This article analyzes the business ethics of digital games, using Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. It identifies different types of monetization options as virtuous or nonvirtuous, based on Rand’s views on rational self-interest. It divides the options into ethical Mover and unethical Looter designs, presents those logics in relation to an illustrative case example, Zynga, and then discusses a view on the role of players in relation to game monetization designs. Through our analysis of monetization options in the context of Objectivist ethics, the article contributes to discussions on game revenue ethics. It also expands the still understudied area of applying Rand’s ethics to business, in the context of a new sector, game development, and business. This research enables ethicists to apply a wider-than-before perspective on virtue ethics to online business, and helps game developers act in a virtuous manner, which provides them with a long-term business advantage.

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Ayn Rand’s Objectivist Ethics Applied to Video Game Business

This paper analyses the major ethical issues raised by direct-to-consumer communications (DTCC) of pharmaceutical drugs, with a view to proposing ethical standards of practice for the marketing pro...

Pharmaceutical Marketing Ethics: Ethical Standards for More Acceptable Practices

\nPurpose\nThe special importance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the context of emerging economies is well acknowledged. The success of MFIs is country, culture and context-specific. This study aims to capture the organizational sustainability viewpoint of MFIs through the experiences and insights of the managers engaged in running MFIs in an emerging market.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nThe study follows a qualitative approach and collects primary data through insightful interactions with the senior managers of various Indian MFIs, followed by thematic analysis to identify the factors impacting the sustainability of MFIs. It is supplemented by an extensive systematic literature review to enrich the findings. The identified factors are then analyzed through the lens of a balanced scorecard (BSC) approach to developing a framework in assessing the performance of MFIs operating in similar to this study’s context.\n\n\nFindings\nThe authors observe that the majority of the studies on MFI sustainability are financial outcome centric. This study adds value by exploring a holistic and organization-centric approach drawing support from stakeholder theory, which emphasizes that the shareholders, employees and customers are equally important for the sustainability of the MFIs.\n\n\nResearch limitations/implications\nWhile the identified sustainability factors would help the practitioners focus upon the factors of improvement, the BSC framework would facilitate the conduct of performance review and taking related decisions thereon for the sustainability of MFIs.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to attempt to assess the MFI organizations striving for sustainability through the lens of BSC framework.\n

Organizational sustainability and performance improvement in microfinance institutions (MFIs): managerial insights of what, why and how

http://academic.oup.com/cdj/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/cdj/bsab036/40433968/bsab036.pdf

Empowering women through the Self-Help Group Bank Linkage Programme as a tool for sustainable development: lessons from India

Values and society

The purpose of this paper is to explicate the idea of egoism in the context of marketing. The idea of egoism is reviewed and contextualized into a framework for interpreting different marketer types. Marketers’ potential trade-offs with consumers and competitors are examined. Four types of marketers are explicated: extremely egoistic marketer, moderately egoistic marketer, moderately altruistic marketer, and extremely altruistic marketer. The framework offered in the paper is of relevance to marketers, media, and agencies rewarding marketing performance. The framework may help in assessing the ethical quotient in marketers’ preferences and behaviors. Studies recognizing the pertinence of egoism in marketing are scarce, and the typological framework discussed in the paper is a contribution to the marketing ethics literature.

Are Marketers Egoists? A Typological Explication

Self-help groups (SHGs) have widely been accepted by developing nations for their contribution to inclusive development. Despite its importance and the recognition of the same, SHGs and their members face several challenges. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively investigate the inhibiting factors affecting the effectiveness of women SHGs. The paper also proposes a roadmap for all the self-help promoting institutions, such as banks, state and central government, and non-government organizations to address the challenges.,The study adopts an exploratory research design to undertake this applied research. It uses phenomenographic and interpretative approaches. Qualitative data have been collected from 24 members belonging to eight SHGs from the eastern Indian state of Odisha with the help of a semi-structured interview schedule. The result has been analyzed by using content analysis.,The study finds that SHG members in Odisha face several challenges in the form of financial bottlenecks, entrepreneurial obstacles, capacity-building impediments, mentor-ship challenges, socio-structural challenges and group dynamics.,The study finds many unique and contextual inhibiting factors, which are valuable additions to the existing literature. At the same time, the result may not be applicable to other kinds of SHGs, such as Alcoholic Anonymous, as their nature, composition and deliverables are quite different from the SHG that the current study has taken into consideration.,The proposed roadmap would be useful to policymakers, non-government organizations and other agencies involved in the promotion and capacity building of SHGs operating in Odisha in particular and India in general.,The literature is mainly concerned with the impact evaluation of SHG programs. This study investigates the challenges faced by SHGs in a systematic way and provides a roadmap to address the same in a comprehensive way.

Biswanath Swain

Papers

Are Marketers Egoists? A Typological Explication

Self-help groups in India: challenges and a roadmap for sustainability

Ethical marketing strategies: the unique Nash equilibrium