Analysis of Postgraduate Theses on Business Morality and Business Ethics in Turkey: A Qualitative Research Based on a Systematic Review

Abstract

When examining the literature on business morality and business ethics in Turkey, the relevant field studies are seen to have increased after the 2000s but to have yet to have reached the saturation point (Köseoğlu et al., 2013; Eğri & Sunar, 2010; Gölbaşı, 2009; Özdemir, 2009). In addition, few studies are found to have evaluated business morality and business ethics in our country (Akdeve & Köseoğlu, 2013; Köseoğlu, et al., 2013; Eğri & Sunar, 2010; Özdemir, 2009). When evaluating these studies, these studies are determined to have been carried out between 2009 and 2013 using bibliometric analyses and literature reviews; only one of the studies was associated with a different field. This situation indicates a need exists for detailed studies that can be addressed over different samples in the field of business morality and business ethics. At this point, a large area is clearly waiting to be explored for researchers. This study has been prepared to present the general view of postgraduate theses and dissertations on business morality and business ethics in Turkey. The study has preferred using the systematic review method within its scope, and has accessed a total of 98 graduate theses and dissertations (38 on business morality and 60 on business ethics) as a result of a search in the Thesis Archive of the Turkish Higher Education Institution using the keywords “business morality” and “business ethics” on January 30, 2021. The 98 postgraduate theses and dissertations constituting the sample of the study have been evaluated in terms of type, year, university, institute, department, scientific branch, original language, advisor title, purpose, main focus, and methodology parameters using the systematic review method. The data obtained were subjected to content and descriptive analyses and interpreted in line with the problematics of the research. The criteria of credibility, transferability, consistency, and confirmability were used to ensure the relevance of the study.