BUSINESS ETHICS2 Briefly describe the company and its product and the ethical dilemma associated with the production and distribution of its products. Tobacco companies engages in producing products such as snuff, cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars which are sold to adults but in accordance to stipulated laws of every state. These tobacco companies just like any other business advertise their products to the public despite knowing the adverse effects of the products. Cigarette smoking has been associated with various sicknesses such as emphysema, lung cancer and heart diseases but despite of this the companies sell the products to the public (Hanson, et. al, 2014). It is quite unethical to distribute a product that is detrimental to other people’s health yet such companies concentrate on making profits rather than the welfare of the consumers of such products. Some states have restricted the advertisements of such products so that children are not exposed to such products, USA for instance allows for advertisement on newspapers only for such products along with warning for the users of the product on its health hazards. Despite the aforementioned issues, tobacco companies still continue to exist and do business. Describe how the perception of the product differs within cultures both within the United States and globally. In the United States people view tobacco products differently, while some are in support of the use of tobacco, others are completely against it though others don’t mind its use. Some people believe that as long as they do not use the product and are not affected in any way they have no problem whilst others suggest that the use of such products do not only expose people to danger but also expose children to wrong influence especially when such companies advertise their products (Nogolica, 2012). Proponents of tobacco points out that adults are free to choose what they want since they have the capacity and also cite freedom of
BUSINESS ETHICS3 commercial speech as principle that should not be ignored when objection on advertisements of such products arise. Opponents on the other hand cite the danger that children may be exposed to if they start using such products. Globally the view of use of tobacco varies from one jurisdiction to the other with mixed reactions existing in many states. How has this company handled the ethical implications of its product with a focus on social responsibility, integrity and business ethics? Tobacco companies have knowledge of ethical implications of the product they sell, and as a result of this they have a warning labeled on both their products and advertisements so as to make the public and the users aware of the side effects. So as to retain integrity, for instance in the United States tobacco companies are only allowed to advertise their products on magazines and newspapers which generally are accessed by only adults so that television and radio station remain free of such content in order to protect children (Minus, 2013). These companies have taken social responsibility of notifying the public of the side effects of the products despite selling the same and leaving it at individual adults to decide what is good for them since they can make their own decision. Explain how leadership within the organization can instill a culture of ethics within the marketing department as they strive to advertise a product that is not healthy for the customer. The leadership within management of businesses that deal with unhealthy products should ensure that during both production and advertisement, the company complies with the stipulated laws governing such matters (O'Sullivan, Smith & Esposito, 2012).The management can also ensure they educate the public on the side effects of using the products
BUSINESS ETHICS4 so that they are well aware of the implications and are able to make sound decisions. This way a culture of ethics shall develop and people may view the product may be from an ethical view.
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BUSINESS ETHICS5 References Hanson,G.R., University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah Glen R Hanson, Venturelli,P.J., & Fleckenstein,A.E. (2014).Drugs and Society. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Minus,P. (2013).The Ethics of Business in a Global Economy. Berlin , Germany: Springer Science & Business Media. Nogolica,A. (2012).An Analysis on the Public Perception of the Tobacco Industry's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Marketing Communications. Diplomarbeiten Agentur. O'Sullivan,P., Smith,M., & Esposito,M. (2012).Business Ethics: A Critical Approach: Integrating Ethics Across the Business World. London, England: Routledge.