MKTG 550: BUSINESS/MARKETING ETHICS
Dr. Michael R. Hyman
307A Guthrie Hall
Office Phone: 646-5238
e-mail: mhyman@nmsu.edu
Date Drafted: September 10, 1996
COURSE OBJECTIVES
MKTG 550 is an elective MBA course. Unlike
many other MBA courses, there are no core works to read nor
exercises to complete; thus, MKTG 550 can be adapted each
semester to suit the needs and preferences of the students who
enroll in it.
During the first regularly-scheduled class,
the students and the instructor will agree to read a subset of
the works listed in this syllabus under the heading Instructor-Recommended
Reading Assignments. The typical reading
assignment for each week will range from 100 to 150 pages.
The two fixed objectives for this course
are:
(1) to expose students to ethical
argumentation, and
(2) to encourage students to examine
ethical issues in business.
COURSE GRADE
Course flexibility extends to the criteria
used to assign a course grade. Students may opt to complete one
or more of the following assignments:
(1) a term paper,
(2) short weekly essays (i.e., three to
five typed pages) on the readings for each week,
(3) teaching two or more classes (which
includes identifying the topic, selecting the readings, and
leading the class discussion), and
(4) one in-class final exam and one or more
take-home exams.
By the third week of class, all students
and the instructor will agree on a grade contract tailored to
each student. This contract will specify the assignments each
student will complete and the relative importance of assignment
grades to each student's final grade.
Regardless of the aforementioned assignment(s)
selected, class participation (both quantity and quality) is an
important criteria for assigning grades (i.e., weighted at least
35 percent). Each student should be prepared to discuss the
readings assigned each week.
STUDENT-SELECTED READING ASSIGNMENTS
Business Autobiography
For one class during the semester (or two
classes if enrollment exceeds ten students), each student will
select and read a business autobiography of personal interest (e.g.,
Dave's Wayby Dave Thomas, Confessions of an SOB
by Al Neuharth, Going for It by Victor Kiam). The
assignment: identify and be prepared to discuss ethically
problematic decisions/behaviors or ethical dilemmas described in
the autobiography.
Internet Search
For one class during the semester (or two
classes if enrollment exceeds ten students), each student will
discuss material on business ethics found on the WWW. You can
begin your search from the business ethics site(s) listed on my
WWW home page.
INSTRUCTOR-RECOMMENDED READING ASSIGNMENTS
Ethical Reasoning/Introduction to Business Ethics
Books (entire)
Bellah, Robert N., Richard Madsen, William
M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton (1991), The
Good Society. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
Bok, Sisella (1978), Lying: Moral
Choice in Public and Private Life. New York, NY: Pantheon
Books.
Curtler, Hugh Mercer (1993), Ethical
Argument: Critical Thinking in Ethics. New York, NY: Paragon
House. (paperback ISBN 1-55778-513-9)
Damer, T. Edward (second edition or later).
Attacking Faculty Reasoning. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Publishing Co. (paperback ISBN 0-534-07614-9)
Fukuyama, Francis (1995), Trust: The
Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity. New York, NY:
Free Press Paperbacks. (paperback ISBN 0-684-82525-2)
Lewis, Hunter (1991), A Question of
Values: Six Ways We Make the Personal Choices That Shape Our
Lives. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins. (paperback ISBN 0-06-250532-7)
Lasch, Christopher (1995), The Revolt
of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy. New York, NY: W.W.
Norton & Company. (paperback ISBN 0-393-31371-9)
O'Toole, James (1993), The Executive's
Compass: Business and the Good Society. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press. (paperback ISBN 0-19-509644-4)
Singer, Peter (1995), How Are We to
Live? Ethics in an Age of Self-Interest. Amherst, NY:
Prometheus Books. (paperback ISBN 0-87975-966-6)
Treviņo, Linda K. and Katherine A. Nelson
(1995), Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To
do It Right. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (paperback
ISBN 0-471-59848-8)
Books (selected pages)
Frederick, William C. (1995), Values,
Nature, and Culture in the American Corporation. New York,
NY: Oxford University Press, 5-26, 209-244.
