In empirical marketing studies, vignettes are increasingly used to develop measurement scales, assess public/organizational policy, and study key variables in judging the decisions or actions of a protagonist. Despite their frequent use, integrated recommendations for creating vignettes are limited. A brief introduction to vignette methods and their previous applications in marketing is provided. This is followed by suggestions for designing vignettes and vignette-based studies based on a review of the literature. The suggestions form a checklist that should help researchers who conduct vignette-based studies to consider all relevant issues and thus obtain valid data.
AlexanderC.S.BeckerH.J.The Use of Vignettes in Survey ResearchPublic Opinion Quarterly421197893–104
2.
BarnettT.BassK.BrownG.Ethical Ideology and Ethical Judgment Regarding Ethical Issues in BusinessJournal of Business Ethics1361994469–480
3.
BatemanC.R.FraedrichJ.P.IyerR.Framing Effects Within the Ethical Decision Making Process of ConsumersJournal of Business Ethics361/22001119–140
4.
BurstinK.D.DoughtieE.B.RaphaeliA.Contrastive Vignette Technique: An Indirect Methodology Designed to Address Reactive Social Attitude MeasurementJournal of Applied Social Psychology1021980147–165
5.
CavanaghG.F.FritzscheD.J.Using Vignettes in Business Ethics ResearchPrestonL.E.Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy Volume 71985JAI Press, Inc.Greenwich, CT279–293
6.
ChonkoL.B.TannerJ.F.JrWeeksW.A.Ethics in Salesperson Decision Making: A Synthesis of Research Approaches and an Extension of the Scenario MethodJournal of Personal Selling and Sales Management161199635–52
7.
ChoongP.HoS.McDonaldR.A.An Examination of the Effects of Social Desirability Bias on Business Ethics: Research ResultsInternational Journal of Management19120023–9
8.
DabholkarP.A.KellarisJ.J.Toward Understanding Marketing Students’ Ethical Judgment of Controversial Personal Selling PracticesJournal of Business Research2441992313–329
9.
DeConinckJ.StephensR.FosterR.Variables that Influence Intentions to Discipline and Reward Ethical and Unethical Sales Force BehaviorAmerican Business Review131199599–105
10.
DubinskyA.J.JolsonM.A.KotobeM.LimC.U.A Cross-National Investigation of Industrial Salespeople's Ethical PerceptionsJournal of International Business Studies2241991651–670
11.
DubinskyA.J.LokenB.Analyzing Ethical Decision Making in MarketingJournal of Business Research192198983–107
12.
FernandesM.F.RandallD.M.The Nature of Social Desirability Response Effects in Ethics ResearchBusiness Ethics Quarterly221992183–205
13.
FinchJ.The Vignette Study in Survey ResearchSociology2111987105–114
14.
FredricksonJ.W.An Exploratory Approach to Measuring Perceptions of Strategic Decision Process ConstructsStrategic Management Journal751986473–483
15.
FritzscheD.J.An Examination of Marketing Ethics: Role of the Decision Maker, Consequences of the Decision, Management Position, and Sex of the RespondentJournal of Macromarketing82198829–39
16.
HaleyD.ASales Management Students vs. Business Practitioners: Ethical Dilemmas and Perceptual DifferencesJournal of Personal Selling & Sales Management112199159–63
17.
HartleyR.Marketing Mistakes1992John Wiley & SonNew York, NY
18.
HavlenaW.J.HolbrookM.C.The Varieties of Consumption Experience: Comparing Two Typologies of Emotion in Consumer BehaviorJournal of Consumer Research1331986394–404
19.
HoxJ.J.KreftI.G.G.HermkensP.L.J.The Analysis of Factorial SurveysSociological Methods & Research1941991493–510
20.
HuntS.D.Vasquez-ParragaA.Z.Organizational Consequences, Marketing Ethics, and Salesforce SupervisionJournal of Marketing Research301199378–90
21.
HuntS.DVitellS.J.A General Theory of Marketing EthicsJournal of Macromarketing6119865–16
22.
HymanM. R., 2003. Revising the Structural Framework for Marketing Management. Journal of Business Research (forthcoming).
23.
HymanM.R.A Critique and Revision of the Multidimensional Ethics ScaleJournal of Empirical Generalisations in Marketing Science119961–35
24.
