Business ethics views of working adults and managers in Turkey

Abstract

This research with Turkish working adults was initiated to compare the Personal Business Ethics Scores of respondents based on their culture, age, education, and management experience in Turkey. Ethical norms, expectations, and behaviors play important roles in the satisfaction, engagement, and workplace productivity of adults in all cultures. Turkish professionals take pride in their focus on ethics and morality while the country is transitioning towards becoming a powerhouse nation in the Middle East and European economies. This research surveyed 716 Turkish male (323) and female (393) respondents to measure their Personal Business Ethics Scores and determine if various demographic variables (such as management experience, education, age, or gender) make a statistically significant difference in their ethical maturity level. The results show that age, gender, and management experience statistically contribute to moral maturity in business settings. More specifically, the young Turkish generation and females exhibit significantly higher ethical maturity regarding questionable business practices. Despite expectations due to the importance of higher education in society, this study did not find any statistically significant differences between Turkish groups with and without a formal college education. This study contributes to the literature regarding ethical decisions among working adults and the theory of moral development since Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory is partially supported. Implications for honesty at work and career planning to attract and retain an ethically mature workforce are provided.