International Scientific and Academic Research Publisher
(Im)morality of luxury business travel: Aligning or prioritizing moral values
Author: Carl A. Boger Jr.*, Minjung Shin, Mahima Hingoraney, Jaewook Kim
Published Date: 2024-06-28
Keywords: Business Morality, Distributive Fairness, Luxury Travel, Moral particularism, organizational justice.
Abstract:
The global luxury market, particularly in business travel, garners diverse ethical views from consumers. This research investigates how customers' moral attitudes toward luxury consumption and distributive fairness affect their perception of a business's morality, especially in terms of luxury travel offered to employees. Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study assesses how distributing luxury travel benefits (exclusively vs. inclusively) influences consumer attitudes based on their views of luxury and fairness. The findings indicate that while some view luxury travel as inherently immoral, inclusive distribution of these benefits by businesses can shift this perception positively. This suggests that businesses can enhance their moral image by aligning luxury travel benefits with broader inclusivity, thereby addressing varied consumer attitudes, and improving their ethical standing.