Title: Ethical sensitivity of prospective fitness centre professionals: evidence from an emerging market

Authors: Ali Kara; Süleyman Murat Yildiz

Addresses: Pennsylvania State University, York Campus, 1031 Edgecomb Ave., York, PA 17403, USA ' School of Physical Education and Sports, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Kotekli, Mugla, 48000, Turkey

Abstract: Health and fitness centres are currently experiencing rapid market growth and these service providers face ethical issues that might be specific to this segment. However, literature provides limited empirical studies investigating the ethical decision making of fitness centre professionals. In order for fitness centre professionals to make more ethical decisions, they must first recognise that an ethical dilemma exists. Using the multidimensional ethical scale, this study investigates the relationship between ethical philosophies, culture and personality dimensions in measuring ethical sensitivity in ethical decision making of prospective fitness centre professionals in Turkey. Study findings indicate that ethical philosophies used by the prospective fitness centre professionals provided significant explanations for the ethical evaluations. This explanation further improved when the cultural and personality variables are incorporated into the model. Implications for the education system, industry and future research are discussed.

Keywords: multidimensional ethics scale; MES; ethical philosophies; fitness centre professionals; ethical sensitivity; emerging markets; health and fitness centres; culture; personality dimensions; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2013.055210

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2013 Vol.13 No.1/2, pp.27 - 54

Received: 22 May 2012
Accepted: 31 Mar 2013
Published online: 29 Apr 2014 *

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