WORKING LIFE MATTERS: ON THE COMPARISON OF THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TOWARDS BUSINESS ETHICS

The focus of this research is on the examination of changing attitudes of employees towards business ethics after a period of working experience. The primary aim of this study is to explore the differences in the attitudes of students (prospective managers) and employees towards business ethics issues. The secondary aim is to investigate whether working experience plays a role in the perception of business ethics issues. The data was collected through drop-off surveys that included Attitudes toward Business Ethics Questionnaire (ATBEQ) and demographic questions, both from students and employees. Employees were chosen from three different industries in order to eliminate any industrial bias. The results were statistically analyzed through ANOVA and further multiple comparison tests. Data analysis results showed significant differences in terms of the attitude toward business ethics among students and employees. The results also show that, for some variables, the years spending in working life do really matter, that is, the higher the years spent in the working life, the higher the ethical awareness was found to be. Finally, managerial implications and further research alternatives are discussed.