Halberstam, Joshua (1993), Everyday
Ethics: Inspired Solutions to Real-Life Dilemmas. New York,
NY: Penguin Books, 167-183.
Kidder, Rushworth M. (1995), How Good
People Make Tough Choices. New York, NY: William Morrow and
Company, Inc., pp.77-92, 109-150, 177-193. (paperback ISBN 1-55994-895-7)
Michalos, Alex C. (1995), A Pragmatic
Approach to Business Ethics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, 8-59.
Rescher, Nicholas (1987), Ethical
Idealism: An Inquiry into the Nature and Function of Ideals.
Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 130-144.
Schwartz, Barry (1995), The Costs of
Living: How Market Freedom Erodes the Best Things in Life.
New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, pp.26-54.
Articles
Cua, Antonio S. (1974), "Dignity of
Persons and Styles of Life," in New Dynamics in Ethical
Thinking (McLean, ed.). Lancaster, PA: Concorde Publishing
Company, 56-65.
Donaldson, Thomas J. and R. Edward Freeman
(eds.) (1994), Business as a Humanity. New York: Oxford
University Press, pp.11-26, 33-41, 45-87.
Macdonald, James E. and Caryn L. Beck-Dudley
(1994), "Are Deontology and Teleology Mutually Exclusive?"
Journal of Business Ethics, 13, 615-623.
Nagel, Thomas (1995), Other Minds:
Critical Essays 1969-1994. New York: Oxford University
Press, pp.137-149.
Quinton, Anthony (1973), Utilitarian
Ethics. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, pp.1-10, 27-81.
Rachels, James (1988), "Can Ethics
Provide Answers?" in Applied Ethics and Ethical Theory(Rosenthal
and Shehadi, eds.). Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press,
3-24.
Stark, Andrew (1993), "What's the
Matter with Business Ethics?" Harvard Business Review,
(May-June), 38-40, 43, 44, 46, 48.
Szasz, Thomas S. (1968), "The Mental
Health Ethic," in Ethics and Society: Original Essays on
Contemporary Moral Problems (de George, ed.). London:
Macmillan, 85-110.
Psychology of Business Ethics
Books
Branden, Nathaniel (1996), Taking
Responsibility: Self-Reliance and the Accountable Life. New
York, NY: Simon & Schuster, pp.39-56, 167-221.
Articles
Bhide, Amar and Howard H. Stevenson (1990),
"Why Be Honest if Honesty Doesn't Pay," Harvard
Business Review, (September-October), 121-129.
Capen, Richard G. Jr. (1990), "Ethical
Values: Trust Cannot be Legislated," Vital Speeches,
56, 685-687.
Ellen, Pam Scholder, Joshua Lyle Winer, and
Cathy Cobb-Walgren (1991), "The Role of Perceived Consumer
Effectiveness in Motivating Environmentally Conscious Behaviors,"
Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 10 (Fall), 102-117.
Fritzsche, David J. (1995), "Personal
Values: Potential Keys to Ethical Decision Making," Journal
of Business Ethics, 14, 909-922.
Muncy, James A. and Scott J. Vitell (1992),
"Consumer Ethics: An Investigation of the Ethical Beliefs of
the Final Consumer," Journal of Business Research,
24, 297-311.
Snell, Robin (1995), "Does Lower-Stage
Ethical Reasoning Emerge in More Familiar Context?" Journal
of Business Ethics, 14, 959-976.
Vitell, Scott J. and Stephen J. Grove (1987),
"Marketing Ethics and the Techniques of Neutralization,"
Journal of Business Ethics, 6, 433-438.
Ethical Codes
Articles
Hyman, Michael R., Robert Skipper, and
Richard Tansey (1990), "Ethical Codes Are Not Enough," Business
Horizons, 33 (March-April), 15-22.
O'Boyle, Edward J. and Lyndon E. Dawson, Jr.
(1992), "The American Marketing Association Code of Ethics:
Instructions for Marketers," Journal of Business Ethics,
11, 921-932.
