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Instructions of QSO 321 6-2 Discussion
6-2 Discussion: Balancing Business and Customer Expectations
Customers are at the centre of every company, and therefore, it is important for businesses to be influenced by customer requests and pushes for different products, product features, or services. However, customers frequently do not consider people, planet, and profit when making requests. In this discussion, you will consider how businesses can influence their customers to consider ethical approaches to people, the planet, and profit.
In your initial discussion post, address the following questions:
- What are the positive and negative impacts of the “Amazon effect” on customers?
- As ethical concerns regarding business practices such as poor employee treatment, negative environmental impacts of production, and decreasing use of local storefronts are recognized, how much, if any, of the responsibility for these unethical practices falls to the customers, and how much, if any, falls to businesses?
In your replies to at least two peers, continue the discussion surrounding the influence and impact of customer demands. You may use the following questions to guide your response:
- How can organizations influence consumer behaviours and increase awareness of the value of the triple bottom line?
- How can an organization leverage its mission, vision, and values in its communications with customers?
- Should organizations ignore customers with unethical demands? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of doing so?
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE QSO 321 6-2 Discussion: Balancing Business and Customer Expectations
Introduction to QSO 321 6-2 Discussion
This How-To QSO 321 Guide will equip you with the analytical tools to assess and influence ethical consumer behaviors to solve QSO 321 6-2 Discussion post. This post revolves around your understanding of aligning business practices with the broader values of sustainability and social responsibility.
What are the positive and negative impacts of the “Amazon effect” on customers?
Understanding the “Amazon Effect”
To start QSO 321 6-2 Discussion: Balancing Business and Customer Expectations, we will discuss the Amazon Effect and its impacts.
- Positive Impacts: Briefly describe the benefits customers experience from the Amazon effect, such as convenience, variety, and potentially lower prices. Use examples to illustrate your points.
- Negative Impacts: Discuss the downsides, including potential harm to local businesses, environmental consequences of increased shipping, and the implications of aggressive competition on employee treatment.
Example
The “Amazon effect” has significantly altered consumer experiences, blending convenience with an unmatched variety of products at competitive prices. Customers now enjoy shopping from the comfort of their homes, accessing a vast selection that brick-and-mortar stores cannot match. This accessibility and speed of delivery have set new standards in customer expectations. However, this shift has drawbacks, notably affecting local businesses unable to compete with Amazon’s pricing and efficiency, leading to closures and economic shifts in local communities. Moreover, the environmental toll of increased shipping and packaging waste, alongside aggressive competition that often pressures employee working conditions, reflects the negative consequences of this phenomenon. While redefining retail, the Amazon effect prompts a complex balance between consumer convenience and broader socioeconomic impacts.
As ethical concerns regarding business practices such as poor employee treatment, negative environmental impacts of production, and decreasing use of local storefronts are recognized, how much, if any, of the responsibility for these unethical practices falls to the customers, and how much, if any, falls to businesses?
Assessing Ethical Responsibility
Now, we will assess the ethical responsibility of businesses.
- Customer vs. Business Responsibility: Analyze the division of ethical responsibility between customers and businesses.
- Consider factors like the awareness level of customers about the ethical implications of their purchases and the role of businesses in promoting ethical consumerism.
Example
The ethical responsibility for practices impacting employees, the environment, and local economies is shared between businesses and consumers. Businesses are responsible for deciding on operational practices, employee treatment, and environmental policies. They are pivotal in fostering sustainable and ethical consumerism through transparent practices and education about the implications of their operations. Conversely, consumers, equipped with varying levels of awareness, also hold responsibility. Their purchasing decisions can either endorse or challenge business practices. However, the onus is on businesses to guide and inform consumers, making ethical choices accessible and appealing. Thus, while consumers play a role in ethical consumption, companies have a more substantial impact on shaping these practices and should lead by example in promoting a more ethical marketplace.
Peer Responses
Responding to peers is one of the vital parts of the QSO 321 6-2 Discussion: Balancing Business and Customer Expectations discussion posts. We need to provide at least two peer responses. I will provide one example post. You can write your peer responses by keeping the below points in mind.
- Collaborate and Educate: Advocate for joint efforts between businesses and consumers to promote ethical practices through educational initiatives.
- Integrate Values in Communication: Encourage using a company’s mission, vision, and values in all customer interactions to foster ethical consumer behavior.
- Navigate Unethical Demands with Care: Consider the implications of refusing service to customers with unethical demands, focusing on education and dialogue to encourage a shift toward ethical practices.
Response 1
Great points about the role of businesses in ethical consumerism! I agree that organizations have a pivotal role in shaping consumer behaviors. They can guide consumers towards more ethical choices by embedding their commitment to the triple bottom line into every aspect of their business—from transparent marketing strategies to sustainable product development. Leveraging their mission and values in communication helps to educate customers about the impacts of their purchases, fostering a culture of responsibility. While ignoring customers with unethical demands is complex, it presents an opportunity for businesses to stand firm on their principles and possibly influence consumer values for the better, albeit with the risk of alienating some customers. Ultimately, the focus should be on education and dialogue to shift perspectives over time.
