Paper Title
HOW ETHICAL SELF-PERCEPTION AFFECTS MORAL BEHAVIORS AND ECONOMIC GAINS: A CASE STUDY OF THAILAND'S MULTI-NATIONAL INDUSTRY

Abstract
Abstract -This paper aims to find the congruence between ethical self-perception and moral behaviors. A questionnaire was distributed in high confidentiality to employees of a multi-national industry with an alpha coefficient of .966.Independent variables include (1) level of Kohlberg's moral reasoning, (2) teleology vs. deontology; (3) probability of getting caught; and (4) severity of punishment. Dependent variables are the level of involvement in four ethical behaviors: moonlighting inside and outside the compound, taking office materials for personal use, accepting bribes from trade partners, and burglary or internal theft. Results of Chi-square analysis showed statistical differences in almost all interactions of the independent and dependent variables at a p-value <.05.Respondents at Kohlberg's punishment vs. obedience, law & order, and universal ethical principle reported a rare frequency of misbehaviors. Deontology-inclined and high-adherence to the rule employees frankly admitted a higher frequency of misconduct than the teleology and low-adherence ones. High convincing of light sentences and confidence of not getting caught reported a higher frequency of unethical behaviors. The findings concluded that ethical self-perception and the probability of economic gains significantly affect individual moral acts. Keywords - Ethical Behavior, Moral Reasoning, Economics, and Ethics