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Personal strain and ethical standards of the self-employed

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  • De Clercq, Dirk
  • Dakhli, Mourad

Abstract

Using strain theory to examine the relationship between sources of personal strain and ethical standards, we study how variations in the self-employed's household income, educational level, associational membership, and trust in institutions link to the extent to which they maintain high ethical standards. We test our hypotheses using data from 3716 self-employed persons across 39 countries. The self-employed's ethical standards relate positively to their household income and trust in institutions but negatively to their educational level and associational membership. A supplementary exploratory analysis provides further insights into how broader cultural and institutional contexts in which the self-employed are embedded might influence the relationship between sources of personal strain and ethical standards.

Suggested Citation

  • De Clercq, Dirk & Dakhli, Mourad, 2009. "Personal strain and ethical standards of the self-employed," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 477-490, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:24:y:2009:i:5:p:477-490
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bruno S. Frey, 2010. "Withering Academia?," CESifo Working Paper Series 3209, CESifo.
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    5. Harris, Jared D. & Sapienza, Harry J. & Bowie, Norman E., 2009. "Ethics and entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 407-418, September.
    6. Muethel, Miriam & Hoegl, Martin, 2013. "Shared leadership effectiveness in independent professional teams," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 423-432.
    7. Ali E. Ahmed & Deniz Ucbasaran & Gabriella Cacciotti & Trenton A. Williams, 2022. "Integrating Psychological Resilience, Stress, and Coping in Entrepreneurship: A Critical Review and Research Agenda," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(3), pages 497-538, May.
    8. Yi-Ying Chang & Yung-Ming Lin & Tai-Wei Chang & Che-Yuan Chang, 2024. "Sustainable corporate entrepreneurship performance and social capital: a multi-level analysis," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(8), pages 2373-2395, August.
    9. David B. Audretsch & Seham Ghalwash & Iñaki Peña-Legazkue, 2024. "The resilient self-employability of women and senior people after sudden economic shocks," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 1649-1675, September.
    10. Harvey S. James Jr., 2015. "Generalized Morality, Institutions and Economic Growth, and the Intermediating Role of Generalized Trust," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(2), pages 165-196, May.
    11. Muafi, 2015. "ANTECEDENT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR: SMEs CASES," Polish Journal of Management Studies, Czestochowa Technical University, Department of Management, vol. 12(2), pages 114-121, December.
    12. Harvey, James S., Jr., 2009. "Is the Just Man a Happy Man? An Empirical Study of the Relationship Between Ethics and Subjective Well-Being," Working Papers 92617, University of Missouri Columbia, Department of Agricultural Economics.

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