A Study of Demographic Moderators in the Relationship between Ethics Education and Personality Development of Business School Students

Abstract

This study investigates how demographic factors moderate the relationship between ethics education and personality development among business school students. As future managers and leaders, business students’ ethical orientation and personal growth are critical for fostering responsible decision-making in corporate environments. While ethics education has been shown to positively influence moral reasoning and value formation, its effectiveness may vary across demographic groups such as gender, age, socioeconomic background, and cultural context. This research explores those moderating effects to better understand how ethics education can be tailored to support diverse student populations. Using a mixed-method design, data were collected from 420 students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate business programs across three universities. The quantitative phase employed validated instruments to measure exposure to ethics education, key dimensions of personality development (including integrity, empathy, self-regulation, and social responsibility), and demographic attributes. Regression and moderation analyses were conducted to identify interaction effects. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample of 30 students to provide deeper insights into the observed statistical patterns. Results indicate that ethics education significantly contributes to overall personality development; however, the strength of this relationship differs across demographic groups. Female students and those from collectivist cultural backgrounds exhibited stronger ethical sensitivity and interpersonal growth, while age and prior work experience moderated the impact on self-regulation and moral judgment. Socioeconomic background also influenced the perceived relevance of ethics education, with students from higher-income groups showing lower affective engagement. The qualitative findings reinforced these trends, revealing that demographic context shapes how students internalize ethical lessons and apply them to real-life situations. The study concludes that ethics education is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. Recognizing demographic moderators can enhance curriculum design by promoting inclusivity, cultural relevance, and experiential learning approaches that resonate with diverse learners. The findings offer implications for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers aiming to strengthen the moral and personal development outcomes of business education.