Business and Management INK

Where Are the Marketing Ethics Courses?

August 2, 2013 1471

Many of the challenges facing today’s businesses — such as advertising claims, consumer protection, and product quality — are marketing ethics issues. So why do so few university business programs offer standalone marketing ethics courses? In a study published in the Journal of Marketing Education, authors O. C. Ferrell of the University of New Mexico and Dawn L. Keig of Brenau University examine this problem, offer recommendations and explain why we need to start educating our future business leaders on marketing ethics:

It is important that students understand that marketing ethics is just not philanthropic activities, sustainability, and social responsibility. Although these are important topics, few companies engage in serious misconduct while trying to carry out these activities. On the other hand, marketing ethics and social responsibility are complementary concepts. Marketing ethics relates to decision making consistent with legal compliance, orJME(D)_72ppiRGB_150pixwganizational policies, and stakeholder relationships. Social responsibility relates to evaluations about contributions to the economic and social common good of society. Ethics becomes important as it is embedded in daily decisions related directly to functional areas of decision making.

Continue reading “The Marketing Ethics Course: Current State and Future Directions” in the Journal of Marketing Education.

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David Crookall

Nice article – needed. Ethics seems to have slipped in many areas, not just in marketing. Low or non-existent ethics in sustainability and climate change, for instance. Some hope for teaching ethics in business and marketing outlined in several articles in “Simulation & Gaming” http://sag.sagepub.com/. Fior example:
http://sag.sagepub.com/content/29/1/44.abstract
http://sag.sagepub.com/content/36/3/383.abstract
http://sag.sagepub.com/content/36/3/407.abstract