Economics/Ecology/Green Marketing
Books
Hawken, Paul (1994), The Ecology of
Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. HarperBusiness (Harper
Collins). (paperback ISBN 0-088730-704-3)
Etzioni, Amitai (1988). The Moral
Dimension: Toward a New Economics. New York, NY: The Free
Press.
Heilbroner, Robert L. (1985), The
Nature and Logic of Capitalism. New York, NY: W.W. Norton
& Company, pp.53-77, 107-140.
Piderit, John J., S.J. (1993), The
Ethical Foundations of Economics. Washington, DC: Georgetown
University Press, 202-227.
Articles
Dutton, Gail (1996), "Green
Partnerships," American Management Association,
January, 24-28.
Mooney, Christopher P. (1992), "Property
Rights and the Environment," in Ethics and the
Environment (Hart, ed.). New York, NY: University Press of
America, 29-43.
Mundt, JoNel and Franklin S. Houston (1996),
"Externalities and the Calculation of Exchange Outcomes,"
Journal of Macromarketing, 16 (Spring), 73-88.
Reilly, B.J. and M.J. Kyj (1990), "Economics
and Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, 9, 691-698.
Shirk, Evelyn (1992), "New Dimensions
in Ethics: Ethics and the Environment," in Ethics and
the Environment (Hart, ed.). New York, NY: University Press
of America, 1-11.
Tansey, Richard R., Michael R. Hyman,
Richard S. Jacobs, and Lynn Merrill (1995), "Eradicating the
Pesticide Problem in Latin America," Business and
Society Review, 93 (Spring), 55-59.
Zinkhan, George M. and Les Carlson (1995),
"Green Advertising and the Reluctant Consumer," Journal
of Advertising, 24 (Summer), 1-6.
Corporate Social Responsibility
General
Carson, Thomas (1995), "Friedman's
Theory of Corporate Social Responsibility," Business and
Professional Ethics Journal, 12 (1), 3-32.
Clark, J. Maurice (1916), "The
Changing Basis of Economic Responsibility," The Journal
of Political Economy, 24 (March), 209-229.
Friedman, Milton (1962). Capitalism and
Freedom. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, pp.1-21.
Friedman, Milton (1970), "The Social
Responsibility of Business is to Increase It's Profits," New
York Times Magazine, 13 September, 33, 122-126.
Collins, Marylyn (1995), "Corporate
Philanthropy-Potential Threat or Opportunity?" Business
Ethics: A European Review, 4 (April), 102-108.
Gollner, Andrew B. (1983), "The
Boundaries of Corporate Social Involvement," in Social
Change and Corporate Strategies. Stamford, CT: Issue Action
Publications, pp.83-103.
L'Etang, Jacquie (1995), "Ethical
Corporate Social Responsibility: A Framework for Managers," Journal
of Business Ethics, 14, 125-132.
Zenisek, Thomas J. (1979), "Corporate
Social Responsibility: A Conceptualization Based on
Organizational Literature," Academy of Management Review,
4 (3), 359-368.
Entine, Jon (1994), "Shattered Image,"
Business Ethics, September-October, 23-28.
Gifford, Bill (1993), "Too Much of a
Good Thing," Business Ethics, November-December, 21-24.
Giroux, Henry A. (1994), "Consuming
Social Change: The 'United Colors of Benetton'," Cultural
Critique, Winter, 5-32.
Rosin, Hanna (1995), "The Evil Empire,"
The New Republic, September, 22-25.
Freeman, R. Edward, Daniel R. Gilbert Jr.,
and Edwin Hartman (1988), "Values and Foundations of
Strategic Management," Journal of Business Ethics,
7, 821-834.
Marketing
Abratt, Russell and Diane Sacks (1988),
"The Marketing Challenge: Towards Being Profitable and
Socially Responsible," Journal of Business Ethics,
7, 497-507.
Andreasen, Alan R. (1994), "Social
Marketing: Its Definition and Domain," Journal of Public
Policy and Marketing, 13 (Spring), 108-114.
