A Study of Practical Differences in Business Ethics among Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean Employees-An Example of a Multi-National Electronics Company

• Main Authors: Kun-Nan Wei, 魏崑楠
• Other Authors: Lee-Hsuan Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/95085205397639471355

碩士 === 元智大學 === 管理研究所 === 98 === How employees in a business environment practice business ethics is extremely important to business management and organizational development. Many owners of multi-national businesses have already discovered that employees of diverse nationalities practice business ethics drastically differently. This research, using a multi-national electronics company as a case study, explores how differently Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees practice business ethics. This research has six objectives: (1) to explore the differences in practicing business ethics among Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees; (2) to study national culture attributes in Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean businesses; (3) to explore business ethical climate models among Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean businesses; (4) to investigate the possible influences of national cultures on the different ethical practices by Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees; (5) to study the possible influences of business ethical climate on the different ethical practices by Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees; and (6) to study the practical differences of Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees in the three major dimensions: business ethics, national cultures, and business ethical climates. By using descriptive statistical analysis, ANOVA (analysis of variance), correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to compile and analyze all the collected survey data, this study comes to the following conclusions: 1. In terms of business ethical practices, Taiwanese employees exhibit a high level; Japanese employees exhibit a low level; and Korean employees are in between. Thus, Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese. 2. In terms of national culture, 1) based on the Power Distance Index (PDI), Koreans display a high PDI, Japanese a medium PDI, and Taiwanese a low PDI; 2) based on the Individualism and Collectivism Index (ICI), Taiwanese show a low Collectivism Index (i.e., more leaning towards Individualism), both Japanese and Koreans exhibit a medium Collectivism Index; 3) based on the Masculinity and Femininity Index (MFI), both Taiwanese and Koreans show a medium Femininity Index , Japanese a low Femininity Index (i.e., a more masculine tendency); 4) based on the Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), Taiwanese display a high UAI, Koreans a medium UAI, and Japanese a low UAI; 5) based on the Long-term Orientation and Short-term Orientation Index (LSI), Taiwanese (Long-term Orientation) > Korean (Medium Long Orientation) > Japanese (Medium Orientation). 3. In terms of business ethical climate, all three nations exhibit the “Regulation type” as their main type. 4. In terms of the possible influences of national cultures on the different ethical practices, 1) among Taiwanese employees, business ethical practices have a strong correlation to Power Distance, Individualism and Collectivism, and Uncertainty Avoidance. However, business ethical practices have a weak correlation to Long-term and Short-term Orientation; 2) among Japanese employees, business ethical practices have a medium correlation to Power Distance and Individualism and Collectivism, a strong correlation to Uncertainty Avoidance, and a weak correlation to Long-term and Short-term Orientation; 3) among Korean employees, business ethical practices have a medium correlation to Power Distance, Individualism and Collectivism, and Long-term and Short-term Orientation. 5. In terms of the possible influences of business ethical climate on the different ethical practices by Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees, 1) among Taiwanese employees, business ethical practices show a strong correlation to the “Caring type” and the “Law and Norm type,” but a medium correlation to the “Instrument type”; 2) among Japanese employees, business ethical practices show a strong correlation to the “Caring type” and the “Regulation type,” but a medium correlation to the “Independent Judgment type”; 3) among Korean employees, business ethical practices show a weak correlation to the “Caring type” and the “Regulation type,” but a strong correlation to the “Independent Judgment type.” 6. In terms of the practical differences of Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean employees in the three major dimensions: business ethics, national cultures, and business ethical climates, 1) based on the ANOVA, business ethical practices yield the result where Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese; 2) based on the ANOVA of national cultures, the results are: A. the Power Distance Index shows Korean > Japanese > Taiwanese; B. in terms of the Individualism and Collectivism Index, Taiwanese exhibit the lowest level, indicating that those surveyed Taiwanese businesses lean towards individualism; C. the Uncertainty Avoidance Index shows Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese, indicating that those surveyed Taiwanese businesses are the least tolerant of uncertainty; D. the Long-term and Short-term Orientation Index shows Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese, indicating that, among the three nations, Taiwanese businesses posses the strongest long-term orientation. 3) According to the ANOVA of business ethical climate, A. Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese based on the strength of the “Caring type”; B. the strength of the “Law and Norm type” shows Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese; C. Japanese have the weakest “Regulation type”; D. the strength of the “Instrument type” shows Korean > Taiwanese > Japanese; E. the strength of the “ Independent Judgment type” shows Taiwanese > Korean > Japanese. Keyword: business ethics, national culture, business ethical climate.