Beverly Kracher

On-line trust: concepts, evolving themes, a model

Trust is emerging as a key element of success in the on-line environment. Although considerable research on trust in the offline world has been performed, to date empirical study of on-line trust has been limited. This paper examines on-line trust, specifically trust between people and informational or transactional websites. It begins by analysing the definitions of trust in previous offline and on-line research. The relevant dimensions of trust for an on-line context are identified, and a definition of trust between people and informational or transactional websites is presented. We then turn to an examination of the causes of on-line trust. Relevant findings in the human-computer interaction literature are identified. A model of on-line trust between users and websites is presented. The model identifies three perceptual factors that impact on-line trust: perception of credibility, ease of use and risk. The model is discussed in detail and suggestions for future applications of the model are presented.

Factors Related to the Cognitive Moral Development of Business Students and Business Professionals in India and the United States: Nationality, Education, Sex and Gender

This research focuses on the similarities and differences in the cognitive moral development of business professionals and graduate business students in two countries, India and the United States. Factors that potentially influence cognitive moral development, namely, culture, education, sex and gender are analyzed and discussed. Implications for ethics education in graduate business schools and professional associations are considered. Future research on the cognitive moral development of graduate business students and business professionals is recommended.

A foundation for understanding online trust in electronic commerce

Trust is a key concept in business, particularly in electronic commerce (e‐commerce). In order to understand online trust, one must first study trust research conducted in the offline world. The findings of such studies, dating from the 1950’s to the present, provide a foundation for online trust theory in e‐commerce. This paper provides an overview of the existing trust literature from the fields of philosophy, psychology, sociology, management, and marketing. Based on these bodies of work, online trust is briefly explored. The range of topics for future research in online trust in e‐commerce is presented.

Repurchase Announcements, Lies and False Signals

Prior stock repurchase studies have found evidence that the announcement of a repurchase program sends a positive signal to the market. Firms engaging in open-market repurchase programs do not have to report how, when, and if they actually repurchased any shares. Evidence following the stock market crash of 1987 indicates that many firms announcing repurchase plans did not actually repurchase any share and, by their own admission, had no intention of repurchasing shares. Companies announcing plans and not following through are apparently within the letter of the law. However, we argue that companies announcing plans with no intention of repurchasing shares are guilty of either lying or sending false signals. These companies create distrust in the investment community and intentionally mislead the public in violation of the SECs antifraud provisions. Changes in the reporting procedures concerning repurchase plans are ethically and legally warranted.

Justice, sexual harassment, and the reasonable victim standard

In determining when sexual behavior in the workplace creates a hostile working environment, some courts have asked, ‘Would a reasonableperson view this as a hostile environment?’ Two recent court decisions, recognizing male-female differences in the perception of social sexual behavior at work, modified this standard to ask, “Would a reasonablevictim view this as a hostile environment?” As yet, there is no consensus in the legal community regarding which of these standards is just.We propose that moral theory provides the framework from which business people can construct just procedures regarding sexually hostile environments. We argue that the natural duty of mutual respect of persons and the natural duty not to harm the innocent compels business people to identify sexually hostile work environments from the perspective of the reasonable victim, usually from the womans perspective.Within the context of this moral framework, a training approach designed to reduce the incidence of sexually harassing behaviors in the workplace is proposed.

A Conceptual Framework For Online Business Protest Tactics And Criteria For Their Effectiveness

In this article, the authors lay the foundation for the emerging area of research on online protest tactics mobilized against business. The authors offer a definition of online business protest tactics and distinguish them from related activities such as electronic civil disobedience and cybercrime. They also appeal to the interest-group literature as one theoretical foundation for this area of research. Based on the degree to which each tactic involves intrusion, disruption, or damage, the authors categorize the array of online business protest tactics into a typology, providing definitions and illustrative examples from the business press for each. They advance a dualistic framework to evaluate the intermediate and ultimate effectiveness of the various online business protest tactics using a set of criteria relevant to both online and off-line environments, and conclude by suggesting avenues for future research.

What Does it Mean when Mitchell Gets an ‘A’ in Business Ethics? or the Importance of Service Learning

In this essay I show that business needs business school graduates who are capable of ethical business action. Thus, business ethics courses should help students develop the capacities and skills they will need to act ethically at work. Towards this developmental end, I list eight steps business ethicists can take to implement service learning in their courses. I show how service learning in the classroom can be combined with a college honorary program to promote ethical business actions in students.

Preliminary validation of a model for describing the ethical climate of a business community

This paper describes the development of a model for representing the ethical climate of a business community. It describes the steps followed in identifying the model’s components and in validating the model’s structure. Expert panel validation methodologies were used to garner qualitative and quantitative data about the model. They have yielded support for the components of an initial, literature-based model, ideas for expanding that model and operationalising its components, and statistical validation of the expanded model. This is part of a larger research project intended to result in a validated instrument for measuring and comparing ethical climates of different business communities.

CEWA: An International, Interdisciplinary, Educational, Environmental Partnership

This chapter reports the international, interdisciplinary partnership that supports the Creative and Educational Welfare Affiliation (CEWA). We begin by describing CEWA, its various projects, and the genesis of the partnership that supports the CEWA card project. We describe the first years achievements as well as the difficulties with the CEWA card project. We conclude with recommendations for how to create successful international, interdisciplinary educational partnerships.

Integrating environmental conservation and economics

John Dewey argued that the field of philosophy is useful only if it can solve the central, strategic problems of the day. Taking Deweys remarks to heart, I show that philosophy is indeed useful for connecting environmental and economic concerns in order to promote global, sustainable development. In this paper I use ordinary language philosophy and pragmatism to explore the varieties of integration patterns. I challenge environmental researchers to examine their integration patterns in order to better understand their own views and abilities to work with others to promote sustainable development on a global scale.