Business Ethics Case Analysis

970 Words2 Pages

Business Ethics Case Analysis

Ethics and social responsibility in an industry are very important. In certain industries such as the alcohol industry there seems to be an increase for social responsibility. Due to the nature of the industry producers of alcohol are under greater pressure to be socially responsible. They are in a market that provides the basis for individuals struggling with addiction. Thanks to this growing problem alcohol companies may find it increasingly difficult to implement a social responsibility strategy.

A company with a social responsibility strategy considers five components. They apply actions to ensure the company has an ethical strategy and operates honorably and ethically. They implement actions to support charitable causes, participate in community service activities, and better the well-being of society. They try to protect and sustain the environment. Their actions should enhance employee well-being and make the company a great place to work. Their actions would also promote workforce diversity.

In some cases governments have taken the problem of social responsibility of alcohol advertising into their own hands. According to the paper “The decline of ethics or the failure of self-regulation? The case of alcohol advertising” the restrictions on alcohol advertising have increasingly been becoming an issue around the world. Some countries have imposed time and location limits on alcohol advertising. If alcohol producers in the industry incorporated self-regulation in an attempt to be more socialy responsible on their own it would provide some benefits. These benefits would include avoiding more burdensome government regulations.

In consideration of these components of a socially responsible...

... middle of paper ...

...d Freedman states that the problem of street alcoholics is far more complex than just the sale of the products. Therefore even the Wine or other alcohol providers that attempt to abandon the sales of these cheap high-proof alcohols will not fix the problem. Gallo’s attempts were following a socially responsible strategy, but in the end they didn’t prove to have the desired impact. Although that may be the socially responsible thing to do from a business standpoint the benefits are not worth the sacrifice.

It is very important for alcohol providers to have social responsibility in mind, but the actions required to be considered socially responsible may not always be the best approach. Alcohol providers must always keep in mind the impact that their product is going to have on the community, and if possible avoid any negative consequences of selling their product.

Open Document