1. What is marketing with and without ethics? Why do many people see the tension between ethics and marketing?
In the 21st century, marketing has become one of the complex fields in carrying out business. The world is full of various behaviors, coming from media, channel numbers, investors, customers, as well as marketing associates. In order to remain competitive in the market, and overcome the challenges, ethics has become one of the key factors in the field of marketing. Arguably, marketing is one of the key sectors in a business organization; it helps in promoting services and goods.
Perhaps, marketing with ethics refers to adherence to honest and virtuous actions and policies in marketing, which are intended to maintain fairness and integrity in promotional strategies of a service or a product (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Therefore, marketing with ethics provides a clear and transparent interface with other marketers as well as the targeted clients. Certainly, marketing with ethics enables the marketers gain competitive advantage over other marketers. Hence, marketing with ethics is being honest and respectful to customers (Wicks, Werhane & Martin, 2010).
On the other hand, marketing without ethics refers to a situation in which companies and retail chains use dishonesty and tricky was in marketing their products. Their main intention is to make profits, satisfy the customer, as well as the competitor within the designated legal limits. In most case, conflict arises on marketing without ethics and legality of marketing methods (Wicks, Werhane & Martin, 2010). Marketing within the law is not convincing enough; marketers should be within the ethical direction. Some of the ways demonstrating marketing without ethics includes deceptive labeling and misleading advertisement (Schlegelmilch, 1998).
Undoubtedly, there is tension between ethics and marketing. Despite the efforts made to ensure that marketing is carried out in an ethical manner, the frequencies of ethical violation in marketing remain high. Mostly, tension between marketing and ethics develop because of conflict between the needs of the company and those of customers (Campbell & Parker, 2005). In marketing, it is difficult to meet the needs of all stakeholders. This is because what is ethical in one circumstance is unethical in another. Additionally, marketers face conflicting framework in meeting their goal. These include, either to market, make a profit or to adhere to ethics and remain in the market (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010).
2. What are operations with or without ethics? How are they different?
Globalization has made operations in various sectors is complicated in it
way of operation, but more user friendly. Operations in business entails all the activities involve in the diverse running of the businesses with an intention of producing and maximizing value for business stakeholders. On a general perspective, business operation refers to the yield valuation received from the assets of the business. It entails major management essentials aimed at maximizing asset value, it includes increasing business value, income security, as well as generating continues income. Hence, ethics affects the entire operations in an organization (Schlegelmilch, 1998).
Operations with ethics refer to adherence of moral principles towards the achievement of asset value. Operating ethically ensures that the entire sectors of the organization or business operate smoothly. This include well definition of responsibilities and roles, functioning together, effective communication between departments, operating within the stated parameters, as well as adherence to business policies. Hence, operating with ethics ensure that the entire organization achieves its financial, management, and customer satisfaction. Adhering to ethics in operation is vital to the success of the business (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010).
In the world today, most organizations and businesses operate without ethics. Perhaps, operating without ethics is people’s choice in the business management. Some organizations believe ethics is someone’s issues, and their company is just fine (Wicks, Werhane & Martin, 2010) Operating without ethics refers to management of the business against rules and regulations, and lack of moral fundamentals. In operation, many stakeholders are involved; hence, there is a tendency of operating without ethics, which can lead to the failure of the internal management of the organization. Operating without ethics harms sales, stock price, profitability, communication, efficiency, production, as well as increasing employees’ fraud.
Operating with or without ethics differ in terms of outcomes. In most cases, operating without ethics has numerous negative outcomes to the organization. Operating with ethics is mainly one of the determinants in achieving of goals as well as maximizing value for business (Ferrell & Hartline. 2010). Conclusively, operating with ethics is highly beneficial to the business, management personnel, and other stakeholders.
3. How should ethics play a role in shaping marketing strategy? Explain.
Ethics act as the pivot in determining either failure or success of an organization. The reputation of businesses and organization is affected by ethics; furthermore, ethics help in defining business strategy and model that will always thrive the business to even in times of adversity. Decision-making on marketing strategies should be based on ethics
Certainly, every organization in the competitive world put down their strategies to guide them towards success. In order to be successful, many organizations adhere to ethics during strategy formation. Perhaps, business organizations are tremendously sensitive to the opinions and needs of stakeholders and customers, as well us establishing methods to protect their interests in the market. As a matter of fact, abuse of ethics in strategy development lead to frequent tension among institutions and concern stakeholders (Wicks, Werhane, & Martin, 2010).
Another role played by ethics in shaping marketing strategy is to scrutinize its moral and legal standards. In society today, consumer interests are put into consideration over producers needs (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Hence, ethics focuses on development of a consumer oriented marketing strategy. An ethical-based market strategy guarantees organization sustainability. Nowadays, the society do not let unethical organizations make expected returns.
Additionally, more firms have incorporated ethics in marketing strategy as a response towards customer’s demands, increased regulation threat, as well as stiff competitions. The established reputation of an organization can be destroyed by unethical behaviors. Hence, ethics shapes the marketing strategy by ensuring that good behaviors are implemented in the plan (Campbell & Parker, 2005). Conversably, there is a link between ethics and marketing strategy, in that it explores various dimensions of social responsibility. Some of the unethical marketing strategies include planned obsolescence, bait, anti-competitive practices, as well as pyramid schemes. Businesses and organization market strategy should be fully shaped by ethics, in order to remain sustainable.
4. How do ethics relate to the core elements of operations?
The entire operational processes that take place in a business are sales, management, purchasing, manufacturing, advertising, as well as marketing. All this process is linked together towards achieving the ultimate goal. The core elements of operations need to be carried out ethically. Ethical decisions and choices in the organizations to be implemented in operations are .made by employees and other organization stakeholders (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010).
The core elements of operations depend on the ethical behaviors within the culture of the organizations. Dynamics in an organization rely on operational elements, which might be informal or formal (Wicks, Werhane, & Martin, 2010). Ethics relates to core elements of operations through assessment of market supply, market demand, competencies, business capacity, as well as other important logistics.
Production of goods and the delivery of services in an organization are very important. The products and services should meet the needs of the customers; hence, ethics relates to operational elements through the production of ethically oriented products. In fact, the intentions and the expectations of the consumer should be exceeded. Furthermore, ethics relates to operational elements through implementations of these core elements efficiently and effectively, to endure maximization of resource usage, personnel as well as value for assets (Campbell & Parker, 2005).
Additionally, ethics relates to operational elements by ensuring that correlation exists in the entire operational systems. In most cases, conflict may arise due to ethical violation in different operations (Schlegelmilch, 1998). Therefore, ethics create conducive environment for normal running of operational processes. The operational decisions in the organization are made based on ethics of the organization. Hence, the choices made by employees in the organization are controlled by established ethics within the business environment.
References
Ferrell, O & Hartline. (2010). Marketing Strategy. New York. Cengage.
Campbell, J & Parker, M. (2005). For Business Ethics. New York: Routledge.
Schlegelmilch, B. (1998). Marketing Ethics: An International Perspective. California: Wiley.
Wicks, F., Werhane, H & Martin, E. (2010). Business Ethics: A Managerial Approach. London:
Pearson/Prentice Hall Publishing.
