ABSTRACT
Many modern
organizations are today faced with numerous challenges such as illegal and
unethical business practices in a number of business transactions. Most
organizations have come up with codes of ethics in dealing with ethical issues
challenging them.
This research
project examines the effects of ethical behaviour on marketing managers with
special reference to Cadbury Nigeria Plc. A hundred staff of Cadbury Plc. were
sampled as a means of garthering data. Sixty were marketing managers and forty
marketing executives. The research uses
a quantitative method with three hypotheses stated in the null form. The data
gathered were analyzed with the use of Chi-square test statistics. Findings
revealed that ethical behaviour of marketing managers has effects on the
performance of an organization and that good ethical behaviour has a positive
correlation with organizational performance. Suitable policy recommendations
were proffered which decision makers in business organizations and government
functionaries will find highly useful.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Cover Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract vi
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study 1
1.1 Statement of Problem 2
1.2 Purpose of the Study 3
1.3 Research Questions 4
1.4 Statement of Hypotheses 4
1.5 Significance of the Study 5
1.6 Research Methodology 5
1.7 Scope and Limitation of the Study 6
1.8 Definition of Terms 7
References
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 11
2.2 Culture 13
2.2.1 Levels of Culture 19
2.2.1.1 High Context Culture 21
2.2.1.2 Low Context Culture 22
2.2 Cultural Dimensions 23
2.3 Ethics 27
2.4 Cultural and Marketers’ Ethical Decision 32
2.5 Situation Influences 34
2.6 Marketing Ethics to Managers 38
2.7 Ethical Behaviours of Marketing Managers 40
2.7.1 Stages of Ethical Behavioural Changes 42
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 48
3.2 Sources of Data 48
3.3 Population and Sample Size 49
3.4 Sampling Technique 50
3.5 Research Instrument Design 50
3.6 Research Questions 51
3.7 Re-Statement of Hypotheses 52
5.8 Analysis of Data 53
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction 54
4.1 Personal Characteristics of the Respondents 54
4.2 Responses of Respondents to the Problem Areas 59
4.2.1 Responses from Marketing Managers 59
4.2.2 Responses from Marketing Executives and Sales Officers 62
4.3 Testing and Interpretation of the Hypotheses 66
4.3.2 Hypothesis Two 69
3.3. Hypothesis Three 71
4.4 Summary of Analysis 74
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction 75
5.1 Summary of Findings 75
5.2 Conclusion 76
5.3 Recommendations 76
References 79
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over
the years, the term ethics in organizational performance has long been
associated with management scholars and business leaders around the world. There is a broad agreement the world over
that as a matter of corporate policy, every organization strives to be
committed in a manner that is ethically transparent. Ethics in the world of organization’s
business involve “ordinary decency” which encompasses such areas as integrity,
honesty and fairness. Behaving in an
ethical manner is seen as part of the social responsibility of an organization,
which itself depends on the philosophy that organizations ought to impact the
society in ways that go beyond the usual profit maximization objective.
It
is often argued in many instances that, it is in the interest of an
organization to behave in a way that recognizes the need for moral and ethical
content in managerial decision as this will benefit the organization especially
in the long run.
Ethical
behaviour is characterized by honesty, fairness and equity in interpersonal,
professional and academic relationship and it respects the dignity, diversity
and the right of individual and groups of people. Therefore, for an organization to move
forward in the aspect of performance, it is however important for such an organization
to have a good understanding of ethics and also take it seriously as this can
undermine the competitive strength of the organization and the society at
large.
Morals
spring virtually from every decision, thus organization stability and survival
depend on the consistency of quality of ethical decision made by managers. Marketing managers are challenged and
encouraged to have obligation on organizational performance and society at
large, to support and assist the society to imbibe the ethical culture in which
there was the interest of every one.
In
recent times, most organizations have come up with codes of ethics in dealing
with ethical issues challenging them.
Code of ethics is a set of moral principles used by organization to
steer conduct of the organization itself and the employees, in all their
business activities, both internally and externally. Codes as opposed to straight forward policy
have advantage of providing explicit guidance on key issues that might arise
during the course of organization activities.
1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Empirically
and conceptually, there has been increased research interest on the area of
business ethics. This has been clearly
demonstrated in the increased number of journals that focus on business ethics during
this period.
This
problem becomes more glaring as marketing managers must work in a global
setting due to the internationalization of companies and the global
economy. Marketing managers have to work
with customers from different ethics in Nigeria each ethic can be very
similar in some dimensions and very different in other dimensions when compared
with the culture of the marketing manager.
This comparism demonstrates the importance of understanding the roles of
culture and behaviour on marketing managers.
Many
modern organizations are faced with numerous challenges such as illegal and
unethical behaviour in a number of business transactions. Marketing mangers are also faced with the
challenge of evaluating the effect of critical behaviour on the performance of
such organizations. Also, many marketing
managers operate their activities today, without keen interest of bothering
whether their actions are right or wrong and the extent of employees’
understanding of the term ethics while the level of compliance is highly
infinitesimal. The way Nigerian society
cares little about the source of wealth tend to make some of these business
operators to begin to wonder about the necessity of ethics in an organization.
