The Use and Effectiveness of Codes of Ethics – A Literature Review
The Use and Effectiveness of Codes of Ethics – A Literature Review

Summary/Abstract: Several strands of literature attempt to address ethical behaviour and standards in relation to the use of codes of ethics. This paper discusses relevant literature and studies on codes of ethics, providing an overview of various definitions of the concept and a literature analysis on codes of ethics‘ use in organisations in general and in marketing research companies in particular. A first strand of research that examines the use of codes of ethics is identified. A second strand of research that is identified and discussed in this paper attempts to measure the effectiveness of codes of ethics. The literature suggests that the lack of use and enforcement of codes of ethics in the marketing research industry is perceived to lead to unethical behaviour. There is however little agreement in the literature on the extent of usefulness of codes and the influence they have on behaviour.

• Details
• Contents