An Analysis of Codes of Ethics of Nonprofit, Tax-Exempt Membership Associations: Does Principal Constituency Make a Difference?

Abstract

This article considers and explores the connection between the nature of the principal constituencies of nonprofit, tax-exempt, national and international trade and professional associations and the contents of the formal ethics codes promulgated by those associations. An empirical study analyzes differences in ethics code content based upon whether the association constituencies are principally nonprofit, for-profit, or government. It includes a content analysis of 150 association ethics codes and tests whether the constituencies of such associations influence code content.