International marketing ethics, globalization and social responsibility affected each other.

Increased globalization gave rise to a lot of problems, including ethical and social responsibility at home and abroad . Multinationals can impact upon communities in very diverse places. First, they look to establish or contract operations (production, service and sales) in countries and regions where they can exploit cheaper labor and resources. While this can mean additional wealth flowing into those communities, this form of 'globalization' entails significant inequalities. It can also mean large scale unemployment in those communities where those industries were previously located. The wages paid in the new settings can be minimal, and worker's rights and conditions poor.

during the past 55 years, technological improvements in transportation, communication and information processing and the Internet have made big contributions to the development of countries. To manage this trend fairly, it is recommendable to create universal ethical norms, rules and regulations.

In recent years, owing to the globalization of markets and production processes, an ever increasing number of marketers and entrepreneur and business manager have to deal with ethics and social responsibility issues in cross-cultural settings. It is assumed that local conditions of markets may be different, but some global markets, ethics and social responsibility principles should be applicable to all markets. It is proposed that a uniform code of ethics and social responsibility should be created by WTO and UN organizations to solve diverse cultural differences to arrive at cooperative strategies in markets.

Social responsibility affects people on so many different levels. In publicly owned corporations, boards of directors dictate overall objectives to executives, which run the day-to-day business. Its important for stockholders, who own pieces of these companies, to know that these executives are running the company in an honest and ethical way. They want to know that said individuals are making the best possible choices on their behalf and not on their own personal agendas. Also, from a consumer point of view, consumers want to know that companies really care about them and providing for their needs, not just making a profit. Further, as these companies pay more attention to social responsibility, they take into consideration production and operations. They consider the effects of their work on the environment and how they can provide more socially responsible means of developing and distributing products. Social responsibility benefits everyone all around. Social responsibility is an important area of business for all individuals within an organization and the organization itself. Further, it carries over to the public. Without this principle, more corruption would find its way into the business realm. Companies should seek to promote social responsibility in every way possible.

The problem of business ethics is infinitely more complex in international marketplace, because value judgments differ widely among culturally diverse groups. That which is commonly accepted as right on one country may be completely unacceptable in another. Giving business gifts of high value, for example, is generally condemned in the United States, but in many countries of the world gifts are not only accepted but also expected. Upon examination of existing ethical frameworks in the field of international marketing from a macro marketing perspective, it is argued that marketers cannot always rely on universally accepted ethical norms, such as hyper norms or core values that have been suggested by a deluge of marketing literature.

Major International Marketing Ethical Problems can be : Traditional Small Scale Bribery- involves the payment of small sums of money, typically to a foreign official in exchange for him/her violating some official duty or responsibility or to speed routine government actions. Large Scale Bribery- a relatively large payment intended to allow a violation of the law or designed to influence policy directly or indirectly (eg, political contribution).

Gifts/Favors/Entertainment- includes a range of items such as: lavish physical gifts, call girls, opportunities for personal travel at the company`s expense, gifts received after the completion of transaction and other extravagant expensive entertainment. Pricing includes unfair differential pricing, questionable invoicing where the buyer requests a written invoice showing a price other than the actual price paid, pricing to force out local competition, dumping products at prices well below that in the home country, pricing practices that are illegal in the home country but legal in host country (eg, price fixing agreements).

Illegal/Immoral Activities in the Host Country practices such as: polluting the environment, maintaining unsafe working conditions; product/technology copying where protection of patents, trademarks or copyrights has not been enforced and short weighting overseas shipments so as to charge a country a phantom weight. Questionable Commissions to Channel Members unreasonably large commissions of fees paid to channel members, such as sales agents, middlemen, consultants, dealers and importers.

Cultural Differences between cultures involving potential misunderstandings related to the traditional requirements of the exchange process (e.g., transactions) may be regarded by one culture as bribes but be acceptable business practices in another culture. These practices include: gifts, monetary payments, favors, entertainment and political contributions. Involvement in Political Affairs- related to the combination of marketing activities and politics including the following: the exertion of political influence by multinationals, engaging in marketing activities when either home or host countries are at war or illegal technology transfers.

international ethical problems can be solved by: a. Do not direct intentional harm. b. Respect the rights of employees and of all others affected by one`s actions or policies. c. To the extent consistent with ethical norms, respect the local culture and work with and not against it. e. Multinationals should pay their fair share of taxes and cooperate with the local governments in developing equitable laws and other back ground institutions.

