Business Ethics American Consumerism At Fault - 2176 Words

Gaby Santiago December 12, 2014 Business Ethics American Consumerism at Fault It’s irrefutable that the United States of America is the world’s foremost economic and political power. The combination of our country’s â€Å"Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 15.7 trillion dollars being almost a quarter of the total world’s GDP,†(Singh) coupled with being the leaders of the free world create an unparalleled nation. However, blinded by our convenient accessibility to everything and anything, we often forget that our consumer choices have repercussions to others across the globe. For many products, including apparel and food, we overconsume and underpay at the expense of the poor, our health and the environment. It’s time we, as a nation, shift†¦show more content†¦We don’t believe that our world has any limits. It’s part of what has been engrained into us as the American dream. We believe in limitless growth, wants, wealth, natural resources, energy and debts. In her piece, Toward a New Politics o f Consumption, Juliet Schor defines the conventional view of consumption. It assumes that individual consumers know best and will act in their own best interest, that no consumer policy is the best consumer policy, and that consumption is social (Schor). Conventional consumption is a problem because we unintentionally create a hell on earth and diminish ideals such as responsibility, accountability and neighborliness. It allows us to have wants and demand that they be instantly fulfilled. Our selfish desires are to blame for the systems in our world today that are responsible for the subjugations of humans in third world countries, the prominence of fast food restaurants and the availability of out of season produce in grocery stores across America. When thinking and acting like American consumers there are many ways to make better choices. Philosophers, like Wendell Berry, propose that to fix the problem we shift our ideas and create a world where we not only consider limits but also live within them. Moreover, Juliet Schor, in her alternative way of thinking, proposes some basic elements such as â€Å"a right to a decent standard of living, quality of life rather than quantity of stuff, and ecologically sustainableShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"Marketing, Consumerism, Materialism and Ethics: the Modern Marketing Conundrum†4276 Words   |  18 Pagesquality of the product was taken for granted by the customer and with competition heating up companies had to differ themselves from their competitors on the basis of quality of service. So the focus shifted from quality to service. Later the concept of ethics came into existence. Companies had to market their products in an ethical and responsible manner. This created more pressur e on the companies. To tackle this problem the companies had to resort to aggressive marketing strategies. Companies knew thatRead More Ecotourism in South American Countries Essay3767 Words   |  16 PagesEcotourism in South American Countries Synopsis: We are living in a world that tends to put developed nations against indigenous peoples. Foreign developers seeking cheap labor and natural resources on untouched lands are exploiting cultures that have survived for centuries on their own. South America is a continent that possesses rich indigenous culture that is still relatively untouched by outsiders. Americans have the ability to preserve that heritage through organized efforts to encourageRead MoreImpact of Consumer Protection Agencie in Nigeria15948 Words   |  64 Pagesall sorts of advertising messages, he is further confronted with other sharp practices of marketers such as deceptive advertising, high pressure selling, shoddy or unsafe products, planned obsolescence and arbitrary price increases. The Nigerian business environment is filled with so many corrupt and care free capitalists who care only about profit maximization and pay very little attention to customer satisfaction. Nearly every sector and industry tries to rip its customer of its hard earned moneyRead MoreGreen Marketing And Sustainability Strategies10066 Words   |  41 Pagesadequately adopting Green Marketing or sustainability strategies. Consumers on the other hand are aware that their purchasing affects the environment but are still not choosing to purchase more sustainable products. In many cases it is not the consumer’s fault they are not purchasing greener products, more so the responsibility belongs to the brands many of which have yet to adopt a good sustainable marketing strategy that works in meeting consumer needs on a product and emotional level. Green MarketingRead MoreBtec Level 3 in Business, Unit 1 the Business Environment18355 Words   |  74 PagesTask 1 Describe the type of business, purpose and ownership of 2 contrasting types of businesses. Sole Trader A sole trader is a business owned by 1 person. It does not have limited liability meaning that if it fails and creates debts the owner is personally responsible for this. Sole trader’s usually have to work long hours and learn about all the aspects of business as many start up businesses cannot afford to hire people to take on other tasks. The owner is responsible for everything that goesRead MoreAnalysis of Nike Inc.9194 Words   |  37 Pagesentire of Nike’s story is ideal. In recent years, the company has faced criticism in connection with its use of contract labor in developing nations. The purpose of this case is to provide an understanding of the company’s background, its general business strategy, and its use of contract labor. The Athletic Apparel and Footwear Industry The athletic apparel and footwear industry experienced steady growth for more than two decades, beginning in the early 1980’s. For example, theRead MoreTata Teleservices Ltd Internship Report13209 Words   |  53 PagesA SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROJECT REPORT ON A STUDY OF PROMOTION PRACTICE OF TTEB Prepared by:- Paghadar Sagar. PGP+MBA Stevens Business School Company Guide:- Mr. Chetan Gurjar Mobility Head Of (Gujarat) TATA Teleservices Ltd. College Guide:- Dr. Himani Joshi Acknowledgement:- In the realization of one’s objective man is not an independent identity. It is the combined efforts of the people from diverse circle. Keeping thisRead MoreThe Mind of a Marketing Manager26114 Words   |  105 PagesThinking: The mind of a marketing genius Thinking: The mind of a marketing genius * Where are the best opportunities for your business today? How do you stand out in crowded markets? How do you deliver the best solutions for customers, and the best returns to shareholders? * Where should you focus amidst this complexity? What is your competitive advantage? Which markets, brands, products and customers should you prioritize in order to maximize value creation? Read MoreManagement Control Systems Pdf115000 Words   |  460 PagesCybernetic Paradigm and the Control Process, Designing Management Controls, Control Process Hierarchy – Contingency Approach to Management Control Systems: The Need for the Contingency Approach – Strategy and Control Systems: Corporate Strategy, Business Unit Strategy Chapter 3: Designing Management Control Systems: Steps in Designing Management Control Systems: Choice of Controls, Tightness of Controls – Factors Influencing the Design of Management Control Systems: Managerial Styles and the DesignRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesmanagement 3.2. The Role of Marketing 3.3. Marketing concepts 3.4. The Marketing Mix (The 4 P s Of Marketing) 3.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Ethics in Marketing 4. Have you understood type questions 5. Summary 6. Exercises 7. References 1. INTRODUCTION: The apex body in United States of America for the Marketing functions, Am erican Marketing Association (AMA) defines marketing as â€Å"Marketing consists of those activities involved in the flow of goods and services from the point of production