International Journal of Human Ecology

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
권호 표지

Consumer Ethical Beliefs and Behaviors and Ethical Ideologies : Gender and Cross-cultural Comparison between Korean and American College Students

  • Seo, Jeong-Hee (Department of Child and Family Welfare, University of Ulsan)
  • Received : 2010.09.27
  • Accepted : 2010.12.10
  • Published : 2010.12.30
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Abstract

This paper compares a cross-cultural and gender differences and similarities about consumer ethical perceptions and behaviors, and ethical ideologies between Korean and the US college students. It also examines the relationships between consumers' ethical perceptions and behaviors, and the relationships between consumer ethics and ethical ideologies. This research provides some evidence that supports the premise that consumer ethics is influenced to an extent by consumers' nationality and gender. The differences are not universal, however, and could perhaps be described as situational. The American college consumers were found to be more idealistic and relativistic than the Korean college consumers. But the differences were minor The American male college consumers were found to be more idealistic than the American female college consumers. The ethical consumer groups were found to be more idealistic and less relativistic than were the unethical consumer groups. Perceptions were positively related to behaviors in the consumer ethics. But the magnitude of impacts is different between the nations and in the dimensions of consumer ethics.

Keywords

References

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