Open Ethics and Law Journal

2015, 1 : 8-16
Published online 2015 April 30. DOI: 10.2174/2352633501501010008
Publisher ID: ETHICS-1-8

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Ethical Maturity Scores of Future Arab Business Leaders Based on Gender, Age, Seniority, Management, and Ethics Training

Abdul R Abu Bakar 1, * , Bahaudin G Mujtaba 2 and Ahmed Medjedel 3
1 College of Business Administration, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia
2 Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 33314-7796, USA
3 College of Business Administration, Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia

* Address correspondence to this author at the College of Business Administration, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia; Tel: +9661-494-8926 Fax: +9661-454-8316; E-mail: drrahimbakar@gmail.com;

ABSTRACT

The financial collapse of many prominent institutions over the past six years has highlighted the importance of morality and ethics in the workplace. Recent evidence has demonstrated that ethics is an important topic for all working adults and students who will soon join the workforce. As such, using the personal business ethics scores (PBES) survey, this study tests 164 students’ demographic profiles and ‘ethical exposure’ in Saudi Arabia. Using factor analysis, analysis of variance, and regression analysis with the sample data, this study highlights a statistically significant relationship between legal knowledge and ethical maturity among Arabs in this research. Other predictors proposed in this study such as gender, age, seniority, management experience, and ethical exposure through courses, seminars or work experience did not show any significant effects towards ethical maturity. Limitations are presented along with implications for business school faculty and deans as they prepare future managers to become morally mature leaders in the workplace.

Keywords:

Arab students, business ethics, ethics training, ethical maturity, Madinah, PBES, Saudi Arabia.