Answer the following question, then reply to 1 classmate’s thread.
Comment on the following statement: "
."
Additional information:
A company should produce and sell any
product as long as there is a market for it
"It [the wood] is man's fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he
kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol
and bows down to it" (Isaiah 44:15–17, NIV).
"The facts about smoking...
Cigarettes cause cancer. Smoking is the number one cause of deaths due to
lung cancer, emphysema, and other serious diseases.
For every person who dies of smoking-related illness, 20 more suffer from a
chronic disease due to smoking.
Smoking doesn’t just hurt you. Second-hand smoke from your cigarettes is a
serious danger to your children, family, and friends" (www.ffsonline.org).
"Alcohol Facts: Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are
fermented, a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into
alcohol. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner or antiseptic; however the
kind of alcohol that people drink is ethanol, which is a sedative. When alcohol is consumed,
it's absorbed into a person's bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system
(the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Alcohol actually blocks
some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person's perceptions,
emotions, movement, vision, and hearing" (www.abovetheinfluence.com).
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I believe the sentiment and statement that “a company should produce and sell any product as
long as there is a market for it” can be a very controversial statement. I believe there are
arguments to be made on both sides, and would differ tremendously based on the beliefs and
values of the individual. As Christians, I believe we are called to have a different view on things in
our life and in this world. We are called “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created
to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24, The New International
Version) Living in line with this command, in a business setting, our primary concern should not
simply be what would be most beneficial for a business, but be based on what God would view as
more important.
Just as John Wesley had been quoted in the talk by Jeff Duzer in last week’s discussion
assignment, we are called to first, “do no harm.” This above all else, should be the first criteria in
any decision making, whether business or otherwise. So, for a company deciding whether or not
they should produce and sell product XYZ, the first question should not be whether there is a
market for it. Rather, the first question should be, will this product do harm? “Business exists in
order to produce goods and services that would enable the community to flourish.” That was a
quote from Jeff Duzer’s talk we listened to last week and makes it very clear that the market,
whether or not it exists, should not solely dictate the choice of goods and services a business
offers.
Obviously, however, the question of whether there is a market or not does need to be addressed.
No matter how good a new product offering may be to the people, if there is no market and no
demand, it would be an unwise decision for a company to embark on production and sales.
Taking the facts and information provided in the prompt provides a perfect example of the
conflict the statement could cause. Obviously, looking at the numbers, the market is most
certainly there for cigarettes and alcohol and growing, with the cigarette global market estimated
to grow to over $1 trillion by 2027 (GrandViewResearch, 2020) and the alcohol market
estimated to grow to over $1.6 trillion by 2025 (Prasannan, 2018). Based purely on market size,
it would seem like an obvious decision that a company should produce and sell cigarettes and
alcohol, not considering the competition or other factors. However, when taking into account the
effects not only directly but also indirectly (second hand smoke and also actions that result from
excessive alcohol consumption), the decision would have to be strongly reconsidered.
GrandViewResearch (2020, May). Tobacco Market Size Worth $1.08 Trillion By 2027 | CAGR:
3.1%. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-tobacco-market
RedeemerCFW (2012, May 18). Jeff Van Duzer - Why Business Matters to God [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=3&v=h3m0q2d8Dq4&feature=emb_title
Prasannan, Akhila (2018, September). Alcoholic Beverages Market Overview. Allied Market
Research. https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/alcoholic-beverages-market#:~:text=Alcoholic
%20Beverages%20Market%20Overview%3A,2.0%25%20from%202018%20to%202025.
I agree for with the statement that "A company should produce and sell any product as long as
there is a market for it." As long as the product is legal, I see no reason of why the product
should not be sold. The three examples given in the post are products that can be used in
harmful manners. However, the manner in which they are used is the choice of the consumer,
not the company.
The harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol products are well known by today’s society. I
have never met an adult that was not aware of the damage tobacco can have on the lungs and
alcohol has on the liver. The effects are well documented in the medical field and anti-tobacco
and alcohol campaigns have been pushed over the years to discourage the use of these products.
Phillip Morris has produced advertisements to discourage the use of tobacco by minors for many
years (Henrickson & Fortmann, 2002). Many alcohol commercials end with the phrase “please
enjoy responsibly.”
Both tobacco and alcohol can be used in ways that will not have harmful effects on the user.
Both products should not be used in excess or on a consistent basis. If a person buys and
consumes a couple drinks of alcohol a few times in a year in a responsible manner than it is
unlikely they will harm themselves or others. If someone chooses to smoke a “victory cigar”
whenever they achieve career milestone it is unlikely to harm them.
Any product that is produced can be used in a negative manner if someone has the wrong motive
for buying it. Wood is often used to build or create fire but can be used for immoral acts. A phone
or video camera could be used to record a child’s first steps or record someone being harmed.
Alcohol and tobacco can be used rarely and modestly to ensure that they are not
harmful to people. If a company demonstrates that they promote the safe use of a product then I
believe they should sell the product as long as there is a market for it.
I appreciate your post and your explanations for the position you take with this statement. I
wanted to address the points and arguments made in your last paragraph. I fully agree that with
just about anything and everything, there can be a positive as well as negative way of a product
being used. But a thought to consider: moving past that point, do you think the potential for good
vs bad consequences of use should be a more appropriate measure than simply looking at both a
good and bad way a product could be used? For instance, with tobacco, after the results of
medical research revealed the dangers of smoking, the US and European governments felt the
need to regulate tobacco advertising and even in their marketing, enforcing a requirement to have
health warnings on all their packaging (Jimenez & Pulos, 2012). For the government to involve
themselves like that, it indicates quite a high level of risk. When a product displays such high
potential and risk for negative use and consequences, would your position change at all? Your final
sentiment was interesting and made me think. I like the position you take there, that essentially if
a company decides to sell a product, controversial or not, they have a responsibility to only market
it for safe and good uses of it. But that’s certainly a big IF.
Jimenez, G.C., Pulos, E. (2012). Good Corporation, Bad Corporation: Corporate Social
Responsibility in the Global Economy. Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike.
https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/good-corporation-bad-corporation/chapter/6- marketing-
ethics-selling-controversial-products/
