Abstract

Title: Leadership and ethics in the Real estate agent-industry

Level: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration

Authors: Paula Massamiri & Therese Delmar

Supervisor: Lars-Johan Åge, Jonas Molin & Jens Eklinder Frick

Date: 2014 – May

Purpose of study: The aim of this study is to create an understanding of how leaders trough a Structural ethical climate can contribute to a Situation-based ethical decision-making of their employees.

Method: We have used a qualitative method and conducted semi-structured interviews with respondents from real estate agent firms. When we studied our phenomenon, our overall research deign was qualitative interviews. Our data has been analyzed with an abductive method of analysis, influenced by Grounded theory.

Results and conclusions: The study shows that leaders in the real estate agent-business trough a Structural ethical climate contributes to a Situation-based ethical decision-making of their employees by acting as role models, leads by example, highlighting the office values and rewards & punishes behaviors to control their employees’ ethical decision making.

Suggestions for further research: We believe that future studies can be conducted through observations to study both leaders and employees, to pay attention to employees’ opinions and reflect on what affects them. Another interesting premiss would be to study leaders from different sales organizations in order to see the similarities and differences between different selling industries.  

Contribution: Our study contributes to better understanding of the leaders in the Real estate agent-industry influence on ethical decision-making among its employees. We have created a model that describes the relationships between leadership, Structural ethical climate and Situation-based ethical decision-making in the Real estate agent-industry.

Key words: Leader, Ethics, Ethical climate, Ethical decision making