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Survey data from a sample of 281 consumers in the USA, randomly selected with the assistance of a commercial list service was used to examine the impact of consumer sociability and service provider perceived expertise on service relationship success. The study suggested that customer sociability and service provider expertise are important to relationship success and consumer sociability significantly affected the commitment to a provider in high involvement services.

A study was conducted among marketing students to assess perceptions of their own and others’ plagiarism, likelihood of being caught, and appropriate sanctions for cheating. Students admitted to having plagiarized, though overwhelmingly they believed these activities were more common among classmates. Perceptions of peer behavior was positively related to cheating, while likelihood of being caught and punishment had a negative impact on cheating behavior involving paper writing; however, likelihood of being caught did not have an impact on cheating related to tests and homework. Prescriptions for marketing educators are provided addressing preventative policies/procedure, a culture of academic integrity, teaching techniques to reduce cheating, and sanctions that motivate students to be honest.

This study provides support for the better-than-average effect with respect to ethical decision-making, and the influence of personal contact on these perceptions. Using data from marketing students at two major universities over two time periods, the findings indicate that students believe their own behavior to be more ethical than either their friends’ or advertising agency executives’ behavior. Gender influenced perceptions of ethical decision-making for some types of questionable behavior, with women reporting higher ethical standards in these cases. Few changes were observed over time. Implications of these findings for teaching business students are discussed.