The present research explores the moral reasoning framework (MRF) that underpins business and marketing decisions, mainly focusing on the ethical challenges posed by aggressive sales tactics. Considering the critical judgement between sales pressure and ethical selling, this study answers the dilemma of marketing professionals by introducing an MRF. The study followed an integrative synthesis approach by utilizing conceptual review to draw the findings. The suggested MRF consists of four phases, all intertwined with each other, with aspects such as identifying problems associated with the crisis, performing context and fact analysis, selecting the optimum choice and implementing the ethical decision. The study highlights the importance of moral reasoning in helping sales professionals to navigate their ethical dilemmas, devising strategies to align with business objectives with ethical principles. By integrating insights from recent research, this article contributes to a deeper understanding of how businesses can promote ethical selling in a competitive environment that increasingly values transparency and integrity. The study ultimately provides valuable guidance for companies seeking to balance the demands of sales performance with the need to uphold ethical standards, offering practical recommendations for fostering a more ethical approach to sales and marketing.
Al-DabbaghZ. S. (2020). The role of decision-maker in crisis management: A qualitative study using grounded theory (COVID-19 pandemic crisis as a model). Journal of Public Affairs, 20(3), e2186. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2186
2.
AlpaslanC. M., GreenS. E., & MitroffI. I. (2009). Corporate governance in the context of crises: Towards a stakeholder theory of crisis management. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 17(1), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5973.2009.00555.x
3.
AlpaslanC. M., & MitroffI. I. (2021). Exploring the moral foundations of crisis management. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 167(1), 120713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120713
4.
AmesH., GlentonC., & LewinS. (2019). Purposive sampling in a qualitative evidence synthesis: A worked example from a synthesis on parental perceptions of vaccination communication. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-019-0665-4
5.
AydinN. (2011). The 2008 financial crisis: A moral crisis of capitalism. African Journal of Business Management, 5(22), 8697–8706. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM11.067
6.
BelásJ. (2013). The impact of the financial crisis on business ethics in the banking sector: A case study from Slovakia. Review of Economic Perspectives, 13(3), 111–131. https://doi.org/10.2478/revecp-2013-0004
7.
BirdF. B., & WatersJ. A. (1989). The moral muteness of managers. California Management Review, 32(1), 73–88.
8.
BrownM. E., & TreviñoL. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), 595–616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2006.10.004
9.
CampbellA. M. (2020). An increasing risk of family violence during the Covid-19 pandemic: Strengthening community collaborations to save lives. Forensic Science International: Reports, 100089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100089
10.
CapraraG. V., TisakM. S., AlessandriG., FontaineR. G., FidaR., & PacielloM. (2014). The contribution of moral disengagement in mediating individual tendencies toward aggression and violence. Developmental Psychology, 50, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034488
11.
ChristensenS. L., & KohlsJ. (2003). Ethical decision-making in times of organisational crisis. Business & Society, 42(3), 328–358. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650303255855
12.
CohenJ. (2001). Appreciating, understanding, and applying universal moral principles. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(7), 578–595. https://doi.org/10.1108/eum0000000006255
13.
CortezR. M., & JohnstonW. J. (2020). The coronavirus crisis in B2B settings: Crisis uniqueness and managerial implications based on social exchange theory. Industrial Marketing Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.004
14.
DekaD., & AnupamaS. (2024). Exploring gendered ethical decision-making among sales professionals in India. GLIMS Journal of Management Review and Transformation. https://doi.org/10.1177/jmrt.241283194
15.
DonthuN., & GustafssonA. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on business and research. Journal of Business Research, 117, 284–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.008
16.
DruckerP. F. (1954). The practice of management. Harper & Row.
17.
FerrellO. C., & FerrellL. (2024). Trailblazing the path for marketing ethics: The profound influence of Shelby Hunt. Journal of Marketing Management, 40(13–14), 1174–1192. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2023.2295273
18.
FerrellO. C., FraedrichJ., & FerrellL. (2021). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.
19.
FowersB. J., & RichardsonF. C. (1996). Why is multiculturalism good?American Psychologist, 51(6), 609–621. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.51.6.609
20.
FraedrichJ., & FerrellO. C. (2008). The impact of moral philosophies and ethical orientations on the ethical decision-making process of sales professionals. Journal of Business Ethics, 77(3), 317–333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9351-z
21.
FunkS., GiladE., WatkinsC., & JansenV. A. (2009). The spread of awareness and its impact on epidemic outbreaks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(16), 6872–6877.
22.
GrantM., & BoothA. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.xPMID:19490148
23.
HartmanL. P., DesJardinsJ. R., & MacDonaldC. (2017). Business ethics: Decision making for personal integrity & social responsibility (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
24.
HeH., & HarrisL. (2020). The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on corporate social responsibility and marketing philosophy. Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.030
25.
HickJ. (1992). The universality of the Golden Rule. In RunzoJ. (Ed.), Ethics, religion, and the good society: New directions in a pluralistic world (pp. 155–166). Westminster John Knox Press.
26.
HoskissonR. E., EdenL., LauC. M., & WrightM. (2000). Strategy in emerging economies. Academy of Management Journal, 43(3), 249–267.
JasinskaA. (2024). Bring back philosophy: The roots of both business and ethics. Journal of Human Values, 30(1), 26–31.
29.
JonesT. M., FelpsW., & BigleyG. A. (2007). Ethical theory and stakeholder-related decisions: The role of stakeholder culture. Academy of Management Review, 32(1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2007.23463805
30.
