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The Effect of Country and Culture on Perceptions of Appropriate Ethical Actions Prescribed by Codes of Conduct: A Western European Perspective among Accountants

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  • Donald Arnold
  • Richard Bernardi
  • Presha Neidermeyer
  • Josef Schmee

Abstract

Recognizing the growing interdependence of the European Union and the importance of codes of conduct in companies’ operations, this research examines the effect of a country’s culture on the implementation of a code of conduct in a European context. We examine whether the perceptions of an activity’s ethicality relates to elements found in company codes of conduct vary by country or according to Hofstede’s (1980, Culture’s Consequences (Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA)) cultural constructs of: Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity/Femininity, Individualism, and Power Distance. The 294 individuals, who participated in our study, were from 8 Western European countries. Their responses to our 13 scenarios indicate that differences in the perceptions of ethicality associate primarily with the participants’ country as opposed to their employer (i.e., accounting firm), employment level, or gender. The evidence also indicates that these country differences associate with Hofstede constructs of Individualism and Masculinity. Copyright Springer 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Donald Arnold & Richard Bernardi & Presha Neidermeyer & Josef Schmee, 2007. "The Effect of Country and Culture on Perceptions of Appropriate Ethical Actions Prescribed by Codes of Conduct: A Western European Perspective among Accountants," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 327-340, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:70:y:2007:i:4:p:327-340
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-006-9113-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bryan W Husted, 1999. "Wealth, Culture, and Corruption," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 339-359, June.
    2. Kevin Y Au, 1999. "Intra-cultural Variation: Evidence and Implications for International Business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(4), pages 799-812, December.
    3. Arnold, Donald Sr. & Bernardi, Richard A. & Neidermeyer, Presha E., 2001. "The association between European materiality estimates and client integrity, national culture, and litigation," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 459-483, 012.
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    6. Miska, Christof & Szőcs, Ilona & Schiffinger, Michael, 2018. "Culture’s effects on corporate sustainability practices: A multi-domain and multi-level view," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 263-279.
    7. Yongmei Liu & Sixuan Chen & Chris Bell & Justin Tan, 2020. "How Do Power and Status Differ in Predicting Unethical Decisions? A Cross-National Comparison of China and Canada," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(4), pages 745-760, December.
    8. Byung-Jik Kim & Mohammad Nurunnabi & Tae-Hyun Kim & Se-Youn Jung, 2018. "The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Organizational Commitment: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Meaningfulness of Work and Perceived Organizational Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Cheteni, Priviledge & Shindika, Emmanuel, 2016. "Ethical Leadership in South Africa and Botswana," MPRA Paper 80968, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 06 Mar 2017.
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    13. Min-Jik Kim & Byung-Jik Kim, 2021. "The Performance Implication of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Role of Employee’s Prosocial Motivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-14, March.
    14. Chris Bell & Justin Hughes-Jones, 2008. "Power, Self-regulation and the Moralization of Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(3), pages 503-514, December.
    15. 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.
    16. Itsaso Barrainkua & Marcela Espinosa-Pike, 2015. "Cultural and Socio-Economic Restrictions for the Adoption of the IESBA Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants in the European Countries," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 3-24.
    17. Till Talaulicar, 2009. "Barriers Against Globalizing Corporate Ethics: An Analysis of Legal Disputes on Implementing U.S. Codes of Ethics in Germany," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(3), pages 349-360, February.
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    19. Yun-Seok Hwang & Byung-Jik Kim, 2021. "“The Power of a Firm’s Benevolent Act”: The Influence of Work Overload on Turnover Intention, the Mediating Role of Meaningfulness of Work and the Moderating Effect of CSR Activities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.
    20. Byung-Jik Kim & Se-Youn Jung & Jeyong Jung, 2022. "“Does a Good Firm Diminish the Bad Behavior of Its Employees?”: The Sequential Mediation Effect of Organizational Trust and Organizational Commitment, and the Moderation Effect of Work Overload," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-19, May.
    21. Raymond O. S. Zaal & Ronald J. M. Jeurissen & Edward A. G. Groenland, 2019. "Organizational Architecture, Ethical Culture, and Perceived Unethical Behavior Towards Customers: Evidence from Wholesale Banking," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 825-848, September.
    22. Charles Koerber, 2009. "Corporate Responsibility Standards: Current Implications and Future Possibilities for Peace Through Commerce," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(4), pages 461-480, March.
    23. Byung-Jik Kim & Mohammad Nurunnabi & Tae-Hyun Kim & Taejoong Kim, 2018. "Doing Good Is Not Enough, You Should Have Been Authentic: Organizational Identification, Authentic Leadership and CSR," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-16, June.

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