HymanM.R.SteinerS.D.The Vignette Method in Business Research: Current Uses, Limitations and RecommendationsStuartE.W.OrtinauD.J.MooreE.M.Marketing: Moving Toward the 21st Century. Winthrop University School of Business Administration1996Rock HillSC261–265
25.
JonesT.M.Ethical Decision Making by Individuals in Organizations: An Issue-Contingent ModelAcademy of Management Review1621991366–395
26.
KennedyE.J.LawtonL.The Effects of Social and Moral Integration on Ethical Standards: A Comparison of American and Ukranian StudentsJournal of Business Ethics1581996901–911
27.
KiseliusJ.SternthalB.Detecting and Explaining Vividness Effects in Attitudinal JudgementsJournal of Marketing Research211198454–64
28.
KoslowS.Can the Truth Hurt? How Honest and Persuasive Advertising Can Unintentionally Lead to Increased Consumer SkepticismThe Journal of Consumer Affairs3422000245–268
29.
KuoF.HsuM.Development and Validation of Ethical Computer Self-efficacy Measure: The Case of SoftliftingJournal of Business Ethics3242001299–315
30.
LaneJ.C.Ethics of Business Students: Some Marketing PerspectivesJournal of Business Ethics1471995571–580
31.
LevyM.DubinskyA.J.Identifying and Addressing Retail Salespeople's Ethical Problems: A Method and ApplicationJournal of Retailing591198346–66
32.
LysonskiS.GaidisW.A Cross-cultural Comparison of the Ethics of Business StudentsJournal of Business Ethics1021991141–150
33.
MalhotraN.K.Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation3rd edition1999Prentice HallEnglewood Clffs, NJ
34.
MarquisM.FiliatraultP.Understanding Complaining Responses Through Consumer's Selfconsciousness DispositionPsychology & Marketing1932002267–292
35.
MasonE.S.MudrackP.E.Gender and Ethical Orientation: A Test of Gender and Occupational Socialization TheoriesJournal of Business Ethics1561996599–604
36.
NorrisD.G.GiffordJ.B.Retail Store Managers’ and Students’ Perceptions of Ethical Retail Practices: A Comparative and Longitudinal Analysis (1976-1986)Journal of Business Ethics771988515–524
37.
PironR.FernandezL.Are Fairness Constraints on Profit-seeking Important?Journal of Economic Psychology161199573–96
38.
PolonskyM.J.CameronH.HalsteadS.RatcliffeA.StiloP.WattG.Exploring Companion Selling: Does the Situation Affect Customers’ Perceptions?International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management281200037–45
39.
PorterD.M.JrGender Differences in Managers’ Conceptions and Perceptions of Commitment to the OrganizationSex Roles455/62001375–398
40.
RandallD.M.FernandesM.F.The Social Desirability Bias in Ethics ResearchJournal of Business Ethics10111991805–817
41.
RandallD.M.GibsonA.M.Methodology in Business Ethics Research: A Review and Critical AssessmentJournal of Business Ethics961990457–471
42.
ReidenbachR.E.RobinD.P.DawsonL.An Application and Extension of a Multidimensional Ethics Scale to Selected Marketing Practices and Marketing GroupsJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science192199183–92
43.
RobertsonD.C.Empiricism in Business Ethics: Suggested Research DirectionsJournal of Business Ethics1281993585–599
44.
RossL.The Intuitive Scientist and his Shortcomings: Distortions in the Attribution ProcessBerkowitzL.Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Volume 101977Academic PressNew York, NY173–220
45.
RossiP.H.AndersonA.B.The Factorial Survey Approach: An IntroductionRossiP.H.NockS.L.Measuring Social Judgments: The Factorial Survey Approach1982Sage PublicationsBeverly Hills, CA15–67
46.
RyynänenO.MyllykangasM.VaskilampiT.TakalaJ.Random Paired Scenarios – A Method for Investigating Attitudes to Prioritisation in MedicineJournal of Medical Ethics2241996238–242
47.
SchneiderK.C.HolmC.K.Deceptive Practices in Marketing Research: The Consumer's ViewpointCalifornia Management Review243198289–96
48.
SchoemakerP.J.H.Multiple Scenario Development: Its Conceptual and Behavioral FoundationStrategic Management Journal1431993193–213
49.
SherryJ.F.JrDealers and Dealing in a Periodic Market: Informal Retailing in Ethnographic PerspectiveJournal of Retailing6621990174–200
50.
SkipperR.HymanM.R.On Measuring Ethical JudgmentsJournal of Business Ethics1271993535–545
51.