Goldberg, Marvin (1995), "Social
Marketing: Are We Fiddling While Rome Burns?" Journal of
Consumer Psychology, 4(4), 347-370.
Kyj, Myroslaw J. and Bernard J. Reilly (1988),
"Marketing, Social Responsibility and Ethics: The Search for
Compatibility," in 1988 AMA Winter Educators' Conference
Proceedings (Shapiro and Walle, eds.). Chicago, IL: American
Marketing Association, pp.176-180.
Petty, Richard E. and John T. Cacioppo (1996),
"Guest Editorial: Addressing Disturbing and Disturbed
Consumer Behavior: Is It Necessary to Change the Way We Conduct
Behavioral Science?" Journal of Marketing Research,
33 (February), 1-8.
Ethics: Theories in Marketing
Articles
Duke, Charles R., Gregory M. Pickett,
Stephen J. Grove, and Les Carlson (1993), "The Effects-Reasoning
Matrix: A Tool for Broadening Ethics Sensitivity," Journal
of Marketing Education, (Fall), 20-31.
Fennell, Geraldine (1987), "Prolegomenon:
Marketing, Ethics, and Quality-of-Life," in Marketing
and the Quality-of-Life Interface (Samli, ed.). New York, NY:
Quorum Books, 67-111.
Ferrell, O.C. and Larry G. Gresham (1985),
"A Contingency Framework for Understanding Ethical Decision
Making in Marketing," Journal of Marketing, 49 (Summer),
87-96.
Ferrell, O.C., Larry G. Gresham, and John
Fraedrich (1989), "A Synthesis of Ethical Decision Models
for Marketing," Journal of Macromarketing, 9 (Fall),
55-64.
Gundlach, Gregory T. and Patrick E. Murphy
(1993), "Ethical and Legal Foundations of Relational
Marketing Exchanges," Journal of Marketing, 57 (October),
35-46.
Hunt, Shelby D. and Scott Vitell (1986),
"A General Theory of Marketing Ethics," 6 (Spring), 5-16.
Hunt, Shelby D., Van R. Wood, and Lawrence
B. Chonko (1989), "Corporate Ethical Values and
Organizational Commitment in Marketing," Journal of
Marketing, 53 (July), 79-90.
Laczniak, Gene R. (1993), "Marketing
Ethics: Onward Toward Greater Expectations," Journal of
Public Policy and Marketing, 12 (Spring), 91-96.
Lusch, Robert F., Stephen W. Brown, and
Gary J. Brunswick (1992), "A General Framework for
Explaining Internal vs. External Exchange," Journal of
the Academy of Marketing Science, 20 (Spring), 119-134.
Mascarenhas, Oswald A. J. (1995), "Exonerating
Unethical Marketing Executive Behaviors: A Diagnostic Framework,"
Journal of Marketing, 59 (April), 43-57.
Robin, Donald P. and R. Eric Reidenbach (1993),
"Searching for a Place to Stand: Toward an Workable Ethical
Philosophy for Marketing," Journal of Public Policy and
Marketing, 12 (Spring), 97-105.
Thompson, Craig J. (1995), "A
Contextualist Proposal for the Conceptualization and Study of
Marketing Ethics," Journal of Public Policy &
Marketing, 14 (Fall), 177-191.
Tsalikis, John and David J. Fritzsche (1989),
"Business Ethics: A Literature Review with a Focus on
Marketing Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, 8,
695-743.
Williams, Oliver F. and Patrick E. Murphy (1990),
"The Ethics of Virtue: A Moral Theory for Marketing," Journal
of Macromarketing, 10 (Spring), 19-29.
Privacy/Direct Marketing/Internet
Books
Burstein, Daniel and David Kline (1995), Road
Warriors: Dreams and Nightmares along the Information Highway.
New York, NY: Dutton, 317-360.
Larson, Erik (1992), The Naked Consumer:
How Our Private Lives Become Public Commodities. New York,
NY: Penguin Books. (paperback ISBN 0 14 02.3303 2)
Articles
Bessen, Jim (1993), "Riding the
Marketing Information Wave," Harvard Business Review,
(September-October), 150-160.
