Ethical Behavior and the Development Paradigm

Marketplace ethical behaviour is quite difficult to practice because it stands at cross purposes with commercial objectives. Both companies and consumers look for short term benefits in preference over practices that are sustainable or planet friendly. The thinking that dominates development economics globally is to buy, use and throw. Companies like to launch new products all the time encouraging consumers to buy new and bigger models, packaged attractively, on which margins are higher, throwing away perfectly fine and working products. Ethical behaviour – whether it is sourcing of raw materials to paying workers adequately – entails additional costs and efforts. Modifying behaviour or inculcating long term thinking is not an easy task. This chapter looks at existing behaviour both of companies and consumers. It also describes ways in which business and government policy needs to change to encourage long-term thinking in society to change lifestyles across the board.