Educating for Ethical Action: MBA Student Perceptions of Peer Needs and Acceptance

Abstract

This study explores MBA student experiences of ethical dilemmas in business and their per- ception of ethics education and of training needs in MBA programs. Changes in the business world –globalization, increasing diversity of the workforce, and the predominance of group decision pro- cesses – impact the type of dilemmas MBA students experience and the nature of ethical decision making, enlarging it from the individual to the group. How MBA programs can respond to these changing training needs was addressed through focus groups with full-time MBA students in a large, U.S. public university. Results show that MBA students perceive that a broad array of eth- ical skills are needed for the business world and should be taught in MBA programs. A heuristic model for future program development and research is introduced.