Three Levels of Ethical Influences on Selling Behavior and Performance: Synergies and Tensions
- Author(s)
- Selma Kadić-Maglajlić, Milena Micevski, Nick Lee, Nathaniel Boso, Irena Vida
- Abstract
In general, the business ethics literature has treated the conceptual domains and outcomes of macro-level (industrial), meso-level (organizational), and micro-level (individual) ethical influence separately. However, this singular treatment ignores the synergies and tensions that can arise across these different types of ethical influence. Using sales as a research context, the current study argues that all three ethical frames of references are important in shaping employee behavior and performance and, as such, should be examined simultaneously. The findings show that industrial ethical climate and salesperson moral equity are positively associated with salesperson customer orientation. In addition, industrial and organizational ethical norms have a stronger joint effect on customer orientation than either ethical climate alone. More specifically, a more ethical organizational climate enhances the positive effects of the industrial ethical climate on customer orientation. Furthermore, whereas salesperson moral equity is significantly associated with salesperson customer orientation, strong moral equity beliefs in situations requiring adaptive selling result in weaker sales outcomes. This study concludes with a set of theoretical and actionable implications, as well as a discussion of future research avenues.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Accounting, Innovation and Strategy
- External organisation(s)
- University of Sarajevo, University of Ljubljana, University of Warwick, University of Leeds
- Journal
- Journal of Business Ethics
- Volume
- 156
- Pages
- 377–397
- No. of pages
- 21
- ISSN
- 0167-4544
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3588-1
- Publication date
- 06-2017
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 502052 Business administration, 502019 Marketing
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics, Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), Law, General Business,Management and Accounting, Business and International Management
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/aa44623b-4a49-4618-82e3-7370febca4fa