influence code effectiveness, suggesting that ethical codes merely have a function of raising ethical awareness in sports clubs. These results help to shed light on what it takes for a code of ethics to become a useful and effective instrument to tackle unethical behavior in sports clubs.

Suggested Citation

  • Els Waegeneer & Jeroen Sompele & Annick Willem, 2016. "Ethical Codes in Sports Organizations: Classification Framework, Content Analysis, and the Influence of Content on Code Effectiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 587-598, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:136:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-014-2531-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2531-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-014-2531-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-014-2531-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Smith, Aaron C.T. & Stewart, Bob, 2010. "The special features of sport: A critical revisit," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Schwartz, Mark S., 2013. "Developing and sustaining an ethical corporate culture: The core elements," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 39-50.
    3. Janet Adams & Armen Tashchian & Ted Shore, 2001. "Codes of Ethics as Signals for Ethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 199-211, February.
    4. Patrick Erwin, 2011. "Corporate Codes of Conduct: The Effects of Code Content and Quality on Ethical Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(4), pages 535-548, April.
    5. Ennio Lugli & Ulpiana Kocollari & Chiara Nigrisoli, 2009. "The Codes of Ethics of S&P/MIB Italian Companies: An Investigation of Their Contents and the Main Factors that Influence Their Adoption," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(1), pages 33-45, January.
    6. Sven Helin & Johan Sandström, 2007. "An Inquiry into the Study of Corporate Codes of Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 75(3), pages 253-271, October.
    7. Eike Emrich & Christian Pierdzioch, 2013. "Joining the international fight against doping," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(15), pages 1379-1382, October.
    8. Aaron C.T. Smith & Bob Stewart, 2010. "The special features of sport: A critical revisit," Sport Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, January.
    9. Muel Kaptein & Mark Schwartz, 2008. "The Effectiveness of Business Codes: A Critical Examination of Existing Studies and the Development of an Integrated Research Model," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 77(2), pages 111-127, January.
    10. Muel Kaptein, 2011. "Toward Effective Codes: Testing the Relationship with Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(2), pages 233-251, March.
    11. Jang Singh, 2011. "Determinants of the Effectiveness of Corporate Codes of Ethics: An Empirical Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 101(3), pages 385-395, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bram Constandt & Els Waegeneer & Annick Willem, 2019. "Ethical Code Effectiveness in Football Clubs: A Longitudinal Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 621-634, May.
    2. Brink, Alisa G. & Eller, C. Kevin & Gao, Lei, 2021. "He wouldn't, but I would: The effects of pronoun-induced language vividness in whistleblowing policies," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    3. Christina Philippou, 2019. "Towards a unified framework for anti-bribery in sport governance," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 16(2), pages 83-99, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vitolla, Filippo & Raimo, Nicola & Rubino, Michele & Garegnani, Giovanni Maria, 2021. "Do cultural differences impact ethical issues? Exploring the relationship between national culture and quality of code of ethics," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    2. Giovanni Garegnani & Emilia Merlotti & Angeloantonio Russo, 2015. "Scoring Firms’ Codes of Ethics: An Explorative Study of Quality Drivers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(4), pages 541-557, February.
    3. Maira Babri & Bruce Davidson & Sven Helin, 2021. "An Updated Inquiry into the Study of Corporate Codes of Ethics: 2005–2016," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 71-108, January.
    4. Virginia Bodolica & Martin Spraggon, 2015. "An Examination into the Disclosure, Structure, and Contents of Ethical Codes in Publicly Listed Acquiring Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 459-472, February.
    5. Bram Constandt & Els Waegeneer & Annick Willem, 2019. "Ethical Code Effectiveness in Football Clubs: A Longitudinal Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 621-634, May.
    6. Lauren Kleynjans & Marek Hudon, 2016. "A Study of Codes of Ethics for Mexican Microfinance Institutions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 397-412, March.
    7. Stephanie Kelley, 2022. "Employee Perceptions of the Effective Adoption of AI Principles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 871-893, July.
    8. Xiaolin Lin & Paul F. Clay & Nick Hajli & Majid Dadgar, 2018. "Investigating the Impacts of Organizational Factors on Employees’ Unethical Behavior Within Organization in the Context of Chinese Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 779-791, July.
    9. Kaptein, S.P., 2009. "From Symbolic to Substantive Documents: When Business Codes of Ethics Impact Unethical Behavior in the Workplace," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2009-021-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    10. Isabel-María García-Sánchez & Luis Rodríguez-Domínguez & Isabel Gallego-Álvarez, 2013. "CEO qualities and codes of ethics," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 295-312, April.
    11. Isabel-María García-Sánchez & Luis Rodríguez-Domínguez & José-Valeriano Frías-Aceituno, 2015. "Board of Directors and Ethics Codes in Different Corporate Governance Systems," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(3), pages 681-698, October.
    12. Jana Kozáková & Mária Urbánová & Radovan Savov, 2021. "Factors Influencing the Extent of the Ethical Codes: Evidence from Slovakia," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, January.
    13. Chu Chen & Giorgio Gotti & Tony Kang & Michael C. Wolfe, 2018. "Corporate Codes of Ethics, National Culture, and Earnings Discretion: International Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 141-163, August.
    14. Matt Statler & David Oliver, 2016. "The Moral of the Story: Re-framing Ethical Codes of Conduct as Narrative Processes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 89-100, June.
    15. Giorgio Gotti & Tony Kang & Michael C. Wolfe & Yong Keun Yoo, 2023. "Corporate codes of ethics and cash holdings: International evidence," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(3), pages 3387-3418, September.
    16. Muel Kaptein, 2011. "Toward Effective Codes: Testing the Relationship with Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(2), pages 233-251, March.
    17. Ruiz Lozano, Mercedes & Araque Padilla, Rafael, 2013. "¿Son los códigos éticos un instrumento para proteger al stakeholder consumidor? Un estudio de los sectores financiero, energético y de telefonía españoles," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 159-168.
    18. Constantin Blome & Antony Paulraj, 2013. "Ethical Climate and Purchasing Social Responsibility: A Benevolence Focus," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 567-585, September.
    19. Muhammad Irdam Ferdiansah & Vincent K. Chong & Isabel Z. Wang & David R. Woodliff, 2023. "The Effect of Ethical Commitment Reminder and Reciprocity in the Workplace on Misreporting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(2), pages 325-345, August.
    20. Lutz Preuss, 2010. "Codes of Conduct in Organisational Context: From Cascade to Lattice-Work of Codes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(4), pages 471-487, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:136:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-014-2531-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.