Business and Professional Communication Ethics-chapter 10

The concept of Business and Professional Communication Ethics in chapter 10 speaks to some interesting nuances that happen within businesses. The book tells us that "each engagement of business and professional communication requires connection to the ongoing direction of a company". (181) Businesses need to look at things that can distinguish them and be utilized as a "differentiating attribute". (181) This will earn trust amongst consumers and give them an organizational identity that sets them apart from other companies that do the same thing, or sell the same product. This distinction can be looked at as the heart of the company. It can be something that people buy into, consumers and employees alike. The book tells us that this is an aspect of business that "in an age which virtue and value agreement is difficult and often impossible, it should not surprise us that a clear direction united with a willingness to engage change will both attract and repel given employees" (182) I feel that this will also affect consumers and illustrates a good point of public testing in this form of communication ethics from both inside and outside. An example of this shaping and differentiating a company within a real market is MAC Cosmetics. Viva Glam is a campaign that they do, selling specific lipsticks and glosses, promoted by celebrities that have been surrounded by controversy or over came some type of adversity or struggle. Every cent of these products goes to the MAC AIDS FUND and is distributed all over the world to help men, women, and children with HIV and AIDS. The money goes directly to organizations that supply food, birthday parties, condoms, clean needles, education, transportation to medical appointments, and the list goes on. They don't put money to research they put it directly into communities to help people at the source. This program is a "differentiating attribute" for their company and distinguishes them from all the other cosmetics companies out there that are selling the same kinds of products. This is not the slogan of the company(which also differentiates them), but if you were to ask any employee, this is the heart and soul of the company. It affects the company as a form of public testing because the employees need to be behind the cause to promote and sell this product instead of other alternatives and consumers need to be behind the cause to want to continue buying and supporting a company with this specific attribute. Do you think that companies, that find this specific of a "differentiating attribute", if the market requires moving in a different direction will be able to survive if they are shifting the heart and soul of their company?