ETHICAL ISSUES IN MARKETING: AN APPLICATION FOR UNDERSTANDING ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

Öz

In recent years business ethics and social responsibility have gained great importance in marketing practices, especially in societal marketing practices. Businesses infinitely struggle to indicate their contributions to society. Consumers consciously evaluate this contribution. Manipulated consumer choices and unethical marketing applications can affect purchasing behavior. Particularly intense competition, globalization and societal consciousness transform businesses into social organizations and lead them into marketing efforts offering social value. Although business ethics and social responsibility of businesses have gained more attention in recent years, defining consumers’ perceptions on ethical issues is still minimal. This study presents an empirical research of consumer perceptions on ethical issues. Reflection of this perception on purchasing behavior is also another important issue to be considered. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors related with ethical issues in marketing practices and to reveal possible influences of these factors on consumers’ ethical decision making. The main objective of the study is to find out consumers’ perceptions on businesses’ ethical issues such as misleading advertising, deceptive packaging and to reveal the impact of these issues on their ethical purchasing behavior or ethical decision making. It also reveals which criteria is more important for ethical decision making. This study reveals that consumers reflect their ethical perceptions on their purchasing behavior. Each ethical issue has been found to be a positive effect on purchasing behavior. Businesses’ practices on packaging has been indicated as the most effective ethical issue on purchasing behavior. The study is considered to be a significant outcome for businesses to direct their advertising, packaging and other activities

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Marketing Ethic, Social Responsibility, Purchasing Behavior

PAZARLAMADA ETİK KONULAR: ETİK KARAR ALMA ÜZERİNE BİR UYGULAMA

Öz

Son yıllarda işletme etiği ve sosyal sorumluluk kavramları pazarlama alanında özellikle de sosyal pazarlama faaliyetlerinde büyük önem kazanmıştır. İşletmeler, topluma yönelik çabalarını göstermek için büyük bir uğraş vermektedirler. Tüketiciler ise söz konusu çabaları ve katkıları bilinçli olarak değerlendirmektedirler. Manipüle edilmiş tüketici tercihleri ve etik olmayan pazarlama uygulamaları, tüketicilerin satın alma davranışını etkileyebilmektedir. Özellikle yoğun rekabet, küreselleşme ve sosyal bilinçlenme, işletmeleri birer sosyal örgüt konumuna dönüştürmekte ve sosyal değer sunan pazarlama çabalarına öncülük etmektedir. Son yılarda işletmelerin etik ve sosyal sorumlulukları önem kazanmasına rağmen, tüketicilerin etik konular ile ilgili algılarını tanımlamak konusunda eksiklikler söz konusudur. Bu çalışma, tüketicilerin etik konular ile ilgili algılarını deneysel bir şekilde sunmaktadır. Söz konusu algının, satın alma davranışına yansıması ise düşünülmesi gereken bir diğer önemli unsurdur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, işletmenin pazarlama faaliyetlerinde, etik konusu ile ilgili olabilecek faktörleri belirterek, söz konusu faktörlerin tüketicilerin etik karar verme sürecindeki olası etkilerini ortaya koymaktır. Tüketicilerin aldatıcı (yanıltıcı) reklam, aldatıcı paketleme, gibi konularda algılarını öğrenmek ve bu meselelerin onların satın alma davranışlarında ya da etik karar verme süreçlerinde etkisini tespit etmek amaçlanmaktadır. Çalışma aynı zamanda hangi unsurun etik karar vermede daha önemli olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışmanın sonucunda tüketicilerin etik konulara yönelik algılarını, satın alma davranışlarına yansıttıkları ortaya çıkmaktadır. Her bir etik meselenin satın alma davranışı üzerinde pozitif bir etkisi söz konusudur. İşletmelerin paketleme faaliyetleri konusundaki uygulamaları satın alma davranışı üzerinde en etkili unsur olmaktadır. Çalışmanın işletmelere reklam, paketleme, çevreyi ve tüketiciyi önemseme gibi konularda yol gösterebileceği düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Pazarlama Etiği, Sosyal Sorumluluk, Satın Alma Davranışı

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