business ethics

1. Identify a particular advertising campaign, either in magazines, on tv, or on the internet. Make sure it is a propaganda advertising campaign, per the definition given in the propaganda advertising notes posted on Moodle. Please do not use any campaign featuring a celebrity, sports figure, or "personality"; and make sure the campaign you choose is a commercial campaign, and not a political or a non-profit campaign for some cause. Finally, please do not use any of the advertising campaigns we have discussed in class. Select one particular ad from the campaign you’ve identified, and provide an analysis of that ad. This analysis should identify each of the three key elements on a propaganda ad, as given in the Moodle notes. For the first two elements (symbol and meaning), your analysis should be detailed and in-depth, like the analyses we conducted in class of Clairol and Marlboro ads.

2. Based on your own ideas, experience, or research, describe two real-life cases from the world of business. These should be cases in which you think it is very difficult to decide what the right thing to do is for some individual person. Now put yourself in that person’s position, and describe the details of each case in no more than two paragraphs. STEP 1: Then, for each case, itemize the ethical pro’s and con’s, and explain each one. Then explain which of these ethical considerations should take priority, in your judgment, and why. STEP 2: Then, for each case, taking your own self-interest into consideration, would you choose to do the ethical thing, as you have defined it in this case? Why or why not? Be sure to include an explanation of your approach to the idea of integrity as part of your answer here.

3. What philosophy of social justice is in your judgment the most reasonable one? Keeping in mind the definition of a “philosophy of social justice”, give an explanation of exactly what sorts of rules your chosen philosophy would support. Explain what makes this philosophy the most appropriate one, in your judgment.

Propaganda advertising is just what the name implies: essentially it is a form of propaganda. It tries to draw on symbolic details (usually visual) that are already entrenched in the culture, and that have some important meaning to us (=needs, wants, values, fantasies, or prejudices). It then tries to attach some product to those powerful symbolic details, so that the meaning of these symbols (=the associated needs, wants, values, fantasies, or prejudices) are now connected to that product.

1. There are several key moments in the development of propaganda advertising:
A. the Nazi’s development of propaganda, most notably Leni Riefenstahl’s notorious film about the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremburg, “Triumph of the Will”
B. Marlboro Man campaign
C. the development of the Clairol ad campaigns by Shirley Polykoff, beginning in 1956 (as documented in Malcolm Gladwell’s piece, “True Colors”)

2. Propaganda advertising seeks to influence consumers by
A. presenting symbolic details that evoke a strong emotional response because they
(i) have deep cultural meaning. (To fully understand any symbolic detail, always ask what underlying meaning it symbolizes. E.g. welcoming, available female sexuality is what is symbolized by the various features of the original St. Pauli girl advertisements. The symbolic details are those features that are used to represent this underlying idea.)
(ii) i.e., they have strong desires, emotions, values, fantasies attached to them

B.  and then attempting to tie the product to these emotionally-significant symbols. (the banner across the bottom of the ad, the familiarity that comes from persistent use of the same or similar “girls” over time)
C. notice how resistant the power of this approach may be to critical reflection: effective propaganda advertising is not like a magic trick (its glamour is not dispelled by a critical understanding of the trick—this is why deception or misinformation is not necessarily an essential component of propaganda advertising. This is also what distinguishes propaganda advertising from subliminal advertising.)
?Axe commercials—an illustration: It’s not a belief that the Axe commercials connect with, but a value, or, perhaps a deeply-seated desire, or a combination of these two things. At least in the dominant culture here (and perhaps in many cultures), the “ego-ideal” that many men have is that they are or should be irresistibly-attractive to women. This isn’t simply a matter of sexual desire, is it? It’s a matter of wanting to be “powerful”, and defining power in terms of sexual irresistibility. The Axe commercials play out a fantasy for men who have this ego-ideal, namely, that they could, almost magically, make themselves irresistible simply by (this is the key for the ad) using a certain product. Just because the men in question know this is a fantasy doesn’t make it any the less powerful. In fact, seeing the fantasy played out can be a very powerful way of tying the product to the ego-ideal in question. What are the symbolic details in the Axe commercials that convey this ego-ideal of sexual irresistibility?

?two questions to test your understanding of what propaganda advertising:
(a) is any advertisement that appeals to emotion therefore a form of propaganda advertising? (HINT: think about the “save the children” advertisements)
(b) does all propaganda advertising necessarily emphasize “materialistic” values over “spiritual” ones?

