The general theory of marketing ethics, first published in the journal of macromarketingby hunt and vitell 1986, has been the focus of much discussion and empirical testing. The following examples show the principles of ethical marketing in action, as well as why championing good causes is so effective for todays brands. The meaning of academic honesty and how to uphold it. In con trast, normative marketing ethics deals with how marketing ought. Marketing ethics is an area of application that involves moral principles behind operation and regulation of marketing. Ethical drug marketing criteria for the 21st century the bmj. This result in disrepute for the products of good companies even though such fake goods are small in quantities. Jun 05, 2019 the aim for this article is to explicate the potentiality ethical direct and digital marketing might have on roi and brand image and what backlash a company may face from perceived unethical.
Arnold, university of pittsburgh alex john london, carnegie mellon university advertising by health care institutions has increased steadily in recent years. Standardized ethical behaviours need to be applied which take care of the moral principles behind the operations of a hotel and its regulation of marketing. Githui donatus mathenge corresponding author senior lecturer, school of business, dedan kimathi university of technology po box 65710100, nyeri, kenya. Businesses who endorse and practice ethical marketing demonstrate a socially responsible and. Ethical issues arising from marketing concepts such as market segmentation, marketing research, product development, pricing, channels of distribution, personal selling, advertising, and globalization are discussed briefly. This article overviews the 1993 revision of the model and addresses three questions that are often asked by those who use the. This article will study, 1 understanding business ethics and socially responsible marketing, 2 developing and implementing a socially responsible marketing.
This paradox stems from the fact that the main objective of marketing is to respond to the needs of consumers. He suggests you put together a group to create a policy about the acceptable ways to. Marketing ethics are the moral principles and values that need to be followed during any kind of marketing communication. Ethical marketing is less of a marketing strategy and more of a philosophy that informs all marketing efforts. Pdf marketing ethics is the subset of business ethics, which deals with the systematic. In recent years, the business ethics literature has exploded in both volume and importance. Its no wonder that so many lawyers get in trouble inadvertently suddenly, they are trying to master facebook, linkedin, twitter, blogs, videos, website optimization and podcasts, to name only a few of the new marketing tools of the digital era. Ferrell colorado state university this article introduces a conceptualization of corporate social responsibility csr that emphasizes the role and. Four types of normative ethical theories are presented. This article provides a partial test of the emerging descriptive theories in marketing ethics. Ethical marketing, simply put, is applying ethics to the marketing process giving thoughtful examination of particular marketing issues as they relate to moral judgment. Ethical behavior of marketing managers springerlink. It seeks to promote honesty, fairness, and responsibility in all advertising.
The authors wish to thank brian sternthal, alexander simonson and robert j. They serve as guidelines to act rightly and justly when faced with ethical problem. Marketing, ethics, advertising, consumers, social media. Fall 2004 47 ethical issues in multilevel marketing. An integrative framework isabelle maignan vrije universiteit amsterdam, the netherlands o. Yet these same consumers often take marketing to task out of a concern for certain of its manifestations, such as advertising or pricing. The goals of the marketing department are to target an audience, appeal to that audience, and get the audience to purchase that particular product or service. Ethics in marketing marketing and psychology are extremely interconnected in modern world. Jan 15, 2018 marketing ethics is an area of application that involves moral principles behind operation and regulation of marketing. With the increased internationalization of multinational corporations, the need to address international marketing ethics arises carrigan et al.
Most downloaded journal of business research articles. Ethics is a notoriously difficult subject because everyone has subjective judgments about what is right and what is wrong. The importance of ethical marketing practices citeseerx. Ethics and marketing practices while not claiming to provide the complete list, it is nevertheless interesting to. Current and emerging ethical issues in marketing new directions and proposals ahmed adnan alnuemat abstract the intention of this article is to set up the need of ethics and the postulation of social responsibility by productions in the marketing region. Marketing ethics a companion to business ethics wiley. Any unethical behaviour is not necessarily illegal. At the outset, it is also use ful to distinguish between positive and normative marketing ethics.
The objective of this article is to show that marketing, by its very definition, is principally grounded on a utilitarian approach to ethics but that managers could also develop a deontological approach to marketing. They are the general set of guidelines which can help companies to decide on their new marketing strategies. Promotion of drugs is harming public health, and drug companies will continue to come up with new marketing strategies. Marketing ethics relates to the totality of the uniform behaviours to deal with the relationship between a hotel and its multiplicity of stakeholders. The journal of business ethics publishes only original articles from a wide variety of methodological and disciplinary perspectives concerning ethical issues related to business that bring something new or unique to the discourse in their field. Advertising and marketing today is a huge business in kenya. Ai systems may vastly improve marketing insights but prompt.