Cespedes, Frank V. and H. Jeff Smith (1993),
"Database Marketing: New Rules for Policy and Practice,"
Sloan Management Review, (Summer), 7-21.
Foxman, Ellen R. and Paula Kilcoyne (1993),
"Information Technology, Marketing Practice, and Consumer
Privacy: Ethical Issues," Journal of Public Policy and
Marketing, 12 (Spring), 106-119.
Advertising/Public Relations
Books
Stauber, John C. and Sheldon Rampton (1995),
Toxic Sludge is Good for You: Lies, Damn Lies and the Public
Relations Industry. Monroe, ME: Common courage Press, pp.5-16,
25-32, 47-64, 77-98, 123-142, 179-196.
Twitchell, James B. (1996), ADCULT USA:
The Triumph of Advertising in American Culture. New York, NY:
Columbia University Press, Chapters 1, 5.
Articles
Davis, Joel J. (1993), "Strategies for
Environmental Advertising," Journal of Consumer
Marketing, 10 (2), 19-36.
Duke, Charles R., Gregory M. Pickett, Les
Carlson, and Stephen J. Grove (1993), "A Method for
Evaluating the Ethics of Fear Appeals," Journal of
Public Policy and Marketing, 12 (Spring), 120-129.
Green, Michael K. (1993), "Images of
Native Americans in Advertising: Some Moral Issues," Journal
of Business Ethics, 12, 323-330.
Hyman, Michael R. (1990), "Advertising
Ethics: Not An Oxymoron," The World & I, (December),
545-559.
Hyman, Michael R. (1990), "Deception
in Advertising: A Proposed Complex of Definitions for
Researchers, Lawyers, and Regulators," International
Journal of Advertising," 9, 259-270.
Hyman, Michael R. and Richard Tansey (1990),
"The Ethics of Psychoactive Ads," Journal of
Business Ethics, 9, 105-114.
Kilbourne, William E. (1995), "Green
Advertising: Salvation or Oxymoron?" Journal of
Advertising, 24 (Summer), 7-19.
Jacoby, Jacob and Constance Small (1975),
"The FDA Approach to Defining Misleading Advertising," Journal
of Marketing, 39 (October), 65-73.
Patzer, Gordon L. (1988), "Ethics of
Marketing Strategy That Exploits and Promulgates the Physical
Attractiveness Phenomena," in 1988 AMA Winter Educators'
Conference (Shapiro and Walle, eds.). Chicago, IL: American
Marketing Association, 207-211.
Patzer, Gordon L. (1988), "Use of the
Physical Attractiveness Phenomena in Political Campaigns: A
Marketing Strategy and a Social Responsibility," in 1988
AMA Winter Educators' Conference (Shapiro and Walle, eds.).
Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association, 212-217.
Preston, Ivan L. (1976), "A Comment on
'Defining Misleading Advertising' and 'Deception in Advertising',"
Journal of Marketing, 40 (July), 54-60.
Personal Selling/Sales Management
Articles
Business Week (1995), "Can
You Trust Your Broker?" (February 20), 70-76.
Ebejer, James M. and Michael J. Morden (1988),
"Paternalism in the Marketplace: Should a Salesman Be His
Buyer's Keeper?" Journal of Business Ethics, 7, 337-339.
Royal, Weld F. (1995), "Scapegoat or
Scoundrel?" Sales & Marketing Management, (January),
62-69.
Trawick, I Fredrick Jr., and John E. Swan (1988),
"How Salespeople Err with Purchasers: Overstepping Ethical
Bounds," Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing,
3 (Summer), 5-11.
Weeks, William A. and Jacques Nantel (1992),
"Corporate Codes of Ethics and Sales Force Behavior: A Case
Study," Journal of Business Ethics, 11, 753-760.
Wotruba, Thomas R. (1990), "A
Comprehensive Framework for the Analysis of Ethical Behavior,
with a Focus on Sales Organizations," Journal of
Personal Selling & Sales Management, 10 (Spring), 29-42.
