Title: Examining perceptions of American and Omani university students towards ethical behaviour of entrepreneurs and business managers

Authors: Suhail M. Ghouse; John H. Batchelor; Dennis Barber III; Areej Alhouli

Addresses: Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, College of Commerce and Business Administration, Dhofar University, A'Sadah, Salalah-211, Oman ' Department of Business Administration, University of West Florida, 11000 University Pkwy, Pensacola, FL, 32514, USA ' Miller School of Entrepreneurship, College of Business, East Carolina University, 1100 Bate Building, Greenville, NC, 27858-4353, USA ' Department of Management and Marketing, College of Business Administration, Kuwait University, Safat-12037, Kuwait

Abstract: This research examines and compares perceptions of Omani university students with those of American business students towards entrepreneurs and business managers. Bucar and Hisrich's (2001) model was used to measure and collect students' perceptions towards ethical behaviours of firm managers and entrepreneurs. T-tests were employed to test statistical significance in the mean scores of Omani and American students. Results showed that Omani students perceive entrepreneurs as more ethical in decision making than managers, following the American sample, but with no significant gender based alterations among them. However, degree of perception among American students was higher than Omani students, being contrary to previous studies. This study contributes to body of literature contextually, firstly by adding Oman (Arab) to existing body of knowledge based on gender, national differences and institutions, and secondly by making comparative study of youth perceptions towards ethical behaviour of entrepreneurs and managers between a developed and a developing country.

Keywords: ethics; entrepreneurs; managers; stakeholder theory; agency theory; entrepreneurship; Oman; Arab.

DOI: 10.1504/JGBA.2021.125009

Journal for Global Business Advancement, 2021 Vol.14 No.6, pp.804 - 821

Received: 07 Nov 2021
Accepted: 07 Nov 2021
Published online: 22 Aug 2022 *

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