Gender and Cultural Differences in Consumer Ethics in a Consumer-Retailer Interaction Context

Despite the recent growth in researching consumer ethics in marketing, investigating gender differences in cross-cultural settings in a relational context has not been researched. This research attempts to fill this void. Different degrees of retailer-customer relationships were simulated through four carefully constructed scenarios. Empirical data were gathered in two contrasting cultures. Significant gender and cross-cultural differences with regard to customer propensities to engage in ethical (unethical) behavior and its antecedents are found. Implications for domestic and international retailers are discussed. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.