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Marketing norms: The influence of personal moral philosophies and organizational ethical culture

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Abstract

This study develops a scale, using the American Marketing Association’s code of ethics, to measure the marketing-related norms of marketing practitioners. The scale has five dimensions: 1) price and distribution, 2) information and contracts, 3) product and promotion, 4) obligation and disclosure, and 5) general honesty and integrity. The relative influence of personal moral philosophies and organizational ethical climate on the norms of marketers was also examined in this study.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the University of Mississippi, USA

    Scott J. Vitell (Associate Professor of marketing and holder of the Michael S. Starnes Lectureship in marketing and business ethics) & Kumar C. Rallapalli Ph.D. (candidate in marketing)

  2. Old Dominion University, USA

    Anusorn Singhapakdi (Assistant Professor of marketing)

Authors
  1. Scott J. Vitell
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  2. Kumar C. Rallapalli Ph.D.
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  3. Anusorn Singhapakdi
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Additional information

He received his Ph.D. in marketing from Texas Tech University. His work has previously appeared in theJournal of Macromarketing, Journal of Business Ethics, Research in Marketing, Business and Professional Ethics Journal, andJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science, as well as various other journals and proceedings.

His research has been accepted for publication in theJournal of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management and theJournal of Business Ethics, and has been published in various national and regional proceedings. His research interests include marketing ethics, health care marketing, international marketing, and direct marketing.

He received his Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Mississippi. His work has previously appeared in theJournal of Macromarketing, Journal of Business Ethics, Business and Professional Ethics Journal, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, andJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science, as well as other journals and proceedings.

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Vitell, S.J., Rallapalli, K.C. & Singhapakdi, A. Marketing norms: The influence of personal moral philosophies and organizational ethical culture. JAMS 21, 331–337 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02894525

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