Ethics and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethics and Marketing - Essay Example Ethics in marketing are very important because marketing is a discipline that interfaces with diverse stakeholders in a society. Marketing is a pivotal aspect of any business that not only extends a discernable and visible interface with customers, but also with a plethora of other entities such as dealers, business associations, shareholders, investors, trade unions, media, etc (Houston, 1994). Hence, marketing is a facet of commerce that has three vital dimensions that are individual, organizational and societal (Houston, 1994). In that context, to talk about ethics in marketing is utterly unfeasible from any singular or narrow perspective. A true understanding of the ethical domain of marketing necessitates a broader and holistic perspective. There exist multiple crucial reasons to facilitate an understanding into and development of most relevant approaches as to inculcate ethics in marketing operations. Most of the organizations existing today are vulnerable to committing ethical foibles and to face an ethical misconduct perpetrated by staff and managers. Even the most well intentioned marketers do face the possibility of taking steps that appear to be ethical on the surface, but are in fact replete with ethical scandals and repercussions, giving way to infamy and legal hassles (Andreasan, 2001). So there exists a dire need to identify the possible risks and chances of misconduct inherent in the marketing operations. At the same time there must exist an attitude of ethical propriety and a commensurate infrastructure within organizations to challenge the ethical misconduct as it springs up, rather than covering up or hiding ethical scandals (Andreasan, 2001). ... The purpose of this paper is to delve on the existing and emerging definitions of marketing and the way they cater to the scope and need for an ethical conduct in the marketing operations. The paper also delves on the ways and means in which the marketers can quantify and evaluate the ethical conduct in the strategies adopted by them. Origins of Marketing Traditionally speaking, marketing is associated primarily with trade or exchange. To put it in simple words, marketing in a way existed since the time mankind learnt to or managed to produce a surplus (Bartels, 1976). Again in a historical context, in the beginning, the generated surplus existed in the form of agricultural produce that was mostly exchanged or bartered for manufactured goods like pottery or textiles (Bartels, 1976). Eventually this exchange of goods got centred on certain specific locations that eventually evolved into what is today known as markets. The concept of trade, as it evolved, allowed and stimulated people to specialize in the production of specific goods and services that they could take to markets to exchange with goods and services required by them (Bartels, 1976). The concept of trade got further transformed with the onset of Industrial Revolution. The economies started to rely less on agricultural produce and the emphasis gradually begin to shift towards industrial production (Bartels, 1976). In the pre Industrial Revolution era, the goods and services were produced on a small scale. However, industrialization resulted in a tremendous boost in productivity due to the mechanization of production operations (Bartels 1976). As a result of these developments, the producers were placed in a position

The Invasion of Kuwait in 1990 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Invasion of Kuwait in 1990 - Essay Example The essence and purpose of this essay is to analyze how the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq has affected the relationship between these two countries to date. To achieve this goal, the researcher of the essay analyzes several different oficial and unofficial reasons for the invasion, the results of the war, and the United States factor in the invasion discussed. In addition, several reasons were advanced by Iraq to justify the invasion which was contrary to international law, and article 2(4) of the UN Charter which forbids the use or the threat of use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another country. The official reason that was discussed in the essay and advanced by Iraq is that it was invading at the request of revolutionaries who were dissatisfied with the regime. However, the researcher mentiones that the real reasons for the attack behind it were conspicuous and were revealed later, for example by Saddam Hussein during his interrog ation by the FBI. The researcher analyzes the consequences of the war and discusses how the Invasion affected Kuwait-Iraq relationship today. In conclusion the researcher states that the Iraq invasion of Kuwait had serious repercussion on the relationship between the two countries. It not only strained its relationship with Kuwait, but also major superpowers. However, following the removal of Saddam Hussein from power, the relationship between the two countries are slowly normalizing again.... Therefore, Iraq sent officials to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other gulf member countries to convince them to fix the price of oil. The OPEC member states finally agreed at a price, but which the Kuwait said would not honor, and Kuwait was throughout violating their quota. Consequently, this gave rise diplomatic and economic disputes between these two countries (Gulfnews, 2009). Secondly, the other issue related to debts that Kuwait had advanced to Iraq to fund the war with Iran. At the end of the war, Iraq could not repay the debt that amounted to $14 billion. Hence, Iraq approached Iran to forgive the debt, a request which Kuwait rejected. This compromised the other avenue that Iraq could use to secure funds to help in rebuilding, that is through securing loans. This is because the amounts extended had already been registered as loans, and therefore Iraq could not secure loans from third states. Iraq argued that the word ‘loan’ had been used to disguise the real nature of such funding to Iran. Iraq was of the view that these amounts were not loans but free grants to aid in the fight against Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini which was threatening to overran the whole Arab region. The failure to forgive these debts acerbated the tension between these two countries (Gulfnews, 2009). The other reason advanced by Iraq, was the accusation that Kuwait was ‘stealing’ oil across their international border through slant-drilling especially in Rumaila oil fields. The oil field borders the two countries and during the Iraq-Iran war, while Iraq had cut materially production of oil from Rumaila oil fields, Kuwait increased its production in the same area. Iraq accused Kuwait of employing advanced drilling methods to its oil. It argued that Kuwait had