This questionnaire replicates a survey that was carried out by Simon Webley on the attitudes of British Businessmen.

SECTION 1 GENERAL QUESTIONS

	Agree	Disagree	No Opinion
Q1 For company executives to act in the interests of shareholders alone, and not also in the interests of employees and consumers, is unjust
Q2 Many executives find themselves forced to resort to practices which they acknowledge are shady, but which appear necessary to survive
Q3 Business exists to make a profit. It is society's task to protect those who are adversely affected in the process
Q4 The businessman/woman exists for the purpose of making a profit and any action taken which is within the law is acceptable regardless of the wider consequences
Q5 Standards of integrity in business are declining

SECTION 2 SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Q1 Confidential Information Imagine that you are a member of the board of directors of a large public company. At a board meeting you learn of plans for an impending merger of your company with a smaller public company which has had an unprofitable year, and whose shares are currently selling at a price so low that you are certain that it will rise when any news of the merger becomes public knowledge. What would you (First Person) or the average managing director (Third Person) do?

	First Person	Third Person
1. I (they) would buy some shares
2. I (they) would tell my (their) broker about the forthcoming merger
3. I (they) would tell a good friend about the merger
4. I (they) would do none of the above
5. Don't know

Q2 Attracting Competitors' Staff Imagine that you are the managing director of a company and you learn that a competitor has made an important technical breakthrough which will give them an immediate advantage that will probably substantially reduce the profits of your company (for about a year). The opportunity arises of employing one of the competitor's employees who knows the details of the discovery. Would you (First Person) or the average managing director (Third Person) offer her a job mainly in order to learn more about it?

	First Person	Third Person
1. I (they) probably would
2. I (they) probably would not
3. Don't know

Q3 Product Performance A motor car manufacturing company is faced with a declining share of the market for its existing range of models. An entirely new model, however, in the growing semi-performance sector of the market has just been developed to gain an essential broadening of the company's coverage of the car market. Final tests of the pre-production model show that while actual top speed and acceleration are significantly below that of rival models, the speedometer fitted registers a higher indicated top speed, putting it in a competitive position. To improve the car's actual performance would not be feasible in the time available before the scheduled launch date which it is essential to maintain because of marketing and contract commitments. If you (First Person) were managing director of the company would you: Do you think the average managing director (Third Person) would:

	First Person	Third Person
1. Authorise quantity production of the car, and, in presenting it to the public, advertise its high performance
2. Authorise quantity production of the car, but, in presenting it to the public, not emphasise its performance
3. Order a more accurate speedometer be fitted to the car before quantity production begins, and publish only real performance data
4. Delay quantity production until the car's real performance has been further improved by specification development
5. Don't know

Q4 Tax Avoidance An executive earning £150,000 per year has been 'padding' his legitimate expense account of £10,000 per year by about £5,000 per year. Please indicate which of the following statements: Is nearest to your attitude (First Person) Best typifies the attitude of most business executives (Third Person)

	First Person	Third Person
1. Acceptable if it is company practice
2. Acceptable if the executive's superior knows about it and allows it
3. Acceptable if the executive thinks their salary is too low compared with colleagues
4. Unacceptable regardless of the circumstances
5. Don't know

Q5 Exploitation of human weakness Imagine you have been recently appointed the marketing director of a company which has for a number of years successfully marketed a consumer product, using an advertising campaign that emphasises what it does and its competitive price. You learn, however, that in a test area, where an alternative campaign focuses on the idea that people who use the product will appear socially superior, sales and profits have shown significant increases. Your marketing department recommends that the alternative campaign should be adopted nationally. Which course of action would you choose (First Person)/ Which course of action do you think most marketing directors would choose (Third Person)?

	First Person	Third Person
1. I (they) would probably retain the existing campaign
2. I (they) would probably adopt the alternative campaign
3. I (they) would probably ask the marketing department to develop a new campaign
4. Don't know

Q6 Redundancy The head of a department in a medium size public company with a good profit record, is aged 55 and has worked in the company for 20 years. He is married with two children at university. His life is his work. He is, however, becoming less effective, and he has lost the ability to inspire the people he has working for him. Several of the brightest young people in his department have left as a result of the situation. If you were managing director of the company would you (First Person): Do you think the average managing director would (Third Person):

	First Person	Third Person
1. Declare him redundant with compensation?
2. Retire him prematurely on part pension?
3. Retire him prematurely on full pension?
4. Transfer him to an advisory post?
5. Take corrective action and leave him in his job?
6. Transfer to new executive position on same pay (until age 60)?
7. Do nothing or take some other course of action?

SECTION 3 INFLUENCES

Q1 From your experiences of business, how would you rank (1-6) each of the factors listed below according to the extent it influences you (First Person) or your colleagues (Third Person) in making decisions when matters of principle are involved?

	First Person Rank	Third Person Rank
1. Formal company policy
2. Your own personal code of behaviour
3. The behaviour of your peers in the company
4. The reputation of your company
5. The behaviour of your superiors in the company
6. Other answers (please specify)

Q2 Place in rank order (1-10) the following characteristics of your company which you would emphasise in order to attract staff.

	Rank
1. The company's past financial record
2. The quality and reputation of its products and services
3. The ethical reputation of the company
4. The prospects for pay and promotion
5. The company's contribution to the nation's prosperity
6. Security of employment
7. Congenial working surroundings
8. The prospect of interesting and creative work
9. The full use of intellectual capabilities
10. Other answers (please specify)

Q3 How would you rank (1-9) each of the following according to its importance in helping to advance the ethical standards of a company?

	Rank
1. Higher ethical standards in society generally
2. A professional code of ethics of management practice
3. The inclusion of ethics as a subject in management training
4. A reduction in competitive pressures
5. Appointment to the Board of a non-executive director with a high public reputation
6. A social audit of the company
7. Worker participation in management
8. An ethics officer
9. Any other (please specify)