What's Your Mission
Statement
of Ethics
AMA
provides a detailed Statement of Ethics that they claim to follow and refer to
in every business decision. It is
important to have a clear and concise Statement of Ethics so employees of AMA
know what their social responsibilities are as a member of the organization.
Consumers are responsible for using and supporting businesses with strong
ethical values. Consumers should try inform themselves on the companies they
use and support to make sure that the organization has principles that do not
harm the environment, take advantage of the vulnerable and the organization is
proud of the product or service they are promoting.
Honesty
and Responsibility
An
honest and responsible company will keep their customers even if the service or
product fails. AMA defines honesty as “Honesty – to be forthright in dealings
with customers and stakeholders.”[1]
An honest company will keep their customers coming back because organizations
will stand by their products even if they fail and then take responsibility for
them. Responsibility does not stop at customer satisfaction for AMA.
Responsibility must do with the responsibility to their stakeholders,
environment, and vulnerable target markets are listed as responsibilities for
the organization. The environment is a topic many people look over because
usually they are not directly affected by the misuse of the environment by
corporations and organizations. The Australian e-waste is becoming a largely
overlooked problem because it is not happening on our front door, but it is the
companies responsibility to stop wrongly advertising their clean way of
disposing of e-waste and our responsibility as consumers to stop supporting and
using organizations who are not truthful to their ethical principles.
Transparency
AMA
defines transparency as “to create a spirit of openness in marketing
operations.”1 Organizations should all
have this for one of their ethical values. Organizations should be proud to let
customers, potential customers and stakeholders look into their operations and
see how they work. Corporations should not try to hide any part of their
procedures, if a corporation is reserved, closed off to the outside world the
company may be conducting their business unethically. Transparency allows the
customer to make a more informed decision about what they are putting their
money into. Transparency allows customers to have the full view of the company
and allows them to make more informed decisions and this can have a lot to do
with their purchasing decisions. The example of e-waste, one might use the
company but not know the repercussions of their decision to use this company.
After learning about the seemingly non-existent ethical decisions made by the
company a consumer will be willing to pay more and use a company that disposes
of e-waste safely and ethically.
Implementation
Implementing
these values into day-to-day and long-term business decisions are what
separates the ethical business from the non-ethical. A company can list all
these things and market to their consumers and stakeholders that they are a
honest and worthy company for their business but if the values are not followed
then they are misleading. Marketing to the community is only half the battle. A
company’s success is built on credibility, and once the credibility is lost it
is hard to gain the consumers trust and respect back. The example of the Toyota
recall, after they called the recall they lost many of their current customers
and even more potential customers. It has taken years for them to rebuild the
company name and reputation. Other companies, if they are not loyal,
trustworthy and creditable can lose a large portion of their market.
[1]
American Marketing Association. “About AMA – Statement of Ethics.” Accessed
September 24, 2014. https://www.ama.org/AboutAMA/Pages/Statement-of-Ethics.aspx
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