Organisations operate in global markets characterised by cultural diversity, regulatory variation, digital transparency, and increasing societal expectations regarding responsible business conduct. In this environment, marketing decisions are subject to ethical scrutiny not only from regulators and industry bodies, but also from consumers, activists, investors, employees, and wider stakeholder communities. Ethical standards are not uniform: they vary across cultures, markets, professional groups, and social communities, often creating tensions, ambiguities, and competing expectations that directly influence marketing choices.

The course Global Perspectives in Marketing Ethics examines the ethical challenges that arise in contemporary international marketing decision-making. It explores how cultural norms, institutional frameworks, economic conditions, and technological developments shape divergent ethical standards and moral judgments across stakeholder groups. Students analyse how differences in values, power dynamics, and societal priorities influence perceptions of fairness, transparency, sustainability, and responsibility in areas such as branding, communications, data use, pricing, product development, and market targeting.

The course critically examines ethical pluralism and the tensions between global standardisation and local responsiveness. Particular attention is given to how ethical considerations are integrated into strategic marketing decisions under conditions of uncertainty, competitive pressure, and cross-cultural complexity.

Drawing on contemporary academic research, cross-national case analysis, and structured debate, students develop the analytical frameworks and decision-making skills required to identify ethical dilemmas, evaluate competing stakeholder claims, and justify marketing strategies in complex global environments.

Learning activities emphasise collaborative problem-solving and peer engagement. Collaborative learning activities will encourage students to debate, defend and refine strategic choices, supporting the development of independent judgement and critical thinking.

6 x 2 hour lectures

1 x 2 hour tutorials

1 x 6 hour company engagement (hosted externally)

None

None

1. Report; Individual; 1700 words; 100%; ILOs 1-3.

This course aims to:

■ Equip students to critically analyse the ethical dimensions of marketing in global contexts.

■ Develop the capability to navigate ethical ambiguity by evaluating competing stakeholder interests, recognising variations in ethical standards across cultures and markets, and integrating ethical reasoning into responsible and strategically informed marketing decision-making.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse ethical issues arising in global marketing contexts, recognising how cultural, institutional, and stakeholder differences shape divergent ethical standards and moral judgments.

2. Evaluate and justify marketing decisions by assessing competing stakeholder interests, societal expectations, and commercial objectives in situations characterised by ethical ambiguity.

3. Integrate ethical reasoning into strategic marketing planning by applying relevant theoretical frameworks to real-world cases and proposing responsible and context-sensitive courses of action.