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Gender differences and behavioral integrity: From a social contract perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2013

Heh Jason Huang  and
Yishuo Hung
Heh Jason Huang
Affiliation:
College of Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Yishuo Hung*
Affiliation:
Marketing and Logistics Management Department, Hsiung-Kuo University of Management, Tainan, Taiwan
*
Corresponding author: yishuo@ms4.hinet.net
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Abstract

Behavioral integrity refers to the consistency of an individual's words and actions. This consistency facilitates trust. Nevertheless, an individual's behavioral integrity often changes, to various extents, with one's surroundings. This study employs social contracts and scenarios to examine the underlying behavioral assumptions made by a specific gender within definite contexts in Taiwan. This study demonstrates that gender differences exist in behavioral integrity with contextual variations. Males under conformity pressures in public possess higher behavioral integrity, but exhibit lower behavioral integrity in private under pressure to protect themselves. This knowledge helps improve understanding within organizations as well as workplace communication between genders.

Keywords

behavioral integritysocial contractcontextsgender differencesscenariobusiness ethics
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 86 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2013 

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