StevensonT.H.BodkinC.D.A Cross-national Comparison of University Students’ Perceptions Regarding the Ethics and Acceptability of Sales PracticesJournal of Business Ethics171199845–55
52.
SwansonS.R.KelleyS.W.Attributions and Outcomes of the Service Recovery ProcessJournal of Marketing Theory and Practice94200150–65
53.
ThalerR.H.Mental Accounting and Consumer ChoiceMarketing Science431985199–214
54.
TsalikisJ.LaTourM.S.Bribery and Extortion in International Business: Ethical Perceptions of Greeks Compared to AmericansJournal of Business Ethics1441995249–264
55.
TsalikisJ.SeatonB.ShepherdP.L.Relativism in Ethical Research: A Proposed Model and Mode of InquiryJournal of Business Ethics3232001231–246
56.
TsalikisJ.SeatonB.TomarasP.A New Perspective on Cross-cultural Ethical Evaluations: The Use of Conjoint AnalysisJournal of Business Ethics3542002281–292
57.
WasonK.D.CoxK.C.Scenario Utilization in Marketing ResearchStruttonD.PeltonL.E.ShippS.Advances in Marketing1996Southwestern Marketing AssociationTexas155–162
58.
WeberJ.Scenarios in Business Ethics Research: Review, Critical Assessment and RecommendationsBusiness Ethics Quarterly221992137–160
59.
BellizziJ.A.Committing and Supervising Unethical Sales Force Behavior: The Effects of Victim Gender, Victim Status, and Sales Force Motivational TechniquesJournal of Personal Selling & Sales Management15219951–15
60.
BellizziJ.AHastyR.W.Territory Assignment Decisions and Supervising Unethical Selling Behavior: The Effects of Obesity and Gender as Moderated by Job-related FactorsJournal of Personal Selling & Sales Management182199835–49
61.
BellizziJ.A.HiteR.E.Supervising Unethical Salesforce BehaviorJournal of Marketing532198946–47
62.
BellizziJ.A.NorvellD.W.Personal Characteristics and Salesperson's Justifications as Moderators of Supervisory Discipline in Cases Involving Unethical Salesforce BehaviorJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science191199111–16
63.
BoyleB.A.The Impact of Customer Characteristics on Ethical Judgments of SalespeopleJournal of Business Ethics2332000249–267
64.
BoyleB.A.DahlstromR.F.KellarisJ.J.Points of Reference and Individual Differences as Sources of Bias in Ethical JudgmentsJournal of Business Ethics1751998517–525
65.
DeConinckJ.B.How Sales Managers Control Unethical Sales Force BehaviorJournal of Business Ethics11111992789–798
66.
DeConinckJ.B.ThistlethwaiteP.C.Sales Managers’ Perceptions of the Appropriate Response to Unethical Sales Force BehaviorJournal of Applied Business Research811995118–123
67.
LaczniakG.R.InderriedenE.J.The Influence of Stated Organizational Concern Upon Ethical Decision MakingJournal of Business Ethics641987297–307
68.
LaczniakG.R.LuschR.F.StrangW.A.Ethical Marketing: Perceptions of Economic Goods and Social ProblemsJournal of Macromarketing11198149–57
69.
MaherK.J.BaileyJ.J.The Effects of Transgressor Sex on Judgments of Unethical BehaviorJournal of Business Ethics1821999157–171
70.
MengüçB.Organizational Consequences, Marketing Ethics and Salesforce Supervision: Further Empirical EvidenceJournal of Business Ethics1741998333–352
71.
PittsR.E.WongJ.K.WhalenD.J.Consumers’ Evaluative Structures in Two Ethical Situations: A Means-end ApproachJournal of Business Research2221991119–130
72.
TsalikisJ.NwachukwuO.A Comparison of Nigerian to American Views of Bribery and Extortion in International CommerceJournal of Business Ethics102199185–98
73.
TurnerG.B.TaylorG.S.HarleyM.F.Ethics, Gratuities, and Professionalization of the Purchasing FunctionJournal of Business Ethics1491995751–760
74.
Vásquez-PárragaA.ZKaraA.Ethical Decision Making in Turkish Sales ManagementJournal of Euromarketing42199561–86
75.
WhalenJ.PittsR.E.WongJ.K.Exploring the Structure of Ethical Attributions as a Component of the Consumer Decision Model: The Vicarious versus Personal PerspectiveJournal of Business Ethics1041991285–293
