The Interplay of Ethical Climate and Personal Regulatory Focus in Sales Manager–Salesperson Ethical behavior

Ethical challenges in B2B sales arise from complex deals, multicultural contexts, and the interplay between formal rules and daily practical judgment. Sales managers and salespeople frequently operate in gray areas where ethical norms are interpreted rather than simply applied, and leadership plays a decisive role in shaping behavior. Drawing on ethical climate theory, this study examines how rules-based, instrumental, and caring climates influence sales conduct alongside individual factors such as moral disengagement. Through qualitative interviews with salesperson–manager dyads in Denmark and Italy, the research explores how formal and informal norms, regulatory focus, and perceived ethical climate jointly shape ethical decision-making.