Business Ethics
Order Description
The two companies are The Childrens Defense Fund as the non profit and AIrbnb as the for profit company.
Scenario:
You are an ethnographic researcher writing an article for a popular organizational behavior research journal. Your purpose is to identify key problems related to business ethics in a Not-for-Profit and For- Profit organization. In this potential article please complete the following activities:
Outline the company profile of the not for profit company you chose to analyze (consult the week #2 journal for the information you should include). Explain the ethical dilemma that it faced or is currently facing. Analyze the way that it responded to this ethical dilemma and outline the legal, social, or political outcomes that emerged after the actions were taken..
Outline the company profile of the for profit company you chose to analyze (consult the week #2 journal for the information you should include). Explain the ethical dilemma that it faced or is currently facing. Analyze the way that it responded to this ethical dilemma and outline the legal, social, or political outcomes that emerged after the actions were taken.
In part three of your paper, please provide your personal reflections on the ethical actions that were taken in relation to the problem. Evaluate those actions from your own ethical standpoint. Use these questions to inspire your analysis: Did the company respond in a morally responsible way? Did the company respond in a morally irresponsible way? Did the company create the ethical dilemma or was the dilemma the outcome of an unforeseen force? Could the company have done more? Who was responsible for the problem and how could it have been prevented?
Remember that when you analyze something you should present logical reasoning and factual evidence to support your position. Do not merely answer these questions using simplistic yes and no answers. Instead, you should always support your position with logical argumentation and evidence that explains why you believe what you believe.
In part 4 of your paper please create a critique of the actions of these companies based on two of the philosophical theories that you studied earlier in the course (deontology, utilitarianism, egoism, virtue ethics, moral relativism). Determine which moral theory the company appears to be abiding by in relation to this issue. Explain the attributes of the decision that make you believe that this is the ethical perspective of the company. If you agree with the ethical theory of the company, explain why this is the best ethical position on the issue. If you do not, explain which ethical position would be better to utilize in this situation and why you believe that this position is better. Here are some sample questions to guide your thinking:
Which ethical theory did the company use in making its decision? Was it the best? Why or why not?
Which ethical theory should the company have used? Why?
What is the ideal relationship between bad or suffering and profit?
What does it mean to run an ethical business?
What is the best way for a company to maintain its competitive edge and contribute to overall good or happiness in relation to its workers and customers?
Logistics and Length Requirements
Your paper needs to be 10 double-spaced pages, not counting the cover page and the reference list. You papers should abide by APA requirements. You must use at least ten scholarly sources, six of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar. Here is a breakdown of the page length requirements you should abide by as you complete this project.

Part 1: 3 pages
Part 2: 3 pages
Part 3: 2 pages (one for each company)
Part 4: 2 pages (one for each company)
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:

Must be at least ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title page and reference list), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least ten scholarly resources, including a minimum of six from the Ashford Online Library.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Business Ethics
Order Description
The two companies are The Childrens Defense Fund as the non profit and AIrbnb as the for profit company.
Scenario:
You are an ethnographic researcher writing an article for a popular organizational behavior research journal. Your purpose is to identify key problems related to business ethics in a Not-for-Profit and For- Profit organization. In this potential article please complete the following activities:
Outline the company profile of the not for profit company you chose to analyze (consult the week #2 journal for the information you should include). Explain the ethical dilemma that it faced or is currently facing. Analyze the way that it responded to this ethical dilemma and outline the legal, social, or political outcomes that emerged after the actions were taken..
Outline the company profile of the for profit company you chose to analyze (consult the week #2 journal for the information you should include). Explain the ethical dilemma that it faced or is currently facing. Analyze the way that it responded to this ethical dilemma and outline the legal, social, or political outcomes that emerged after the actions were taken.
In part three of your paper, please provide your personal reflections on the ethical actions that were taken in relation to the problem. Evaluate those actions from your own ethical standpoint. Use these questions to inspire your analysis: Did the company respond in a morally responsible way? Did the company respond in a morally irresponsible way? Did the company create the ethical dilemma or was the dilemma the outcome of an unforeseen force? Could the company have done more? Who was responsible for the problem and how could it have been prevented?
Remember that when you analyze something you should present logical reasoning and factual evidence to support your position. Do not merely answer these questions using simplistic yes and no answers. Instead, you should always support your position with logical argumentation and evidence that explains why you believe what you believe.
In part 4 of your paper please create a critique of the actions of these companies based on two of the philosophical theories that you studied earlier in the course (deontology, utilitarianism, egoism, virtue ethics, moral relativism). Determine which moral theory the company appears to be abiding by in relation to this issue. Explain the attributes of the decision that make you believe that this is the ethical perspective of the company. If you agree with the ethical theory of the company, explain why this is the best ethical position on the issue. If you do not, explain which ethical position would be better to utilize in this situation and why you believe that this position is better. Here are some sample questions to guide your thinking:
Which ethical theory did the company use in making its decision? Was it the best? Why or why not?
Which ethical theory should the company have used? Why?
What is the ideal relationship between bad or suffering and profit?
What does it mean to run an ethical business?
What is the best way for a company to maintain its competitive edge and contribute to overall good or happiness in relation to its workers and customers?
Logistics and Length Requirements
Your paper needs to be 10 double-spaced pages, not counting the cover page and the reference list. You papers should abide by APA requirements. You must use at least ten scholarly sources, six of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar. Here is a breakdown of the page length requirements you should abide by as you complete this project.

Part 1: 3 pages
Part 2: 3 pages
Part 3: 2 pages (one for each company)
Part 4: 2 pages (one for each company)
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:

Must be at least ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title page and reference list), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least ten scholarly resources, including a minimum of six from the Ashford Online Library.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.