KamilaM. K., & JasrotiaS. S. (2023). Ethics and marketing responsibility: A bibliometric analysis and literature review. Asia Pacific Management Review, 28(4), 567–583.
31.
KapteinM. (2008). Developing a measure of unethical behavior in the workplace: A stakeholder perspective. Journal of Management, 34(5), 978–1008.
32.
KinnierR. T., KernesJ. L., & DautheribesT. M. (2000). A short list of universal moral values. Counselling and Values, 45(1), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007x.2000.tb00178.x
33.
KohlbergL. (1981). The philosophy of moral development: Moral stages and the idea of justice. Harper & Row.
34.
KriegerD. J. (1991). The new universalism. Orbis Books.
35.
LaczniakG. R., & MurphyP. E. (1991). Fostering ethical marketing decisions. Journal of Business Ethics, 10(4), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382965
36.
MayerD. M., KuenziM., GreenbaumR., BardesM., & SalvadorR. B. (2009). How low does ethical leadership flow? Test of a trickle-down model. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 108(1), 1–13.
37.
McMurrianR. C., & MatulichE. (2016). Building customer value and profitability with business ethics. Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER), 14(3), 83–90. https://doi.org/10.19030/jber.v14i3.9752
38.
MitroffI. I., PearsonC. M., & HarringtonL. K. (1996). The essential guide to managing corporate crises. Oxford University Press.
39.
MohapatraB. (2023). Honey adulteration and corporate irresponsibility in India: Visualizing corporate Sustainability. FIIB Business Review, 14(1), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/23197145231158448
40.
MurphyP. E., & LaczniakG. R. (1981). Marketing ethics: A review with implications for managers, educators and researchers. In EnisB. M. & RoeringK. J. (Eds.), Review of marketing (pp. 251–266). American Marketing Association.
41.
PattersonC. H. (1996). Some thoughts on reaching the end of a career. The Counseling Psychologist, 24(2), 336–347.
42.
PedersenC. L., RitterT., and BenedettoA. D. (2020). Managing through a crisis: Managerial implications for business-to-business firms. Industrial Marketing Management, 88, 314–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.034
43.
PembiS., & AliB. K. (2024). Ethical business decision-making in organizations: A theoretical perspectives. Advanced Qualitative Research, 2(1), 19–30.
44.
RanaS., RautS. K., PrasharS., & HamidA. B. A. (2020). Promoting through consumer nostalgia: A conceptual framework and future research agenda. Journal of Promotion Management, 27(2), 211–249.
45.
RestJ. R. (1986). Moral development: Advances in research and theory. Praeger.
46.
RingN., RitchieK., MandavaL., & JepsonR. (2011). A guide to synthesising qualitative research for researchers undertaking health technology assessments and systematic reviews. http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/8837.html
47.
RobinD. (2008). Toward an applied meaning for ethics in business. Journal of Business Ethics, 89, 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9990-y
48.
SchumannP. L. (2001). A moral principles framework for human resource management ethics. Human Resource Management Review, 11(1–2), 93–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1053-4822(00)00042-5
49.
ShethJ. N. (2011). Impact of emerging markets on marketing: Rethinking existing perspectives and practices. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 166–182. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.166
50.
SnyderH. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
51.
ToraccoR. J. (2005). Writing integrative literature reviews: Guidelines and examples. Human Resource Development Review, 4(3), 356–367. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484305278283
52.
TreviñoL. K., & NelsonK. A. (2017). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (7th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
53.
TreviñoL. K., WeaverG. R., & ReynoldsS. J. (2006). Behavioural ethics in organisations: A review. Journal of Management, 32(6), 951–990. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206306294258
54.
TuckerH. (2020). Coronavirus bankruptcy tracker: These major companies are failing amid the shutdown. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hanktucker/2020/05/03/coronavirus-bankruptcy-tracker-these-major-companies-are-failing-amid-the-shutdown/
55.
UNCTAD (2020). Impact of the pandemic on trade and development. Retrieved May25, 2020, https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/osg2020d1_en.pdf
56.
ValentineS., & BarnettT. (2007). Perceived organisational ethics and the ethical decisions of sales and marketing personnel. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 27(4), 373–388. https://doi.org/10.2753/PSS0885-3134270403
57.
ValentineS., & FleischmanG. (2004). Ethics training and businesspersons’ perceptions of organisational ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 52(4), 391–400. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000037556.66041.0b
58.
VallasterC. (2017). Managing a company crisis through strategic corporate social responsibility: A practice-based analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 24(6), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1424
59.
VitellS. J., RallapalliK. C., & SinghapakdiA. (1993). Marketing norms: The influence of personal moral philosophies and organisational ethical culture. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 21(4), 331–337. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02894525
60.
WilliamsC. C. (1989). A sociobiological expansion of evolution and ethics. In ParadisJ. & WilliamsG. C. (Eds.), Evolution and ethics (pp. 179–214). Princeton University Press.
61.
WilliamsO. F., & MurphyP. E. (1990). The ethics of virtue: A moral theory for marketing. Journal of Macromarketing, 10(1), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/027614679001000103
62.
WoiceshynJ. (2011). A model for ethical decision making in business: Reasoning, intuition, and rational moral principles. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(3), 311–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0910-1
63.
YıldırımM., & ÖzdemirŞ. (2024). Emotions, norms, and consequences as the forces of good and evil: An investigation on sales professionals. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12647
64.
ZhengL., DongY., ChenJ., LiY., LiW., & SuM. (2022). Impact of crisis on sustainable business model innovation—The role of technology innovation. Sustainability, 14(18), 11596. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811596
