Business Ethics and Entrepreneurial Integrity in Building Customer Trust in Small Businesses

Abstract

Business ethics and entrepreneurial integrity play important roles in building customer trust, particularly among small businesses that depend on direct and continuing customer relationships. This study examines how ethical conduct and entrepreneurial integrity contribute conceptually to trust formation and longer-term business continuity. A qualitative literature review was undertaken using relevant scholarly publications on business ethics, integrity, customer relationships, and small-business sustainability. The literature was examined through descriptive analysis and thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that honesty, transparency, fairness, accountability, and concern for customers provide ethical foundations for responsible commercial relationships. Entrepreneurial integrity reinforces these principles through consistency between business commitments and actual conduct. Reliable product information, fulfillment of promises, fair service, and effective complaint handling may reduce perceived transactional uncertainty and encourage confidence, loyalty, and enduring relationships. These practices are particularly relevant in digital commerce, where customers depend on online representations and reviews. The study offers a conceptual synthesis rather than empirical evidence of causal relationships and emphasizes the strategic importance of integrating ethics and integrity into everyday small-business operations.