: erence ethical v A Study of Differences in Business Ethical Values in Mainland China , the U . S . and

It has been 25 years since China began the transition from a socialist based, command economy to a free market economy. The success of this conversion has required a modification in the mindset, the rules of the game, and in the ethical and social norms that guide and inform business decisions. Shortly before that time, Jamaica achieved independence from colonial control by Great Britain. The research presented in this paper continues the examination of the transition of the values and ethics that underlie business decisions in the U.S., China and Jamaica by revisiting a survey process begun 10 years ago. Five business scenarios calling for decision choices were given to Jamaican, Chinese and U.S. professionals. The differences and similarities between the choices of the three groups are compared in the current study and the results are compared to those derived in a previous study conducted 10 years ago. The current differences and similarities are discussed, as well as the changes in differences and similarities found a decade ago. Introduction Significant changes are occurring in many parts of what has been considered the "Third World. " In this study we examine possible perceptual/ethical changes over a 10-year period in two very emerging countries, Jamaica and China, and consider how they compare to the U.S., a "developed" country. The contrasts are notable. In recent years in China, the rapid growth of the Chinese economy, the participation of China in the World Trade Organization and the significant involvement of Chinese firms in the global investment community indicates emergence into major power status. In Jamaica, after independence, there has been a continuing struggle to build the economy and the infrastructure and to emerge from colonial status. In China, there has been the need to reconcile a Confucian and communist heritage with the demands of 21st century business. In Jamaica, capitalist influences are primary but lack of development leads to frustration of those aims. Under such circumstances, the increasing relevance of studies of the norms and values that are the basis for business decisions may become apparent as a basis for understanding decisions which are made in very different cultures. This study seeks to continue a longitudinal study of ethical decision-making that was begun 10 years ago, to gain a clearer understanding of the progress of the transition of two very different cultures to the free market. We describe a methodology and results of a scenario-based survey conducted among Jamaican, Chinese and American participants. Both quantitative and qualitative results are put forth and discussed. The discussion includes considerations of historical and cultural influences that impact Jamaican and Chinese values including, in Jamaica, openness to change and the influence of capitalism and, in China, Confucianism, Maoism, market influences and differences in institutional environments. We note that the empirical research in business ethics has traditionally focused on the U.S. and single country studies conducted in Australia [21], Britain [7,17], India [6], Italy [9] and Russia [13]. It should be noted that, at that time and even today, the major studies from this group are conducted by researchers from Western traditional cultures and conducted in Western countries. The work of the research institute at Hong Kong Baptist University and the China European International Business School efforts appear to be extending these single country studies to China. In this research, we compare across three different cultures: Jamaica (which has not received previous study), China and the U.S. The Changes Impacting China and Jamaica China The Chinese opening to the West and the dissolution of the former Soviet Union have fueled interest in the process of economic transition. Interest in the changes in types and methods of management decision-making was also aroused. Notable in this body of literature are the works of Byrd [5] and Lee [14]. The role of soft-technology transfer, which includes free market management skills, has been studied empirically by Levitt [15,16] and by Shi [20]. The transition toward free market operations offers strategic windows of opportunity as one set of rules of the game replaces another [12,20]. Reform in economic systems redefines corporate sources of legitimacy and substantively alters the business, government and society relationship [1,22]. The overall sense is of a stable culture, but one founded upon Confucian and Maoist, rather than capitalist, social/ethical systems confronting a need to take its place in the 21st century marketplace. What will be the impact upon ethical decision making, given these pressures? Jamaica In understanding the situation in Jamaica, of importance is Hofstede's [10] finding that Jamaica is notably low in uncertainty avoidance. Ronen [19], compiling the results of several of Hofstede's studies, points out that Jamaica is the second lowest country in uncertainty avoidance, with Singapore ranked in the lowest position. Given the [Chinese culture is],. founded upon Confucian and Maoist, rather than capitalist, social/ethical systems. openness to change implied by low uncertainty avoidance, it may be that Jamaicans will be more open to pressures to industrialize than cultures such as China. This point has recently been underscored by Bissessar [3,4], who has studied social services reforms and "pay for performance" appraisal reforms in several Caribbean nations, including Jamaica. Bissessar points out that the reforms studied failed in Trinidad, Tobago and Guyana, the other countries studied, but succeeded in Jamaica. As Bissessar notes, the countries have in common their colonial past and "third world" status, but differences in Jamaica permitted it to succeed where the other countries failed. One factor in Jamaica's success, he notes, was its embrace of the changes and its willingness to change whatever related systems had to change for the reforms to be effective. In Jamaica, adoption of "capitalist" ethical systems should be far less challenging than is the case with China, in that Jamaica's heritage is capitalist and it has enjoyed a close relationship with the U.S. However, Jamaica is emerging from a colonial heritage, as noted, and is confronted with bringing together the diverse heritages of the many peoples who have contributed to its culture, notably Arawak Indians/Tainos, English, Africans, Jamaican, Indians and Jews [11]. Note, however, that these groups do not share similar ethical backgrounds or capitalist heritages, and, given Jamaica's struggles to emerge from its colonial past and to build an appropriate infrastructure for business, its openness and capitalist. Western, orientation may be less controlling than it may initially appear. Methodology Method and Design The current study replicates the method and design used in previous studies in this series, continuing the vein of management and business ethics literature that uses vignettes to present various kinds of real life ethical dilemmas [8,18]. In an effort to facilitate wider generalization and comparison with previous studies, the vignette set developed by Fritzsche and Becker [8] was used. Instrument and hypotheses replicate those used in similar studies beginning in 1993. Similar subject groups were selected to aid the comparison. Instrument The instrument was derived from the Becker and Fritzsche instrument and presents five vignettes. For each vignette, two responses were solicited. First, subjects were asked to indicate on a 0 to 10 point Likert Scale what their own A Study of Differences in Business Ethical Values in Mainland China, the U.S. and Jamaica