Business ethics in manufacturing organizations

Moral development theorists believe that as individuals age they show a greater ethics commitment. This increase in ethics commitment continues until the individuals reach the mid-thirties. Many theorists also believe that gender also accounts for differences in moral development. This research, using scenarios created by Clark in 1966, compares the business ethics commitment, as measured by Clark's Personal Business Ethics Score (PBES) and social responsibility commitment, as measured by Clark's Social Responsibility Score (SRS). The research was conducted on alumni from the University of Wisconsin - Stout, who graduated with an Industrial Technology degree between 1973 and 1997, and are currently working as professionals in a manufacturing organization. The data were tested using linear regression at the .05 level of significance.; The business ethics commitment is a measure of the personal commitment to integrity, honesty and observance of laws. The results show that older manufacturing professionals have a higher business ethics commitment than younger manufacturing professionals. No significant difference was found between male and female manufacturing professionals.; The social responsibility commitment is a measure of the commitment to the welfare of others in society. The results show that older manufacturing professionals have a higher social responsibility commitment than younger manufacturing professionals. It also showed that female manufacturing professionals have a higher social responsibility commitment than male manufacturing professionals.; This research supports the theories that moral development continues well beyond adolescence and that age and gender are factors in moral development.