Some companies advertise their religious faith

Questions

Question 1
Some companies advertise their religious faith…… Why might they do this? Would this be
likely to make them better or worse businesses? Would it make them more or less
competitive? Discuss your ideas based on examples from the industry.
Question 2
Do you believe that some things, like blood or kidneys, should not be bought or sold?
Why, and what items do you think are market inalienable in this way?
Question 3
Can corporations really impose their values on people who do not wish to accept them?
Debate or argue based on relevant industrial examples using the concept of CSR..
Question 4
Choose a series of advertisements from a magazine or newspaper. Describe and criticize
them from an ethical standpoint. Use relevant ethical theories that you have learned.
Question 5
Although legally – not all information must be disclosed, should companies be obligated to
reveal the true nature of investor risk? Or are investors individually responsible for
determining such risk? Post your answer with explanation/justification.
Question 6
Could an ‘open-shop law’ infringe on individual autonomy by preventing people from
associating in the way that they wish? Or does it protect a person’s autonomy by making it
impossible for him/her to be coerced into directly or indirectly supporting a union? How is
this issue relate to the peculiar notion of freedom that libertarians endorse?

Answers

Question 1

Many companies have different organizational cultures. These cultures include the norms and beliefs that as embraced by the organization (Driskill, 2018). Religion is one of the most common organizational cultures which are used by many companies in both advertisement and other marketing techniques. Every company intends to gain a competitive advantage in their area of operation. Therefore, they try to use any means, which is likely to make them gain a market share.

The main reason why companies advertise their religious faith is to promote organizational culture. Both employees and management tend to follow a particular religion to suit the demands of the organizational culture. Religion is mostly used in the region, which is dominated by a specific religion.

For instance, companies that operate in Muslim countries, especially the Middle East, tend to advertise their religious faith. Consequently, companies that operate in Christianity dominated areas advertise their religious faith. Therefore, using religion in advertisement limits the company in a particular jurisdiction. Customers would not be pleased with the religion in which they do not have faith in.

In most cases, advertising of religion is likely to enable the company to be better in business. Ideally, consumers consider religious companies to be more trustworthy than non-religious companies. Notably, religions tend to preach ethical values to the community.

Such benefits include trust, love, harmony, and other virtues. Therefore, consumers perceive that such organizations do not engage in business malpractices such as corruption and oppression of the customers.

Since religion is most dominant in a certain geographical area, it would not be more useful for companies that intend to operate in many countries. It would not be easy for a Christian company to operate effectively in Muslim countries and vice versa. Research indicates that religious faith plays a crucial role in human behavior and choices.

Many consumers are likely to buy goods and services from a company that portrays a particular religious faith. However, companies operating in one region which is dominated by a specific religion may gain competitive advantage by incorporating the aspects of religious faith in their advertisements. Such a competitive advantage may only cover the particular region where the specific religion is embraced.

Question 2

In my opinion, things such as blood or kidney should not be bought or sold. According to the law of business transactions, goods and services should have a monetary value. Monetary value is always calculated using the production cost and other expenses incurred in the production. Ideally, blood and kidney do not have a monetary value.

There is no clear basis for determining the price of such things. According to the law of the market forces, both demand and supply affect the price of goods and services. There is no solid evidence that can be used to prove that the demand for blood or kidney has increased, so the prices should increase.

Things such as blood and kidney are only demanded in case of emergency. Such emergencies may include accidents or any illness which can affect the patient’s blood capacity or kidney. For an accident, the victims are likely to lose blood and even failure of one of the kidneys. In this regard, the hospital may lack adequate blood and kidney to help the victims in case of a large number.

Therefore, the hospital management is likely to call for assistance from well-wishers who would like to donate blood to help the victims. On such occasions, the hospital does not advertise that those who are willing would be paid. It is always an opportunity to help those who are in need.

Another reason why such goods should not be sold is the aspect of genetics and family orientation. Genetically, not every type of blood is compatible with the other. Blood is categorized into groups. Family members tend to have a similar blood group; hence a father can donate his blood to the son or daughter. Notably, blood cannot be added without confirmation of compatibility.

Family orientation is closely related to the transfer of the kidney. Therefore, it would not be easy to sell a kidney or blood to a family member. In this manner, all things that are aligned to human body parts should not be sold. Therefore, all human body parts should be market-inalienable.

Question 3

A company that portrays ethical values is likely to gain an excellent competitive advantage. Corporations should ensure that their stakeholders are satisfied. The community in which the business operates is one of the critical stakeholders. Both consumers and other community members should be satisfied through the values of the company.

For companies to achieve this satisfaction, they can use Community Social Responsibility techniques. In the contemporary world, many companies are employing different strategies as far as community social responsibility is concerned.

Companies encourage the improvement of education in the region where they operate. They do so through the provision of educational scholarships and bursaries to needy students. This is a form of advertisement which can enable the company to gain a competitive advantage.

On the other hand, the beneficiaries of the scholarships are likely to accept the organization, whether they intended to do so before or not. Additionally, other members of the community can also like the company due to its values.

Environmental protection is commonly used as a method of embracing community social responsibility. Apart from the environmental rules and regulations, corporations should develop strategic measures toward ecological protection.

Today, many companies are using solar panels and other clean energy to reduce air pollution. Such corporations are likely to attract many people who did not wish to accept them.

Question 4

Ethical practices involve setting principles and virtues in business. As far as the advertisement is concerned, companies should ensure excellent ethical standards. All advertisements should portray good virtues. In other world, ads should not offend other people. The following advertisements can be viewed from different ethical perspectives.