In the contemporary society, it is ethical for consumers to hold a view that not all industries are equal since they all deal with different commodities. There exists a culture whereby individuals are inclined to consume products such as alcohol which are perceived to be unethical in the society especially when consumed in large amounts contrary to the idea that industries portray such commodities to be ethical for the sake of sustaining their businesses. Based on the utilitarian theory, this is unjustified since a business` moral decision is supposed to maximize utility for the highest number of consumers ( Magrys & Olmstead, 2015 ). Individuals also have the right to choose what they are going to consume regardless of whether it is harmful or not. It is, nevertheless, the Company`s obligation to notify the consumer of any harmful effects resulting from any of the products they consume. For instance, most of the alcoholic manufacturers consistently emphasize that excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to an individual`s health and should, therefore, not be held liable.
Become an advocate for either the consumer or the industry. Prepare an argument explaining the major reasons why you support either the consumer or the industry.
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I would support the consumer since I am also one. Most of the times, the unsuspecting consumer appears to be ingenuous in the hands of the producers. They end up turning a blind eye to the commodities that they are purchasing since they trust the manufacturer. The latter entity formulates compelling advertisements that would make even the worst of all products to appear appealing. They are mainly concerned about what they are likely to gain from the sale of their commodities without due consideration of the harm it is likely to cause to the consumer ( Magrys & Olmstead, 2015 ). Commodities such are alcohol are harmful to the consumer and also very addictive to the extent that individuals become dependent on the commodities as the Company continues to gain substantially.
Explain the role capitalism plays in corporate decision making.
Capitalism plays a significant role in decision making. This is due to the fact that many of the organizations come up with decisions that they are most likely to profit from. In a situation where a corporation ends up spending less than they sell, they are in a position to make great returns ( Traversy & Chaput, 2015 ). For a long duration, the alcoholic drinks Companies have had surplus which explains why they have been in a position to make a lot of profit. Besides, they have a large network of consumers who consume their products on a regular basis. In practical sense, most of these entities do not care about their customers` health ( Traversy & Chaput, 2015 ). Instead, they seek to gain from the sale of their commodity within the market. In a capitalist economy, the government is in charge of initiating price controls and other forms of regulations to restrict the sale and consumption of certain products. Also, the sellers determine the price that prevails within the market ( Traversy & Chaput, 2015 ).
Discuss if you believe it is possible for a company to cater to both its best interest and that of the consumer conjointly or if one always has to prevail. Justify your response.
It is practically impossible for an alcoholic drinks Company to cater to both its best interests and that of the consumer. This is due to the fact that if it focuses on the health of the customer, it will end up collapsing since this would restrict the sale of the products manufactured. The consumption of alcohol is dependent on the ignorance of the consumer on the harmful effects likely to be derived from such actions ( Magrys & Olmstead, 2015 ). It is addictive in nature and as a result, overindulgence is likely to keep the person hooked to the drink. Producers are well aware of this, and it is one of the ways they seek to gain from the business, since if the product was not addictive then this means they would have fewer customers and this could spell doom for them. Some Companies take up the responsibility of explaining the harmful effects of alcohol consumption, although they fail to overemphasize on this. They only do it because the law requires them to do so as a means of maintaining business ethics.
References
Magrys, S. A., & Olmstead, M. C. (2015). Acute stress increases voluntary consumption of alcohol in undergraduates. Alcohol and alcoholism , 50 (2), 213-218.
Traversy, G., & Chaput, J. P. (2015). Alcohol consumption and obesity: an update. Current obesity reports , 4 (1), 122-130.
