Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ethical dilemmas in marketing: A rationale

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Because of their visibility, marketers are often perceived by society as engaging in unethical or questionable behaviors. The marketing literature does not specifically provide an explanation for this dilemma. This paper suggests that there are three major reasons for this problem: fluctuating limits of consensus, ethnocentrism, and utilitarian economic analyses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barry, V.: 1979,Moral Issues in Business (Wadsworth Publishing Company, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp, T. L. and N. E. Bowie: 1979,Ethical Theory and Business (Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Beik, L. L. and S. L. Buzby: 1973, ‘Profitability Analysis by Market Segments’,Journal of Marketing 37 (July), 48–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coney, K. A. and J. H. Murphy: 1976, ‘Attitudes of Marketers Toward Ethical and Professional Marketing Research Practices’, inProceedings: Southern Marketing Association, H. W. Nash and D. P. Robins (ed.), 172–174.

  • Creswell, I. T.: 1979, ‘Ethics and the Consumer Interest’, inEthics and the Consumer Interest, N. M. Ackerman (ed.), American Council of Consumer Interests, 208–211.

  • Dunne, P. M. and H. I. Wolk: 1977, ‘Marketing Cost Analysis: A Modularized Approach’,Journal of Marketing 41 (July), 83–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubinsky, A. J., E. N. Berkowitz, and W. Rudelius: 1980, ‘Ethical Problems of Field Sales Personnel’,MSU Business Topics 28 (Summer), 11–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrell, O. C. and K. M. Weaver: 1978, ‘Ethical Beliefs of Marketing Managers’,Journal of Marketing 42, (July), 69–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerhold, P. E. J.: 1974, ‘Why We Need a Profession, and How to Get One’,Journal of Advertising Research 14 (October), 9–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guiltinan, P. J. and G. W. Paul: 1981,Marketing Management: Strategies and Programs (McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, D. I.: 1979, ‘The Impact of Sponsor Identification and Direct Disclosure on Respondent Rights on Quantity and Quality of Mail Survey Data’,Journal of Business 52 (4), 577–590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hise, R. T. and M. A. McGinnis: 1975, ‘Product Elimination: Practices, Policies, and Ethics’,Business Horizons 18 (June), 25–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, P.: 1980,Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, and Control (Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Krugman, D. M. and O. C. Ferrell: 1981, ‘The Organizational Ethics of Advertising: Corporate and Agency Views’,Journal of Advertising 10 (1), 21–30ff.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levitt, T.: 1977, ‘Corporate Responsibility: Taking Care of Business’,The American Spectator (November), 21–26.

  • Murphy, P. E. and E. V. Laczniak: 1981, ‘Marketing Ethics: A Review with Implications for Managers, Educators and Researchers’, inReview of Marketing 1981, B. M. Enis and K. J. Roering (eds.), (American Marketing Association, Chicago), 251–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, R.: 1970,Obligation (The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudelius, W. and R. A. Bucholz: 1979, ‘Ethical Problems of Purchasing Managers’,Harvard Business Review 57 (March–April), 8ff.

  • Van Horne, J. C.: 1980, ‘An Application of the Capital Asset Pricing Model to Divisional Required Returns’,Financial Management 9 (Spring), 14–19.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky, 40506, Lexington, KY, USA

    Paul J. Hensel & Alan J. Dubinsky

Authors
  1. Paul J. Hensel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alan J. Dubinsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dr Paul Hensel is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Kentucky. He received his Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Houston in 1982. He has published in Journal of Marketing Education, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Equal Opportunity International and Marketing Educator's Proceedings.Topics include marketing ethics, advertising effectiveness, and social responsibility in marketing.

Alan J. Dubinsky (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is a Visiting Associate Professor of Marketing in the School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He has served on the faculties of Southern Methodist University and the University of Kentucky. Prior to pusuing his graduate work, he was a territory manager for Burroughs Corporation. He has published widely in the areas of sales and sales management.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hensel, P.J., Dubinsky, A.J. Ethical dilemmas in marketing: A rationale. J Bus Ethics 5, 63–67 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02116145

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02116145

Keywords

Search

Navigation