Normative Stakeholder Management Orientation: Business vs. Non-business Students

Using a sample of Spanish undergraduate students, this research contributes to stakeholder theory by developing empirical testing of normative stakeholder management orientation. It also offers empirical evidence on how the type of higher education received affects how individuals assess stakeholders’ interests. The results show that, in general, business students give less importance to the normative approach and consider it less necessary to take secondary stakeholders into account for a normative reason than their non-business counterparts. Therefore, this study raises awareness on the influence of business education on individuals’ ethical decision-making process and suggests some possible changes for business teaching.