Anomia and deviant behaviour in marketing: some preliminary evidence

Anomia describes the individual’s lack of integration in social life. The construct has been linked to various types of activities and concepts but no research appears to have been undertaken linking it to deviant behaviour inmarketing. In this preliminary study the literature on anomia and deviant behaviour, specifically attitude toward fraudulent behaviour among retail employees and academic misconduct among students, are examined. Hypotheses are formulated, measurement instruments are identified and two surveys are carried out, one among employees of a large retail chain and another among business undergraduate students. The psychometric properties of the instruments are confirmed and relationships are investigated using regression equations. The implications for theory are considered, limitations are noted and directions for future research are indicated.