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Codes of ethics in Czech companies: prevalence and differences in creation, evaluation and amendment

Author

Listed:
  • Zdeněk Caha

    (Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Czech Republic)

  • Jan Urban

    (Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Czech Republic)

  • Tomáš Mrhálek

    (Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Over the long-term, companies, their managements and even employees have been facing increasing external demands from customers, business partners, as well as wider society, to behave ethically. At the same time, similar demands and requirements have been coming from within companies themselves in relation to performance management and employee motivation. These demands are placing greater emphasis on the need for ethical management and a code of ethics as the primary tool for promoting and enforcing the ethical conduct of an organisation, its management and employees. This paper focuses on the prevalence and role of codes of ethics in Czech companies, their goals and contents, the principles behind their creation and enforcement, as well as the main prerequisites for their efficacy. It is based on an extensive longitudinal analysis of a broad sample of 1,242 Czech companies of various sizes, the main aim of which was to determine the aforementioned and, in addition, whether those companies that have created codes of ethics, strengthen the consistency of their use by regularly evaluating and updating their contents.

Suggested Citation

  • Zdeněk Caha & Jan Urban & Tomáš Mrhálek, 2022. "Codes of ethics in Czech companies: prevalence and differences in creation, evaluation and amendment," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 10(2), pages 362-374, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssi:jouesi:v:10:y:2022:i:2:p:362-374
    DOI: 10.9770/jesi.2022.10.2(22)
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xiaomin Yu, 2008. "Impacts of Corporate Code of Conduct on Labor Standards: A Case Study of Reebok’s Athletic Footwear Supplier Factory in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(3), pages 513-529, September.
    2. Simona Činčalová & Andrej Kiner & Vijesh Chaudhary & Qasim Raza Syed, 2021. "Doing Business In Central Europe: The Slovak Republic And The Czech Republic Comparison," Pressburg Economic Review, Pressburg Economic Centre, London, UK, vol. 1(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Patrick Erwin, 2011. "Corporate Codes of Conduct: The Effects of Code Content and Quality on Ethical Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 99(4), pages 535-548, April.
    4. Ronald Hill & Justine Rapp, 2014. "Codes of Ethical Conduct: A Bottom-Up Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(4), pages 621-630, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    code of ethics; prevalence; creation; evaluation; CSR;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L80 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - General

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