Lockheed Martin Exercise Essay

Question 1: The Lockheed Martin website gives the impression that this company strives to make ethics a top priority among its employees. Lockheed has successfully integrated marketing ethics throughout its corporate culture by instituting mandatory ethics training sessions. The company requires that employees make every effort to attend in-person training; however Lockheed makes online training available to those who are unable to attend to live training. This ensures that each and every employee has the opportunity to attend the ethics training session. In addition to having training sessions and requiring employees to acknowledge their completion of the course, Lockheed also has a clearly defined code of conduct, and the company expressly states its vision and values. The message of â€Å"doing what’s right,† respecting others, and doing the very best job possible are often repeated on the corporate website. The website also lists numerous additional links and resources for employees’ use. Question 2: The current ethical minute series does seem like it would be effective in establishing an ethical culture because the videos present realistic scenarios. First, the videos describe the ethical issue along with potential consequences. Next, the characters experience a conflict in the workplace, and they must decide whether they should follow the company’s procedure and possibly face negative consequences, or simply let the incident go unreported. The video shows the characters as they go through a thought process that is very similar to the way a real Lockheed employee might react. Overall, the video series appears to be effective because it presents ethical issues to employees in a way that is informative, entertaining, and the many employees will likely understand and relate to the message that is being delivered. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Question 1: R. J Reynolds must make many considerations when formulating a marketing strategy. The company’s website indicates that the information that has been released on health risks related to tobacco use is a large concern. The website seems to reflect that the company feels obligated to state that individuals who have ceased using tobacco and those who have never started should avoid tobacco products. There is also a statement that minors should not use tobacco under any circumstances (including exposure to secondhand smoke) and that tobacco is harmful and no tobacco product has been deemed safe. The company also states that individuals should rely on statements by the Surgeon General and the CDC when making decisions about tobacco use. These statements reflect pressure from governmental agencies and outside groups to inform the public about the serious health risks that are associated with tobacco. The company also mentions that tobacco use should be allowed in adult venues. This indicates that the company feels that recent trends in smoking regulation are unfair and far too strict and are counterproductive to the business interests of tobacco companies. Question 2: R. J. Reynolds Company has used the negative impact that increased health concerns have had on the company to portray itself as a morally and socially responsible. Not only does the website convey information about health risks, but the company also uses changes in smoking regulation laws as a basis to encourage political activism, as stated on the Smoker’s Rights page. The media page also shows that the company has made large donations to community causes. These actions serve to portray the tobacco company as socially responsible and positive, though the company sells a product that has a negative impact on health and has consequently come under fire as a result.