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2009 National Business Ethics Survey
Ethics Resource Center (ERC)
Ethics Resource Center (ERC)
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Abstract
"All aspects of data collection for the 2009 study were managed by Opinion Research Corporation using a questionnaire developed by ERC, and all surveys since 2000 have been conducted over the telephone. There are five minor differences in the nature of the five surveys. First, in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2007, data was collected from multiple sectors, i.e., business, government, and nonprofits. The 2000, 2003, and 2005 reports included data from all these sectors. In 2007, the data was segregated by sector for the purposes of analysis and reporting. In 2009, data has been collected from the business sector exclusively. Second, the sample size has increased. In 2009, 3010 responses were collected. Review of the data revealed that 158 respondents worked in the government sector. These cases were removed from all analysis, meaning that 2852 responses were from employees in the for-profit sector. In 2007 and 2005 the sample sizes were 3452 (including 1929 for-profit employees) and 3015 (including 1869 for-profit employees) respectively. The 2003 survey contained 1503 interviews (961 for-profit employees), and the 2000 survey contained 1500 (994 for-profit employees). Third, the length of time needed to conduct the interviews varied. In 2009, the interviews were completed over a six-week period, beginning on July 20, 2009, and ending on August 27, 2009. The interviews were completed over an eight-week period in 2007 and over 16 weeks in 2005. In 2003, the survey was conducted over a seven-week period, and the 2000 survey was conducted over a three month period. Fourth, the average length of the telephone interviews has varied over time, depending on the length of the question set. In 2009, the average interview lasted 22 minutes. In 2007, the interviews averaged eighteen minutes and, in 2005, the average interview lasted eleven minutes. The average was twelve minutes in 2003, and, in 2000, the average was 20 minutes. Fifth, in 2000 and 2003, respondents were not explicitly given the option to say “neither agree nor disagree” in the strongly agree/strongly disagree scaled questions, or “I don’t know” to any of the questions. Those who gave these answers without being prompted were recorded as having done so, and, not surprisingly, small percentages in both surveys volunteered those answers. In 2005, respondents were explicitly told in the beginning of the survey, “If I ask you any questions you do not know the answer to, just tell me and I will move on.” Additionally, in 2005, 2007, and 2009, the “neither” option was read aloud in each of the strongly agree/strongly disagree scaled questions. Slightly higher percentages tended to say “neither” and “don’t know” in the 2005, 2007, and 2009 surveys. In the 2009 NBES, when comparisons are made across years, “don’t know,” “not applicable,” and “refused” responses are omitted from the calculation of percentages. The “neither agree nor disagree,” and “neither satisfied nor dissatisfied” responses have been included only in calculations involving measurement of ethical culture. As a result of these omissions, percentages presented in the 2009, 2007, and 2005 NBES reports regarding data from 1994, 2000, or 2003 differ from that same data presented in previous reports, in which these answer choices were included in calculations in various ways."(pg 1-2)
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2009
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With permission of the license/copyright holder