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this research work is to test if:
i.
There are any differences in the ethical
behaviour of marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
ii.
The ethical behaviour of marketing
managers have any relationship with organizational performance
iii.
To show-case the necessity of good ethics
to the success and eventual institutionalization of an organization
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
Is there any differences between
marketing managers’ ethical behaviours in Cadbury Nig. Plc?
2.
Does cultural differences influence the
ethical behaviours of marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
3.
Does the ethical behaviours of marketing
managers have effects on the productivity of Cadbury Nig. Plc?
4.
Is there any differences in the ethical
behaviours of among marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
1.4 STATEMENTS OF HYPOTHESES
Hypothesis 1:
HO: There are no differences in the ethical
behaviours of marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
H1: There are differences in the ethical
behaviours of marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
Hypothesis 2:
HO: Cultural differences does not influence the
ethical behaviours of marketing mangers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
H1: Cultural differences influences the ethical
behaviours of marketing mangers in Cadbury Nig. Plc
Hypothesis 3:
HO: Ethical behaviours of marketing managers does
not have effects on the productivity of Cadbury Nig. Plc
H1: Ethical behaviours of marketing managers have
effects on the productivity of Cadbury Nig. Plc
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This
study serves as a foundation for further research in determining if the contact
with people from a contrasting culture can influence and affect the marketing
decisions of marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc and other related companies
in Nigeria. The information obtained in this research
work maybe very helpful to the marketing department of Cadbury Nig. Plc and
others because if these companies do not perceive the effects in their
employees, the possibility exists that the marketing managers can be influenced
by others, which in turn affects the consumers and possibly the sales of the
companies.
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research
project was written with the intention of examining the effects of ethical attitudes
of marketing managers in Cadbury Nigeria Plc., and whether the dimensions of
power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, and
masculinity/ femininity influenced those differences.
The survey would
be conducted through marketing managers of Cadbury Nigeria Plc. The study used
a matched samples technique, a method advocated by cross-cultural research
methodologists, where the samples of cultural groups to be compared are made as
similar as possible in their demographic characteristics.
The
researcher intend sampling sixty (60) out of the one hundred and fourteen (114)
marketing managers of Cadbury Nig. Plc Lagos. The sample will cover marketing
manager from the respective product brands of Cadbury. Because marketing
managers could be bias in giving their true ethical behaviour, forty (40)
marketing executives that work directly under the marketing managers would also
be sampled.
The researcher
would use several statistical tests, mainly distributions of frequency,
measures of central tendency, and t-tests for evaluating the dimension of
attitudes that could influence the ethical behaviour of marketing managers.
Chi-Square analysis would also be
employed to analyze the hypotheses stated for the research work.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Due
to the multicultural and ethnic diverse nature of Nigeria and the fact that
culture influences the behaviour of human beings, the researcher has chosen the
marketing managers in Cadbury Nig. Plc as his sample out of the entire
population of marketing managers in Nigeria. Cadbury Nig. Plc is a multi national company
which has marketing managers from various regions in Nigeria. This is the essence for it
being sampled out as the case study for this research work.
In
the course of conducting this research work it is expected that the following
will constitute impediments to the effective conduct of the study
a) Time constraint within which the study must
be completed.
b) Financial constraint
c) Inaccessible and inadequate data
d) Also, combining project work with several
other activities is another stressful task that may not allow me to cover
research materials extensively.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
In some
circumstances, word may carry different meanings. However, according to
Thouless, “if our thoughts are to be clearly communicated to other people then
we must have a method of fixing the meaning of the words we use”. For purposes
of clarity therefore, some of the important terms used in this study are
defined as follows:
Effects: Quite synonymous with impact. That is the influence a particular thing has
on another. How one issues affects
another.
Ethics: Morally right. The standards of a culture or tradition of an
institution meant to be abided with in order to accomplish a set goal and
objective
Behaviour: The way or manner an individual and (or) an
organization does things. An
individual’s or organizations attitude which is mostly influenced by the
cultural beliefs of the ethnic group he or she hails from.
Culture: The institutions, values, beliefs, and
behaviours of a society; everything we learn, as opposed to that with which we
were born; that part of the environment, domestic or foreign or both, that is
shaped by human kind.
Culture
and Marketing Ethical Behaviours: Concerned with the various moral or ethical
problems that can arise in a marketing setting, and special duties or
obligations that apply to persons who are engaged in marketing.
Marketing: The management process responsible for
identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably or
otherwise.
Managers: Members of an organization’s management
team saddled with the task of effectively and efficiently utilizing the
company’s resources (man inclusive) to achieve the set goals and objectives of
the organization
Organization:
A formal institution of management and personnel who ensure that the targeted
aims and objectives of the institution are met.
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