Within the academic history of marketing, one of the first articles that appeared in the journal of marketing was an article by phillips c. However, unethical or inappropriate actions cannot. Accordingly, in the next section, we examine how deception is addressed in psychological research as a basis for identifying when it might be justifiable in commercial marketing research and for proposing appropriate remedial measures. The marketing ethics applied determine if the marketing events. Users have a strong preference for articles in pdf format over html. However, marketing ethics is important to promote marketing solutions that are both acceptable to the company and beneficial to society. Ethical marketing generally results in a more socially responsible and culturally sensitive business community. Culture plays an important role in defining ethics standards because dissimilar cultures socialize their people differently, according to what is acceptable behaviour. There exist several controversial moments in marketing that could be.
The data were obtained from a mail survey of american marketing association members. Marketing ethics and a brands image marketing ethics relates to the totality of the uniform behaviours to deal with the relationship. The question of ethical decision in marketing and ethics dialnet. Two major public policy and ethic issues in marketing research are intrusions on. Arguments offered by those who tend to avoid normative analysis are examined. The role of ethical marketing issues in consumerbrand. A metaresearch of about 80 publications on the topic. The article then develops a positive theory of marketing ethics and uses that theory to help explain some of the empirical research that has been conducted in the area of marketing ethics anderson, paul f. Ethics are our belief about what is right and wrong. Globalization has changed the nature of business in the twentyfirst century doh et al. Pdf available in journal of business ethics august 2014 with 10,961 reads.
Ethical advertising advantages and disadvantages 4. Lawyer marketing has not undergone an evolution its undergone a revolution. Values, importance, advantages and disadvantages of ethics in marketing marketing ethics deals with moral standards and. The most direct contribution in this vein is robin and reidenbachs 1987 journal of marketing article. Current and emerging ethical issues in marketing new directions and proposals by ahmed adnan alnuemat albalqa applied university abstractthe intention of this article is to set up the need of ethics and the postulation of social responsibility by productions in the marketing region. In 2010 it published seven volumes volumes 91 to 97 and 39 separate issues, each containing several articles.
My own analysis based on panel data from gfk germany 25. When drafting a social media policy for your firm, focus on. In this article we will discuss about the ethics in marketing and advertising. An empirical analysis of the hindrances to efficient marketing and product communication management in kenya dr. Linda ferrell, university of wyoming m arketing ethics addresses principles and standards that define acceptable conduct in the marketplace. Consult the companys code of ethics to determine if standards have already been set about how much information you can use internally and externally, says hennessey. Ethics provide the basis for deciding whether a particular action is morally good or morally bad britt 553. Ethics in marketing in consumer protection market is flooded with duplicate goods having fake labels for selling drugs, food stuffs, consumables like agarbatis, suparis etc. Though the pursuit of social responsibility and ethical marketing does not automatically translate into increased profit, it is still the responsibility of the firm to ensure it is responsible for its actions and their impact on society. Article pdf available january 2016 with 2,106 reads. Ethics in marketing research the authors suggest the need for a code of ethics that would govern the clientconsultant relationship of marketing research in order to.
Some obvious ethical issues in marketing involve clearcut attempts to deceive. But the high road is not always the easiest path to take. Marketing professionals with a backbone reap great rewards, including a solid career with the potential for advancement. Business ethics mehrdad salehi, mojtaba saeidinia, mohammadreza aghaei management and science university, malaysia abstract business ethics being part of the larger social ethics, always been affected by the ethics of the era. Statement of ethics preamble the american marketing association commits itself to promoting the highest standard of professional ethical norms and values for its members practitioners, academics and students. Ethical marketing practices viewed through consumer spectacles. Jun 26, 2017 ai systems may vastly improve marketing insights but prompt. Pdf marketing ethics practices of small businesses and their.
However, the misuse of marketing research can also harm or annoy consumers. Ethics issues in marketing are important, given the fact that marketing is expected to identify, predict and satisfy customer requirements profitably. Other leading journals also date from this period, with business ethics quarterly appearing in 1991, and business ethics. An overview and analysis of marketing ethics hrmars. But then it depends on ones own judgement of right and wrong. Still, most marketing and consumer behavior research is based on self reports from respondents. But using psychological methods is not only the single connection.
