M1 - Lesson 8
M1 - Lesson 8
Stealth marketing
How ethical is stealth marketing?
What makes it more or less ethical?
Stealth marketing = marketing efforts in disguise, such as product placement
minute
second
A manager tells the team nothing while knowing internally it’s three weeks behind.
Distorting information
Plagiarising
Witholding information
Violating privacy
An intern copies three paragraphs from a competitor’s report into a strategy memo without citation.
Distorting information
Plagiarising
Failing to consider negative consequences
Violating privacy
An HR assistant mentions a colleague’s ongoing performance review to a coworker at lunch.
Distorting information
Plagiarising
Failing to consider negative consequences
Violating privacy
A store manager posts a promo code publicly without checking whether it also accidentally applies to already-discounted clearance items.
Distorting information
Plagiarising
Failing to consider negative consequences
Violating privacy
A sales rep rounds a product’s satisfaction rate up from 61% to ‘over 75%’ in a pitch deck.
Distorting information
Plagiarising
Withholding information
Violating privacy
Five forms of unethical communication
Unethical communication:
withholding information
distorting information
plagiarising
failing to consider negative consequences
violating privacy
Dilemma vs lapse
What's the difference?
Dilemma vs lapse
Ethical dilemma = situation where alternatives aren't clear cut, each option has (near) equal merit
Ethical lapse = conscious, clearly unethical choice
Ethical dilemma or lapse?
A junior employee is asked by their manager to falsify a safety inspection date because the real one was missed.
Dilemma or lapse? Why?
minute
second
Check
Ask yourself:
Is my intention honourable and does it respect my audience?
Am I providing all the information needed for an informed decision?
Have I considered the impact on my audience and others?
Am I respecting the legal and moral rights of others?
Could a different approach create a more positive outcome?
Prepare & Present
Form groups (3 - 4)
Choose a case file
Present (+/- 5 min):
which forms of unethical communication occurred
whether it was a lapse or a dilemma and why
which of the five guiding questions would have changed the outcome
what the company should have done differently
Be ready to present NEXT CLASS