Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-mwx4w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-04T22:40:51.343Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Exploration of Factors Influencing Ethical and Unethical Behavior in Negotiations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2005

Gregory M. Perry
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Patricia A. Duffy
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Clair J. Nixon
Affiliation:
Department of Accounting, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Lindon J. Robison
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Abstract

The issue of ethics has received little notice in agricultural economics journals. This study utilized a survey technique to reveal the ethical attitudes among some 500 students at four Land Grant Universities. The data were analyzed using multiple regression techniques. Individuals negotiating with strangers were more willing to use questionable ethical tactics. Women, individuals who were cooperative rather than competitive in negotiation situations, and those who regularly attended religious services were consistently less willing to use questionable ethics in negotiation. The size of the individual's hometown and family income had no clear impact on ethical attitudes in negotiations.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anton, R.J.Drawing the Line: An Exploratory Test of Ethical Behavior in Negotiations.International Journal of Conflict Management 1(1990): 265–80.10.1108/eb022683Google Scholar
Bazerman, M.H., Gibbons, R., Thompson, L., and Valley, K.L.. “Can Negotiators Outperform Game Theory?Debating Rationality: Nonrational Aspects of Organizational Decision Making. Halpern, J.L. and Stern, R.N., eds. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1998.Google Scholar
Burr, A.M.Ethics in Negotiation: Does Getting to Yes Require Candor?Dispute Resolution Journal 12(2001):815.Google Scholar
Dawson, R.Ethical Differences Between Men and Women in the Sales Profession.Journal of Business Ethics 16(1997): 1143–52.10.1023/A:1005721916646Google Scholar
Dees, J.G., and Cramton, P.C.. “Shrewd Bargaining on the Moral Frontier: Toward a Theory of Morality in Practice.Business Ethics Quarterly 3(1993):359–94.10.2307/3857284Google Scholar
Dirks, D.H.Moral Development in Christian Higher Education.Journal of Psychology and Theology 16(1988):324–31.Google Scholar
EVIEWS 3 User's Guide, 2nd ed. Irvine, CA: Quantitative Micro Software. 1998.Google Scholar
Fells, R.E.Developing Trust in Negotiation.” Power and Negotiation in Organizations: Readings, Cases, and Exercises, 2nd ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2001.Google Scholar
Gorsuch, R.L., and Smith, C.S.. “Attributions of Responsibility to God: An Interaction of Religious Beliefs and Outcomes.Journal for the Scientific Study of Religions 22(1983):340–52.10.2307/1385772Google Scholar
Hassett, J.Is It Right? An Inquiry Into Everyday Ethics.Psychology Today 36(1981):4953.Google Scholar
Henderson, J.E.Tears of Joy: The Satisfaction of Win-Win Bargaining.Journal of Collective Bargaining 22(1993):313–34.Google Scholar
Kahneman, E., Knetsch, J., and Thaler, R.. “Fairness and the Assumptions of Economics.Journal of Organizational Behavior 59(1986):285300.Google Scholar
Kennedy, E.J., and Lawton, L.. “Religiousness and Business Ethics.Journal of Business Ethics 17(1998): 163–75.10.1023/A:1005747511116Google Scholar
Lax, D.A., and Sebenius, J.K.. “The Manager as Negotiator.” Power and Negotiation in Organizations: Readings, Cases, and Exercises, 2nd ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2001.Google Scholar
Lewicki, R.J., and Robinson, R.J.. “Ethical and Unethical Bargaining Tactics: An Empirical Study.Journal of Business Ethics 17(1998): 665–82.Google Scholar
Lewicki, R.J., Saunders, D.M., and Minton, J.W.. Negotiation, 3rd ed. Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1999.Google Scholar
Lewis, C. “The Enron Collapse: A Financial Scandal Rooted in Politics.” Internet site: www.public-i.org (Accessed April 2002).Google Scholar
Provis, C.Honesty in Negotiation.Business Ethics: A European Review 9(2000):312.10.1111/1467-8608.00164Google Scholar
Robinson, R.J., Lewicki, R.J., and Donahue, E.M.. “Extending and Testing a Five Factor Model of Ethical and Unethical Bargaining Tactics: Introducing the SINS Scale.Journal of Organizational Behavior 21(2000):649–64.10.1002/1099-1379(200009)21:6<649::AID-JOB45>3.0.CO;2-#3.0.CO;2-#>Google Scholar
Roth, A.E.Bargaining Experiments.” Handbook of Experimental Economics. Kagel, J. and Roth, A.E., eds. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995.Google Scholar
Sober, E., and Wilson, D.S.. Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 1998.Google Scholar
Walker, R.H. Speech delivered at Temple University (Pennsylvania) School of Law, April 4, 2002. Reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, April 6, 2002.Google Scholar