Apr 30, 2018 promotion of drugs is harming public health, and drug companies will continue to come up with new marketing strategies. Marketing news spoke with dooleywho has been writing about neuromarketing for more than a decadeabout the ethics and capabilities of neuromarketing and whether it can push the buy button. The article by laczniak and murphy 1991 nicely illustrates the seamlessness by which discussions of marketing ethics may move from descriptive marketing. Target article the ethics of advertising for health care services. Publication in the modern era accounts of chemical research 37, 2004, 141. Ethics refers to moral judgment for decisions and actions as right or wrong based on accepted principles of behavior. Pdf ethical marketing practices viewed through consumer. The establishment of marketing ethics has the potential to benefit society as a whole, both in the short. Importance of religious beliefs to ethical attitudes in. This article focuses on ethical questions arising from marketing theory and practice. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The potential significance of ethnic groups for marketing justifies inquiry into the moral judgments, standards, and rules of conduct exercised in marketing decisions and situations arising from decisions whether or not to focus. Therefore it is a process through which companies generate customer interest in productsservices, create value for stakeholder. In this article, well learn what ethical marketing is and take a look at how five different brands have proven their commitment to ethical marketing. The article then develops a positive theory of marketing ethics and uses that theory to explain some of the empirical research that has been conducted in the area of marketing ethics. Ethics articles markkula center for applied ethics. From its inception the journal has aimed to improve the human condition by providing a public forum for discussion and debate about ethical issues. Of all the management fields, marketing is probably that which seems the most paradoxical when it comes time to consider its ethical aspect. Williams professor of international economics, both in the department of economics at baylor university p. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Information on bioethics, business ethics, character education, government ethics, internet ethics, journalism ethics, leadership ethics, and nonprofit ethics from the markkula center for applied ethics at santa clara university. Ethics in marketing marketing management ethics are explained as the moral principles and values that oversee the actions and decisions of a person or group. Subjects are asked to tell researchers about their opinions, intentions and purchase behavior. To support countries to respond, we advocate for the revision of whos ethical criteria for drug promotion to incorporate a public health ethics justification that can be extended to other situations.
Apr 28, 2017 ethical marketing, simply put, is applying ethics to the marketing process giving thoughtful examination of particular marketing issues as they relate to moral judgment. The article begins with a discussion and evaluation of two major normative ethical theories in moral philosophy. Marketing critics point to false or misleading advertisements, extravagant pressure on consumers, and pricing tactics that deviate from morality and honesty limits. The essay concludes with seven future research directions for normative marketing ethics and customerbrand relationships. This call of papers aims at contributing to the literature on ethical issues in international marketing.
Importance of religious beliefs to ethical attitudes in business cover page footnote tisha emerson is associate professor and joseph mckinney is the ben h. Ethics in marketing denotes to the practice of marketing in business in an ethical and moral way. Marketing ethics the question of whether or not marketing is completely unethical is the question most critics of marketing seem to be focusing their attention on. Business or marketing ethics are the moral principles generally found in forms of formulas, songs, anecdotes, statements, or words that indicate direct or indirect lessons or guidelines that businessmen have to observe while dealing with various interested parties. The role of normative marketing ethics sciencedirect. The purpose of this paper is to define, examine and identify issues and trace the historical development of marketing ethics from a practice and academic perspective.
As the field of business ethics has evolved, marketing has played a key role in the development of the general business ethics course as well as some. The ethical behavior of marketing managers was examined by analyzing their responses to a series of different types of ethical dilemmas presented in vignette form. Thus, in marketing ethics present moral principles that define right and wrong behavior in marketing. Encroachment in the personal domain for the purpose of sales leads. You know right from wrong, says laura hartman, professor of business ethics at the depaul university college of commerce and author of business ethics. It takes some knowledge of basic psychology and human behaviour to succeed in marketing. The ethical dilemmas addressed dealt with the issues of 1 coercion and control, 2 conflict of interest, 3 the physical environment, 4 paternalism, and 5 personal integrity. Norms are established standards of conduct that are expected and maintained by society andor professional organizations.
Institute for advertising ethics 3 principles and practices for advertising ethics principle 1 advertising, public relations, marketing communications, news, and editorial all share a common objective of truth and high ethical standards in serving the public. Muncy because of their inherent interest in marketing, students in marketing and sales classes are often approached by those. Given the diversity of environments and cultures, ethical issues are numerous. Although these beliefs may vary from one individual to another or one company to another, ethics and business responsibility are an important part to any companys marketing department. While every industry has changed consumer products, financial services, durable goods, and others the technology industry, by virtue of its fastpaced, innovative nature, tends to lead the charge when it comes to marketing transformation and has become the model for modern digital marketing efforts. Target article the ethics of advertising for health care services yael schenker, university of pittsburgh robert m. Most downloaded journal of business research articles the most downloaded articles from journal of business research in the last 90 days. At dissimilar times of the world, people, particularly leaders of. Target article the ethics of advertising for health care. Ethical hospitality marketing, brand boosting and business. Marketing ethics and csr the amount of commentary in the marketing literature that specifically explores the connection between marketing ethics and csr is fairly thin. Marketing usually occurs in the context of an organization, and unethical activities usually develop from the pressure to meet performance objectives. The relationship between marketing ethics and corporate.
Prioritizing action over consideration often leads to unethical behavior. Most major ethical issues are formalized by laws and regulations according to the standards of society. Marketing ethics addresses principles and standards that define acceptable conduct in the marketplace. The results tend to support the hypotheses that ethical policies of organizations and machiavellianism influence many aspects of the marketers ethical decision making. Ethical marketing refers to the application of marketing ethics into the marketing process.