IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v158y2019i1d10.1007_s10551-017-3682-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

In Search of Sustainable Behaviour: The Role of Core Values and Personality Traits

Author

Listed:
  • Joel Marcus

    (York University)

  • Jason Roy

    (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Abstract

Understanding the individual-level factors associated with sustainable behaviour in the workplace is important to advance corporate ethics and sustainability efforts. In two studies, we simultaneously assess the role of core values and personality traits in relation to a broad set of sustainability actions, both beneficial and harmful. Results from a student sample (N = 411) and then a national sample (N = 639) confirm that values and personality are distinct constructs that incrementally and differentially predict economic, social, and environmental outcomes. We successfully replicate previous findings pertaining to values and find that, controlling for values, the personality dimension of Honesty–Humility is the strongest negative predictor of harmful actions. Our analyses highlight the unique characteristics of values and personality and their distinct implications for ethical and sustainable management practice. By assessing values and personality together, we also contribute to more general efforts within psychology to develop an integrative view of the person.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel Marcus & Jason Roy, 2019. "In Search of Sustainable Behaviour: The Role of Core Values and Personality Traits," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 63-79, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:158:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3682-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-017-3682-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-017-3682-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-017-3682-4?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. Vanessa M Strike & Jijun Gao & Pratima Bansal, 2006. "Being good while being bad: social responsibility and the international diversification of US firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(6), pages 850-862, November.
    2. Karianne Kalshoven & Deanne Den Hartog & Annebel De Hoogh, 2011. "Ethical Leader Behavior and Big Five Factors of Personality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 349-366, May.
    3. Dolors Setó-Pamies & Eleni Papaoikonomou, 2016. "A Multi-level Perspective for the Integration of Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability (ECSRS) in Management Education," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 523-538, July.
    4. Locke, Edwin A., 1991. "The motivation sequence, the motivation hub, and the motivation core," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 288-299, December.
    5. Zdravko Marjanovic & C. Ward Struthers & Robert Cribbie & Esther R. Greenglass, 2014. "The Conscientious Responders Scale," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(3), pages 21582440145, July.
    6. David Fritzsche & E. Oz, 2007. "Personal Values’ Influence on the Ethical Dimension of Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 335-343, November.
    7. Joel Marcus & Heather MacDonald & Lorne Sulsky, 2015. "Do Personal Values Influence the Propensity for Sustainability Actions? A Policy-Capturing Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 459-478, March.
    8. Joyce Koe Hwee Nga & Gomathi Shamuganathan, 2010. "The Influence of Personality Traits and Demographic Factors on Social Entrepreneurship Start Up Intentions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(2), pages 259-282, August.
    9. Pfeffer, Jeffrey, 2010. "Building Sustainable Organizations: The Human Factor," Research Papers 2017r, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    10. Yuh-Jia Chen & Thomas Tang, 2006. "Attitude Toward and Propensity to Engage in Unethical Behavior: Measurement Invariance across Major among University Students," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 69(1), pages 77-93, November.
    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. Halkos, George & Gkargkavouzi, Anastasia, 2024. "Personality traits and associations with pro-environmental and economically-relevant behaviors: A brief overview of research evidence," MPRA Paper 119775, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Lim, Xin-Jean & Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Ngo, Liem Viet & Chan, Kara & Ting, Hiram, 2023. "How do crazy rich Asians perceive sustainable luxury? Investigating the determinants of consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Degnet, Mohammed B. & Hansson, Helena & Hoogstra-Klein, Marjanke A. & Roos, Anders, 2022. "The role of personal values and personality traits in environmental concern of non-industrial private forest owners in Sweden," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    4. Myung Ja Kim & C. Michael Hall & Heejeong Han, 2021. "Behavioral Influences on Crowdfunding SDG Initiatives: The Importance of Personality and Subjective Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, March.
    5. Greiner, Michael & Kim, Jaemin & Cordon Thor, Jennifer, 2023. "CEO values as antecedents to corporate political activity: An empirical exploration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    6. Maureen Gelle-Jimenez & Hector M. Aguiling, 2021. "Leveraging human resources management (HRM) practices toward congruence of values," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(1), pages 85-94, January.

