Gender vis-à-vis perceptions of Fundamental Moral Orientations and outcome preferences

Abstract

This paper explores the connection between three perceived Fundamental Moral Orientations (FMOs) and three perceived outcome preferences for men and women working in the Turkish hotel industry. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the relationships between the perceived FMOs of selfishness, self-fullness, and selflessness, and the perceived outcome preferences of serving personal, customer, and organizational interests. Additionally, the study examines whether gender influences either the perceived outcome preferences of hotel personnel or the FMO/outcome relationships. Based on data from 682 surveys, the FMO/outcome relationships and gender differences in those relationships are tested with correlation analysis; also gender effects and gender differences in the outcome orientations are explored with the single sample t-test and one-way MANOVA, respectively. Some gender effects and/or gender differences exist in each set of results. The mutual theoretical implications of the FMO/outcome relationship results and the outcome preference results are discussed, as are potential managerial implications for the Turkish hotel industry.

Keywords:

• gender effect
• gender bias
• gender difference
• Fundamental Moral Orientations
• outcome preferences

Acknowledgements

A much earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2008 Oxford Business & Economics Conference and appeared in the 2008 Oxford Business & Economics Conference Proceedings.