Author Question: Identify and discuss the many challenges of being ethical and socially responsible. Focus on ... (Read 97 times)

rmenurse · **on:** Jun 28, 2018

Identify and discuss the many challenges of being ethical and socially responsible. Focus on challenges at both the individual (employee) level and the managerial level.

Question 2

Brian is a salesperson for a payroll processing company. He has found that a few of his prospects raise objections even when it is clear that the solution he is presenting will work and is worth the price. The prospects feel comfortable with their current payroll processing systems, and are hesitant to adopt the new technique proposed by Brian. In this scenario, which of the following is most likely a reason the prospects raise objections?
A) The prospects want to avoid the sales interview.
B) The prospects fail to recognize a need.
C) The prospects lack information.
D) The prospects resist change.
E) The prospects believe the price is too high.

ricroger · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 28, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Although most consider the values of honesty, respect, and trust to be self-evident and universally accepted, business decisions involve complex and detailed discussions in which correctness may not be so apparent. Both employees and managers need experience within their specific industry to understand how to operate in gray areas or to handle close calls in evolving areas.

Individuals who have limited business experience often find themselves required to make sudden decisions about product quality, advertising, pricing, sales techniques, hiring practices, privacy, and pollution control. The personal values learned through socialization from family, religion, and school may not provide specific guidelines for these complex business decisions. In other words, a person's experiences and decisions at home, in school, and in the community may be quite different from the experiences and the decisions that he or she has to make at work. Moreover, the interests and values of individual employees may differ from those of the company in which they work, from industry standards, and from society in general. When personal values are inconsistent with the configuration of values held by the work group, the potential for ethical misconduct increases.

It is imperative that firms become familiar with many of the ethical and social issues that can occur in marketing so that these issues can be identified and resolved when they occur. Essentially, any time that an activity causes managers, employees, or customers in a target market to feel manipulated or cheated, an ethical issue exists regardless of the legality of the activity. Many ethical issues can develop into legal problems if they do not become addressed in the planning process. Once an issue has been identified, marketers must decide how to deal with it.

Answer to Question 2

D