tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233606805709071194.post8559391834915275789..comments2023-03-25T05:50:35.592-07:00Comments on ink and ashes: the role of ethics in marketing/advertisingFrederik Sisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15963689819495851315noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233606805709071194.post-66109872668360215112012-09-10T11:48:33.110-07:002012-09-10T11:48:33.110-07:00Agreed. Unfortunately, the ethics class was heavie...Agreed. Unfortunately, the ethics class was heavier on marketing than ethical reasoning. Surely the very construction of our capitalism economic systems raises ethical concerns, but it's less than popular to raise that sort of issue.Frederik Sisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15963689819495851315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233606805709071194.post-32151588842790027042012-09-05T15:59:15.469-07:002012-09-05T15:59:15.469-07:00Mitt Romney's brag that if he paid a dime more...Mitt Romney's brag that if he paid a dime more in taxes than he could legally evade would disqualify him from running for president says everything you need to know about actual business ethics. It is therefore stupid (and unethical?) to care about the collective or longer term goals than immediate profit/power maximization. And that's coming from a guy who takes his religion semi-seriously as opposed to say, Jamie Dimon or Lloyd Blankfein. Chomsky's observation that only individuals have morals, but not states applies equally to corporations.<br /><br />In Germany, corporations are, by law, required to include social benefit as part of their charter but how long before they adopt the American/transnational model? Contemporary experience tells that if a company can get around or away from ethical considerations it will. <br /><br />Smaller businesses that rely on goodwill need an actual social contract of sorts with their customers, but that too is grounded largely upon profit or, in the case of closely held corporations, family integrity. Monopolized industries can get away with lying because where else can you go? Sure some schmucks like me will shop somewhere else but the vast majority will opt for the convenient. Our current legal system actually encourages moral hazard with nonexistent supervision, unenforced (if any) regulation and minimal fines. But even that is not enough as we continue to hear the yowls about tort reform. The pendulum may swing back but outraged citizenry are running out of time.Catherinenoreply@blogger.com