    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. Chung-wen Chen & Hsiu-Huei Yu & Kristine Velasquez Tuliao & Aditya Simha & Yi-Ying Chang, 2021. "Supervisors’ Value Orientations and Ethics: A Cross-National Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 167-180, April.
    2. Jijun Gao & Pratima Bansal, 2013. "Instrumental and Integrative Logics in Business Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(2), pages 241-255, January.
    3. Francisco Rincon‐Roldan & Alvaro Lopez‐Cabrales, 2021. "Ethical values in social economy for sustainable development," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(4), pages 705-729, December.
    4. Jacqueline C. Wisler, 2018. "U.S. CEOs of SBUs in Luxury Goods Organizations: A Mixed Methods Comparison of Ethical Decision-Making Profiles," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 443-518, May.
    5. 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.
    6. Mary Crossan & Daina Mazutis & Gerard Seijts, 2013. "In Search of Virtue: The Role of Virtues, Values and Character Strengths in Ethical Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(4), pages 567-581, April.
    7. Liviu Florea & Yu Cheung & Neil Herndon, 2013. "For All Good Reasons: Role of Values in Organizational Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 393-408, May.
    8. Joel Marcus & Heather MacDonald & Lorne Sulsky, 2015. "Do Personal Values Influence the Propensity for Sustainability Actions? A Policy-Capturing Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 459-478, March.
    9. Ghulam Abid & Francoise Contreras & Saira Ahmed & Tehmina Qazi, 2019. "Contextual Factors and Organizational Commitment: Examining the Mediating Role of Thriving at Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Fayolle, Alain & Liñán, Francisco, 2014. "The future of research on entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 663-666.
    11. Wan Rahim Wan Yunan & Aminah Ahmad & Zoharah Omar, 2017. "The Experience of Workplace Spirituality: Do Age and Educational Attainment Matter?," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(7), pages 61-69, July.
    12. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2013_013 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Ya-Hui Hsu & Wenchang Fang & Yuanchung Lee, 2009. "Ethically Questionable Behavior in Sales Representatives – An Example from the Taiwanese Pharmaceutical Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 155-166, April.
    14. Bilal El TOUFAIL, 2018. "Consequences Of Organizational Stress On Workforce Productivity. Research On Strategies To Promote A Sustainable Workforce," Business Excellence and Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 8(2), pages 42-52, June.
    15. Fabien Martinez, 2014. "Corporate strategy and the environment: towards a four-dimensional compatibility model for fostering green management decisions," Post-Print hal-02887618, HAL.
    16. Petra Dickel & Monika Sienknecht & Jacob Hörisch, 2021. "The early bird catches the worm: an empirical analysis of imprinting in social entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 127-150, March.
    17. Gaston Fornes & Abel Monfort & Camelia Ilie & Chun Kwong (Tony) Koo & Guillermo Cardoza, 2019. "Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability in MBAs. Understanding the Motivations for the Incorporation of ERS in Less Traditional Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Parakandi, Mohammed & Behery, Mohamed, 2016. "Sustainable human resources: Examining the status of organizational work–life balance practices in the United Arab Emirates," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1370-1379.
    19. Rafael Alcadipani & Cíntia Rodrigues Oliveira Medeiros, 2020. "When Corporations Cause Harm: A Critical View of Corporate Social Irresponsibility and Corporate Crimes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(2), pages 285-297, November.
    20. Lei Wang & Heikki Juslin, 2011. "The effects of value on the perception of corporate social responsibility implementation: A study of Chinese youth," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(4), pages 246-262, July.
    21. Kaili Zhang & Bin Zhao & Kui Yin, 2024. "When Leaders Acknowledge Their Own Errors, Will Employees Follow Suit? A Social Learning Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(2), pages 403-421, January.

    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:158:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3682-4. 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.