Why Not All Companies Are Viewed as Equal

Running head: NOT ALL COMPANIES ARE VIEWED AS EQUAL 1 

Not All Companies Are Viewed as Equal 

In the world of business, numerous moral issues have an impact on the consumers. Based on morality or justice theory, businesses have ethical responsibilities towards clients. They have to ensure clients get the goods they have paid for, and in the process, they should not be harmed. In that sense, this study focuses on the way the alcohol industry have an ethical responsibility to protect the consumers. It serves as an advocate for the consumer that the alcohol industry has a responsibility of ensuring their goods are not harmful and not unfairly targeted. 

Role Capitalism Plays in Corporate Decision Making 

When it comes to making of decisions in the corporate world, capitalism plays a role in terms of quantity and quality of services and goods consumers get. In most cases, large companies end up taking the lion share when it comes to the market. In the case of alcohol industry, their decisions rely heavily on the capitalistic surrounding. In that sense, they determine their practices of doing business based on taxes or regulations passed by the government (Murphy & Enderle, 2015). The decisions can be positive or negative to the consumer. In the case alcohol industry, taxes being revised upwards mean the consumers will have to spend more to get the product. In that case, the alcohol industry will have to make a decision on the best price for their products, without exploiting the consumer. Although the government has the best interest of the consumers at heart, they may perceive the move as exploitative. In the same vein, tough government regulations will affect decision making in the alcohol industry and obviously, the consumer will be affected (Murphy & Enderle, 2015). 

Company Cater to Both its Best Interest and that of the Consumer Conjointly 

Although alcohol companies appear as if they cater to both their interests and that of the consumers, it is not always the case. In most cases, the interests of the alcohol company prevail. Although alcohol companies tend to appear as if concerned with the health of the consumer, they are always in the fore-front influencing politicians and lawmakers to bend policies to their advantage (Murphy & Enderle, 2015). They interfere with regulations governing marketing of alcohol, and in the end, they expose under-age children to their products. According to a research conducted by Deakin University, it was revealed that, alcohol industry apply techniques to oppose regulations that protect under-age children (Murphy & Enderle, 2015). They claim that, their products are legal, and people are practicing self-regulation. Such a move compromises their efforts mostly seen in their marketing advertisements warning that alcohol is harmful to individuals below eighteen years. In that sense, it becomes clear that, alcohol companies are only interested in protecting their interests and not that of the consumers (Murphy & Enderle, 2015). 

Application of Kantian Ethical Theory in Guiding Ethical Business Decision Making 

Based on Kantian ethical theory, it argues that, a business product should strive to boost the moral development of consumers. In the same vein, the product in question should offer respect to humanity (Louden, 2011). In its case, alcohol is not prevalent with providing self-respect to the consumers. Although it provides pleasure to the consumers, it denies them the much needed respect to guarantee them self-respect (Louden, 2011). For that reason, Kant deems such a product as evil and morally flawed. Kantian theory supports the moral law that goes hand in hand with human reasoning, without which it becomes unacceptable. Alcohol industry manufactures products that interfere with human reasoning, thereby making it unacceptable (Louden, 2011). 

References 

Louden, R. B. (2011). Kant's Human Being:Essays on His Theory of Human Nature. Oxford University Press. 

Murphy, P. & Enderle, G. (2015). (Ed) Ethical Innovation in Business and the Economy. New York, NY: Edward Elgar Publishing