TOWARD UNDERSTANDING MARKETING STUDENTS ETHICAL JUDGMENT OF CONTROVERSIAL PERSONAL SELLING PRACTICES

This study investigates ethical judgment and sensitivity to controversial sales practices among marketing students. The first part of the study reports how 198 college students evaluated 20 ethical problems commonly encountered in personal selling. The second part of the study explores factors underlying the students' ethical judgments. Scenarios are used to manipulate the nature of a sales practice (involves money, does not involve money directly) and the party toward whom the practice is directed (customer, employer, competitor) in a 2 x 3 between-subjects design. The third part of the study examines changes in ethical judgments after review and reevaluation. Results indicate that controversial sales practices with direct monetary consequences and practices involving transgressions against customers are judged most severely. Findings also indicate a significant tendency to consider a given practice as less ethical after review. Implications for business educators, practitioners, and future research are discussed.