Cross-Cultural Differences
Articles
Kohls, John and Paul Buller (1994), "Resolving
Cross-cultural Ethical Conflict: Exploring Alternative
Strategies," Journal of Business Ethics, 13 (January),
31-38.
McDonald, Gael M. (1995), "Common
Myths about Business Ethics: Perspectives from Hong Kong," Business
Ethics: A European Review, 4 (April), 64-69.
Wines, William A. and Nancy K. Napier (1992),
"Toward an Understanding of Cross-Cultural Ethics: A
Tentative Model," Journal of Business Ethics, 11,
831-841.
Empirical Research in Business Ethics
Books
Wolfe, Alan (1989), Whose Keeper?
Social Science and Moral Obligation. Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press. (paperback ISBN 0-520-06551-4)
Articles
(Note: This is a very truncated list. I
will provide more articles if this topic proves of interest.)
Bain, William A. (1995), "FOCUS:
Ethical Problems in Ethics Research," Business Ethics: A
European Review, 4 (January), 13-16.
Brady, F. Neil and Mary Jo Hatch (1992),
"General Causal Models in Business Ethics: An Essay on
Colliding Research Traditions," Journal of Business
Ethics, 11, 307-315.
Brigley, Stephen (1995), "FOCUS:
Business Ethics Research: A Cultural Perspective," Business
Ethics: A European Perspective, 4 (January), 17-23.
Collier, Jane (1995), "FOCUS: Business
Ethics Research: Shaping the Agenda," Business Ethics: A
European Review, 4 (January), 6-12.
Chonko, Lawrence B., John F. Tanner, Jr.,
and William A Weeks, "Ethics in Salesperson Decision Making:
A Synthesis of Research Approaches and an Extension of the
Scenario Method," Journal of Personal Selling &
Sales Management, 16 (Winter), 35-52.
Ford, Robert C. and Woodrow D. Richardson (1994),
"Ethical Decision Making: A Review of the Empirical
Literature," Journal of Business Ethics, 13, 205-221.
Randall, D.M. and A.M. Gibson (1990),
"Methodology in Business Ethics Research: A Review and
Critical Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics 9,
457-471.
Miscellaneous
Articles
Higginson, Richard (1995), "FOCUS:
Moral Responsibilities to Competitors," Business Ethics:
A European Review, 4 (October), 212-218.
Karwacki, Judy and Colin Boyd (1995),
"Ethics and Ecotourism," Business Ethics: A
European Review, 4 (October), 225-232.
Mitchell, Russell and Michael Oneal (1994),
"Managing by Values: Is Levi Strauss' Approach Visionary-Or
Flaky?" Business Week, 1 August, 46-52.
Stainer, Alan and Lorice Stainer (1995),
"FOCUS: Is It Ethical to Compete on Ethics?" Business
Ethics: A European Review, 4 (October), 219-224
News Articles
Anonymous (1996), "Cancer Society's
Deal to Sell Its Name Sparks Protests," Marketing News,
23 September, 5.
Davidson, Kirk (1995), "Does
Competition Have to Be All or Nothing?" Marketing News,
4 December, 9.
Dvorak, John C. (1996), "Software
Dumping," PC Magazine, 24 September, 87.
Eaton, Bob (1996), "No Joking Matter,"
Newsweek, 23 September, 20.
Halverson, Elizabeth Tranel (1996), "Saying
'No' to Fund-Raisers," Newsweek, 20 May, 14.
Cases
Gottschalk, Jack (ed.) (1995), Crisis Response: Inside Stories on Managing Image Under Siege. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc.
(1) Oil Wars: Pennzoil versus Texaco (by Thomas C. Powell, pp.91-105)
(2) Meltdown on Three Mile Island (by Richard C. Hyde, pp.107-121)
(3) Repeal Gibson's Law (re: consumer
crises, by Peter S. McCue, pp.229-249)
Videotapes
PBS (1987) Ethics in the USA: Corporate Takeovers (1 hour)