Table of Contents
Introduction
This essay analyses the business ethics required in the marketing strategies. In most marketing strategies, ethics is an issue that is overlooked due to its implications on profit margins. In this study, there are several implications of ethics in marketing strategies. Various stakeholders trying to improve their sales through promotion and marketing, amid regulations requiring that they practice business ethics in their practices. Ethics is an accepted way of doing things; with high regards to the community or people associated. In business, it is the perfect way of doing business where none is affected unfairly. Competition may cause legal and ethical issues in business; however, the check and fairness should be the outcome of actions in regard to public conception.
Natural cereals case
In this case, Sally faces challenges in finding appropriate strategies of marketing because she obeys and knows the benefits of ethics. The employees of Tom Miller remember him as a fare man who has a great sense of integrity. Sally has enormous knowledge in nutrition and can use her knowledge to manipulate the market; however, she chooses to do it right because she has an obligation to assist the society in reduction of cancer related cases. It was wrong for one of the competitors to use information from the National Cancer Institute (NIC) to influence their sales without analyzing the implication of their actions. This is further worsen, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which have jurisdiction obligation to protect the public from unhealthy advertisement, knew the adverts was not appropriate and let it continued. This advert did not explained to people which particular cancer would be prevented with high fiber in diets, how much should be consumed, and it gave rather controversial messages.
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Controversial advertisement or messages have negative impacts to business also in other aspect of life. Scientific credibility is squandered when people try to give certainty where it does not exist. When this is allowed to happen, then many problems occur. When genuine cases are presented to the public to assist them, majority will take them with contempt. Another company also uses the NCI messages on it packages, even though this did not yield much to it, gave it a good market share position. It may seem lucrative for companies that use this strategy to make a sale, but it is very unethical. Legal regulations may not be illegal, and this brings a lot of controversies as companies try to make the best of the market. However, these loop holes in regulations should be addressed so as to have ethical actions surpass ambitions.
Due to pressure on the competition also the urge to impress Mr. Tom and maintain her job, Sally starts to relent in her former stand and want to implement health-oriented campaign. She gets Joe's support, but because of integrity of Tom, he does not agree with them and ask them to seek other alternatives. This shows how ethical behaviors are very hard to maintain, it is an act of integrity. In some cases, ethics will make companies lose due to unethical competition, but this should not be a discouraging factor. It is better to save lives than to benefit from unethical actions. Tom acknowledges FDA change of approach to matters of advertisement and labeling which go against the ethics act.
FDA has four criteria to evaluate information on food labeling and health related cases. This is a good move to help implement ethical strategies in the advertisement and labeling. This effort of the FDA is affected by the Federal Trade Commission that control advertisement, for its laxity and sympathy for the competitors thus allowing them to continue with unethical practices. It is obvious the regulations are not in the same page when it comes to ethical implementations. Tom's leadership is a very good example of ethical conducts even though he stands to lose due to unfair competitions he chooses to act right. FDA is trying to follow the ethical approach to manage advertisement; however, there are challenges that require reforms in regulations (ARTHUR ANDERSEN & CO, SC, 1991).
Moral philosophies imply doing what is considered right in a society, religious beliefs and personal conscience that are in line with society requirement. Morally it is not good to practice business practices without considering the consequences.
Sally has known the consequences of health problems and should to allow herself get swayed into the unethical practices of the competition despite Joe supports or influences. Tom, Sally and Joe end up compromising the ethical stands they had from the beginning, Sally knows what impact her actions could cause the public and the best move are to recheck health related issues and make it right. It is best that the FDA and FTC work in harmony and implement ethical practices to control or regulate ethical issues should similar issues occur in the future. There must be policies checking the advertisement messages and labeling information concerning health situation. There must be stiff penalty across the competitors to make them adhere to ethics requirement.
Conclusion
National cereal cases are enormous due to poor laws and lack of proper ethics emphasis in marketing strategies. Solving the ethical issues require ethical leadership and credible corporate culture. Moral values should be introduced in business activities to stop unfair competition practices. Natural cereal companies must be regulated and ethics being considered as the basis of implementation. There are controversies when ethic is considered; something ethical may not be illegal in the eyes of the law. It is a call of consciousness and taking responsibility for actions.