P&G :Thanks to P&G Hope Schools, a program in partnership with the China Youth Development Foundation, children now have better access to education in poverty-stricken rural areas of China. P&G Hope Schools have benefited over 150,000 children across China in the last 15 years, and over 5,000 P&G China employees have actively supported its program activities.

NOKIA:-Electronic products such as cell phones impact the environment both during production and after their useful life when they are discarded and turned into electronic waste. Nokia is listed in Greenpaces Guide to Greener Electronics that scores leading electronics manufacturers according to their policies on sustainability, climate and energy and how green their products are. In November 2011 Nokia ranked 3rd out of 15 listed electronics companies, falling two places due to its weaker performance on the Energy criteria and scoring.

Nestle - One of the largest food manufacturers in the world, in 2009 Nestle instituted "The Cocoa Plan" in an effort to encourage sustainability, labor rights and fair trade in the cocoa industry. The Cocoa Plan is Nestls way of helping to tackle key issues facing cocoa farmers, their families and communities in order to create a better future for cocoa farming. It covers all aspects of a cocoa beans journey, starting with farmers and ending with you, the consumer. Their vision is to help cocoa farmers run profitable farms, respect the environment, have a good quality of life and for their children to benefit from an education and see cocoa farming as a respectable profession.

marketing a product in Brazil may require a different approach than marketing the product in Australia or Malaysia. Managing U.S. Workers might require different skills than managing Japanese workers; maintaining close relations with a particular level of government may be very important in The Republic of China and irrelevant in Germany. As a global firm, sometimes, it is impossible to advertise a standardized advertising message in different countries. Because of differences in cultural and and legal environments, for instance, it is illegal to use any comparative advertising in Germany. Advertising on television is strictly controlled in many countries, e.g., in Kuwait, the government controlled TV network allows only 32 minutes of advertising per day, in the evening.

In order to compete in the international environment, firms can use four basic entry strategies: an international strategy, a multi-domestic strategy, a global strategy, transnational strategy.

Firms pursuing an international strategy transfer the skills and products derived from distinctive competencies to foreign markets, while undertaking some limited local customization. Firms pursuing a multi-domestic strategy customize their product offering, marketing strategy, and business strategy to national conditions.

Firms pursuing a global strategy focus on reaping the cost reductions that come from experience curve effects and location economies. Finally, firms pursuing a transnational strategy involve a simultaneous focus on reducing costs, transferring skills and products, and boosting local responsiveness. Implementing this strategy is very difficult because of simultaneous pressures coming from cost reductions and local responsiveness.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) asserts that as globalization has progressed, living conditions have improved significantly in virtually all countries. However, the strongest gains have been made by the advanced countries and only some of developing countries. That the income gap between high-income and low-income countries has grown wider is a matter for concern. And the number of the world`s citizens in abject poverty is deeply disturbing. But it is wrong to jump to the conclusion that globalization has caused the divergence, or that nothing can be done to improve the situation.

As more money is poured in to developing countries, there is a greater chance for the people in those countries to economically succeed and increase their standard of living. Global competition encourages creativity and innovation and keeps prices for commodities/services in check. Developing countries are able to reap the benefits of current technology without undergoing many of the growing pains associated with development of these technologies. Governments are able to better work together towards common goals now that there is an advantage in cooperation, an improved ability to interact and coordinate, and a global awareness of issues. There is a greater access to foreign culture in the form of movies, music, food, clothing, and more. In short, the world has more choices.

Outsourcing, while it provides jobs to a population in one country, takes away those jobs from another country, leaving many without opportunities. Although different cultures from around the world are able to interact, they begin to meld, and the contours and individuality of each begin to fade. There may be a greater chance of disease spreading worldwide, as well as invasive species that could prove devastating in nonnative ecosystems. There is little international regulation, an unfortunate fact that could have dire consequences for the safety of people and the environment. Large Western-driven organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank make it easy for a developing country to obtain a loan. However, a Western-focus is often applied to a non-Western situation, resulting in failed progress.

There is a heated debate about the true effects of globalization and if it really is such a good thing. Good or bad, though, there isn't much argument as to whether or not it is happening. It is accepted that globalization is an unavoidable process and will progress forever. All business that firms desire to compete successfully in international environment, should obey to legal and ethical rules and regulations. To behave in an ethically and socially responsible way should be a hallmark of every marketer`s behavior, domestic or international. It requires little thought for most of us to know the socially responsible or ethically correct response to questions about breaking the law, destroying the environment, denying someone his or her rights, taking unfair advantage, or behaving in a manner that would bring bodily harm or damage.

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