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This volume concentrates on different forms of honesty and dishonesty in management and their consequences for managers, firms and society. These issues are related to values and behavior patterns and thus, the basis of contemporary business. Honesty can be defined as the refusal to pretend that facts of reality are other than what they are while dishonesty including lying, stealing, cheating, distortion, concealing of important information, failing to fulfill promises, and abruptly abandoning a business relationship presents its opposite. Based on chapters about China, Japan, USA, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Iceland and Estonia, the authors conclude that the understanding of (dis)honesty and (un)ethical behavior differs in different cultural, societal and organizational contexts. This volume also demonstrates that the fear of dishonesty may change a firms local and international behavior, but also managers attitude toward employees. For example, some firms avoid deeper relationship-oriented partnerships as they wish to control internal activities, avoid possible disinformation and prevent dishonesty/opportunism costs. As a result of distrust, they may also protect their firm-specific knowledge more, and this may result in a lower level of knowledge acquisition and reduce partnership satisfaction. Moreover, distrust may lead to more complex and costly contract negotiations and governance structures; complicate further business and lead to relationship termination or governance redesign. Still, sometimes dishonesty may pay off in the short term.

Sample surveys report that admitted tax evasion remains widespread and shows no sign of declining. An analysis of communication effects among Oregon adults suggests divergent, not convergent patterns among the users of mass media and personal information channels. Mass media exposure is strongly related to fear of getting caught and is directly related to taxpayer honesty. Personal discussion, however, is associated with low fear perceptions and is unrelated to compliance. Low fears are related to taxpayer dishonesty. No relationship is reported between mass media use and interpersonal discussion. Personal discussion does not appear to reinforce media messages as one would expect in a convergent communication model. Communication strategies for fostering compliance are discussed.

AbstractThe impact of deterrence institutions beyond their immediate scope of application is unknown. Using a quasi-experiment with naturally occurring variation in inspections, we found evidence of spillover effects across contexts. We identified fraudsters and non-fraudsters on public transport who were or not exposed to ticket inspections. We measured the intrinsic honesty of the same persons in a new context where they could misappropriate money. Instead of having an educative effect across contexts, the exposure to deterrence practices increased unethical behaviour of fraudsters but also, strikingly, of non-fraudsters. Learning about the prevailing norm is the likely channel of this spillover effect.

Extending the die rolling experiment of Fischbacher and Föllmi-Heusi (2013), we compare gender effects with respect to unethical behavior by individuals and by two-person groups. In contrast to individual decisions, gender matters strongly under group decisions. We find more lying in male groups and mixed groups than in female groups.

Fuller describes the place of intellectuals in the modern world—as researchers, teachers, academics, and citizens. Their job is that of developing and promoting ideas. He explains their failure to perform well and offers advice: say what you think you should say, not necessarily what you think. The advice is unsuitable; it is aimed at advisers and expert witnesses, not at intellectuals. Also, his analysis invites proposals for social reforms aimed at lowering traditional expectations of intellectuals and toward presenting them with clearer and fairer job descriptions instead.

Originality, eccentricity, flaws and perfections and the limits of moneys and machines are subjects of one of the last contributions to thought of the late famed mathematician who sired cybernetics and other good ideas too numerous to mention. These are a set of remarks delivered to the members of B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation last year at M.I.T. and recorded on tape by Rabbi Herman Pollack. ABS owes thanks to M.I.T.'s Technology Review for the privilege of publishing Dr. Wiener's remarks.