Marketing ethics and corporate social responsibility for a broader societal perspective

The issue of ethics in marketing continues to be a concern for marketing practitioners and researchers. Every business manager would probably agree that ethical implications are often inherent in marketing decisions. This fact has encouraged to turn to the topic of marketing ethics and to analyze the levels of marketing ethics. As an example of differences in the levels of marketing ethics in different countries, the situation in the old free market and in transition economies is compared. Because the analysis of marketing ethics adoption in the companies of transition economies still requires much research, the purposes of the paper are to present and define the levels on which decisions of marketing ethics are made by comparing the situation in transition and old free market economies, and to fill in the gap in the literature on marketing ethics in Lithuania by defining the main tendencies in the marketing ethics adaptation in this country.To attain the objectives of the paper, it presents the development of the theory of marketing ethics and a theoretical background of the levels of marketing ethics adaptation. The levels of marketing ethics are presented in the context of motivation theories and the corporate social responsibility. The paper will also provide scenarios according to which companies meet or should meet the questions pertaining to marketing ethics in the old market and transition economies.

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Developments in Marketing Ethics - Ethical MarketingP. E. Murphy, G. R. Laczniak, N. E. Bowie, and T. A. Klein Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005; 266 pp. ISBN 0-13-184814-3 - Marketing Ethics: Cases and ReadingsP. E. Murphy and G. R. Laczniak, eds. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006; 172 pp. ISBN 0-13-133088-8 - Advertising EthicsE. H. Spence and B. van Heekeren Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005; 140 pp. ISBN 0-13-094121-2 - Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the Most Good for Your Company and Your CauseP. Kotler and N. Lee Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2005; 307 pp.; ISBN 0-471-47611-0 (cloth)

Business Ethics Quarterly ◽

10.5840/beq200616335 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 427-439 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ronald Jeurissen ◽

Bert van de Ven

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Marketing Ethics ◽

Good For ◽

Corporate Social ◽

Ethics Cases

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Marketing’s Consequences: Stakeholder Marketing and Supply Chain Corporate Social Responsibility Issues

Business Ethics Quarterly ◽

10.5840/beq201020440 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 617-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

N. Craig Smith ◽

Guido Palazzo ◽

C. B. Bhattacharya

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Marketing Ethics ◽

Global Supply Chains ◽

Corporate Behavior ◽

Consumption Decisions ◽

Stakeholder Marketing ◽

Marketing Activities ◽

Corporate Social

ABSTRACT:While considerable attention has been given to the harm done to consumers by marketing, less attention has been given to the harm done by consumers as an indirect effect of marketing activities, particularly in regard to supply chains. The recent development of dramatically expanded global supply chains has resulted in social and environmental problems upstream that are attributable at least in part to downstream marketers and consumers. Marketers have responded mainly by using corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication to counter the critique of CSR practice, but these claims of ethical corporate behavior often lack credibility and can result in a backlash against brands. The article argues that more adequate attention to the harmful upstream effects of downstream marketing and consumption decisions requires greater attention to stakeholder marketing and marketer efforts to help create responsible consumers. It concludes by identifying implications for further research in this important emergent area of marketing ethics.

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