The complex relationship between creativity and consumer ethics depending on endemic corruption in emerging and developed countries |
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Authors: | Zhen Li Elodie Gentina Virginie Maille |
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Affiliation: | 1. College of Business, Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas, USA;2. IESEG School of Management, Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 9221 - LEM - Lille Economie Management, Lille, France;3. Marketing Department, KEDGE Business School, Marseille, France |
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Abstract: | Creativity and ethics are two topics that are extremely important to business managers and researchers. However, only limited research has examined their relationship and has shown contradictory results: the effect of creativity on unethical behavior proves to be sometimes positive, sometimes negative. In this vein, building on social cognitive theory, we examine whether this relationship depends on a macroeconomic factor – endemic corruption – as a boundary condition. We further consider the mechanism through which creativity can lead to unethical behavior and focus on the role of subjective well-being. We collect data from 1463 individuals in two high-corruption and emerging countries, Brazil and China, and two low-corruption and developed countries, France and the United States. Based on a multi-level (or hierarchical) analysis, our results show that, in high-corruption countries, creativity is negatively related to unethical behaviors. Conversely, in low-corruption countries, the relationship is positive and mediated by subjective well-being. |
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