Reactions to Unethical Consumer Behavior across Six Countries

In year 2004 the international team of researchers carried out a research dealing with ethical behavior at the consumer level. Rather that looking at a popular post-Enron topic- corporate ethics and corporate wrong doings, researchers focused on the other half of market members- the consumers and their attitude towards unethical consumer behavior.

The data gathered from six countries- Austria, Brunei, France, Hong Kong, the UK, and the USA showed consumer responses to eleven unethical behavior scenarios:

1) Drinking a can of soda in a supermarket without buying it
2) Using long distance phone access that does not belong to you
3) Reporting a lost item as stolen to an insurance company to collect the money
4) Changing price tags on merchandize in a store
5) Using work telephone to make private calls
6) Not saying anything when the waiter miscalculates the bill in your favor
7) Getting too much change and not saying anything
8) Taking towels from hotels and blankets from aircrafts as souvenirs
9) Renting one double-bed hotel room for more than two people
10) Taking advantage of free trial period
11) Cutting in where there is along line

Data analysis revealed that the consumers found “drinking a can of soda in a supermarket without buying it” the most objectionable behavior, while the most tolerated was “taking towels from hotels and blankets from aircrafts as souvenirs”.

The second set of analysis aimed to determine which factors- nationality, age, gender, and religion- has the biggest influence on consumers’ attitude towards unethical behavior.

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