Student's Perception on Business Ethics: An Investigation of French Students Based on Gender, Age, and Education

摘要

The recent exposure of various corporate scandals,such as Well Fargo, JPMorgan, Volkswagen, TheFederation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA), United Airlines, and Toshiba, has shown thatanalysis of ethical perception is vital and relevant(Baxter, 1987). It is critical to understand the ethicalperspectives of future business leaders in order toanticipate their ethical behaviors (Wurthmann,2013). In an increasingly globalized world, it isbecoming necessary to competently conductinternational business if a business wants to staysuccessful. Exercising ethical practices has becomea core competency that businesses exploit to gain acompetitive advantage, such as increased positivebrand equity (Alavije, Hamidizadeh, & Karimi, 2014).This study analyzes and seeks to understand theperception of French students on business ethicsissues. Specifically, it examines whether gender, age,and education make an impact on French businessstudents’ perceptions of ethics. Research on Franceis integral because it is the seventh largest economyin the world (IMF, 2017). It is classified as part ofthe Group of Seven, which have large, advancedeconomies (along with the United States, Japan,Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada).The growth projections for France are positive andthere is expected to be an expansionary fiscal stancefor 2017 and 2018 (IMF, 2017). As a member of theEuropean Union, which uses the Euro as its currency,the strength of the Euro will influence the buyingpower of citizens and competitiveness on a globalscale.