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Job applicants seek to make a positive impression during the hiring process by emphasising attributes they perceive to be important to the hiring organisation. However, significant differences have been found to exist between different US subcultures in terms of their perceptions of the importance of certain selection criteria. Hence, individuals from different subcultures may emphasise different qualities during the interview process as a result of perceived differences in importance. Thus, those making hiring decisions may be getting different impressions of applicants who may be similarly qualified but whomay come from different subcultures, because of differences in emphasised attributes. This study examines African‐American and White‐American perceptions of the importance of 26 job selection criteria, using data from 1985 and 2002. Of particular interest was to determine if subcultural perceptions had changed over time, or, in other words, if there were significant differences in the importance rankings of the 1985 and 2002 African‐American groups and, similarly, of the two White‐American groups.

Successful staffing in organizations requires that job applicant qualifications be properly matched with job requirements and corporate culture. With rapid economic expansion in China and predictions for continued growth, there has been a substantial increase in the staffing needs of companies operating in China or servicing this market from afar. Working with university placement offices and/or actively recruiting on campuses, many organizations are looking to undergraduate and graduate business programs in China as a source of job candidates.

Reports on graduate business students’ perceived importance ratings of 26 job selection criteria. Attempts to determine if statistical differences exist between the importance rating of African‐American and White‐American respondents. Reports significant differences in the areas of appearance, assertiveness, punctuality and sex. Suggests further research should be done from the point of the employer’s perspective in order to better understand the differences.

States that as managing a culturally diverse workforce has become increasingly important to business and government, organizations across the USA have focused considerable attention on diversity and diversity training. Highlights that, despite this emphasis, there is little data in terms of the attitudes of specific subcultures as related to management values. Compares the attitudes of individuals from Afro‐American and euro‐American cultures with respect to 18 value statements related to management. Suggests that there were no significant differences.

Recent news of corporate misconduct at Arthur Andersen, Enron, WorldCom, etc., has focused attention on ethics in business. Government, business, educational institutions, as well as professional organisations have had to rethink ways of addressing this issue. This article presents the findings of a study of attitudes toward business codes of ethics. The attitudes of Master’s‐level US business students at two different points in time, before and after recent reports of corporate misconduct, are compared to see what changes had occurred, to see whether these changes were linked to the disclosures of unethical corporate conduct, and to examine whether taking a course in ethics had an effect on attitudes.

Belgium was still reeling from fears over mad cow disease and from the news that the carcinogen, dioxin, had been introduced inadvertently into animal feed, when yet another health crisis rocked it. This new crisis was precipitated by consumer complaints about an irregular taste and smell in bottled soft drinks and by reports that more than 100 consumers had become ill after noticing an odour on the outside of canned soft drinks. As a result, The Coca‐Cola Company, under instructions from the Belgian Health Ministry, withdrew its trade‐marked products from the Belgian market. The effects of this crisis were felt not only within Europe, but also in countries as far away as Japan and India. Subsequently, the company identified specific production and distribution problems which could have contributed to the health crisis. Pursuant to the Ministry’s order, the company took immediate steps to remedy those problems, and the Ministry’s ban was lifted. In addition, an aggressive marketing campaign was launched in an effort to regain consumer trust, confidence, and market share. Nevertheless, this incident resulted in substantial financial costs to The Coca‐Cola Company and in considerable damage to its global image and reputation.

States that the end of the last century brought dramatic changes in the composition of the workforce and heightened awareness of cultural diversity in the USA. Highlights the need to identify and understand similarities and differences as we move from the “melting pot” concept to ward off the notion of a multicultural society where subcultures exist and function using specific values. Compares attitudes of African Americans and Euro Americans with respect to ten cultural value statements. Discovers significant differences between the two groups.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether undergraduate and graduate business students in China and the USA share similar attitudes with regard to business ethics.

Using an instrument derived from Becker and Fritzsche, this study measured attitudes toward eight business ethics value statements. In addition, the survey asked respondents to report the degree to which they believed that reports of corporate irresponsibility had influenced their responses to the survey. Tests of significance were used to determine significant differences.

Despite advances in communication, the influence of foreign firms now operating in China, and the return to China of nationals who were educated in the USA, of eight business ethics value statements examined, significant differences between the Chinese and US respondents were found in all but one case.

The data were drawn from the southern USA and from eastern China. Future researchers may wish to replicate the study using samples from diverse geographical areas in each country. This study could also be replicated to assess similarities and differences between management and student samples.

The results of this study point out significant differences between Chinese and US evaluations of the business ethics value statements examined. Given a history of years with little interaction between these two nations and the cultural distance between China and the USA, studies such as this provide useful information in the process of helping the people of these two nations better understand one another. The findings should prove especially useful to those concerned with the increasingly important issue of ethics in business operations.

Switzerland has long been known as a world leader in the financial services arena. However, in recent years the Swiss banking industry has come under considerable attack, in particular with regard to money laundering, Holocaust accounts and European Union tax evasion issues. This article examines Swiss banking confidentiality, reports perceptions of a sample of US Americans with regard to banking secrecy, and compares and contrasts perceptions with reality. The results of this study indicate that the general public holds negative perceptions of Swiss banking practices. This article should serve to correct misperceptions of Swiss banking held by the public at large and should be of particular interest to those involved in Swiss banking and the marketing of financial services.

With globalisation and the opening of China’s borders, there has been increasing business and government interaction between China and the US. Given US interest in China’s market and the cultural distance between these two countries, it is imperative for US business persons not only to understand Chinese values, but also to examine how Chinese relate to US values. To this end, this study examines the attitudes of a sample of Chinese with regard to 10 US core values and compares their attitudes to those of a sample of US Americans. Despite some significant differences, the results of this study point out that the Chinese and US respondents exhibited many similarities in their attitudes.