Friday, December 27, 2019

Case Study of Sottilette Kraft - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2730 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Case Study of Sottilette Kraft. Introduction. Krafts General Foods was founded in the U.S.A in 1908 and its presence was established in Europe in 1927. The company entered Italy in 1964 with its best known products at the time-Sottilette and Mayonnaise. It grew steadily and its growth was significantly influenced by mergers and acquisitions. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Case Study of Sottilette Kraft" essay for you Create order Philip Moris after taking over General Foods one of the World’s and region’s leading companies in the food sector acquired Kraft in 1990. Jacobs Suchard – a top sweats company created by the partnership between Suchard, Tobler and Jacobs in 1993 merged with Kraft General Foods Europe. Hard work, imagination and a commitment to bringing the world its favorite foods have helped it grow into a company that touches more than a billion people in more than 150 countries. The most common brands of the company include: Beverages such as coffee and refreshment beverages Cheese and Dairy Snacks which include confectionery, salty snacks and biscuits Convenient meals Grocery including deserts, enhancers (dressing and spreads), cereals. This case study is aimed at investigating one of its cheese brands the â€Å"Sottilette Kraft† in Italy. The sottilette Kraft is processed cheese in the form of slices that is used as a culinary ingredient in preparing both hot and cold dishes of different varieties. Kraft is easy to use as the slices have already been cut up and well packed singly. It can also be stored for longer periods of time. Consumers recognize that it has a good taste and is adaptable for every type of dish. It is seen as the best guarantee for success in the kitchen and its superior quality is vouched for by the image of Kraft Foods. It is described by loyal customers as â€Å"a reliable friend† that encourages creativity in the kitchen. The main function of Sottilette Kraft is that it serves as an ingredient in hot dishes to enhance their taste and to add a touch and imagination. The brand has gone through four major phases including introduction, development, crises and reaction. Having identified the different product phases, the study will now discuss each of the phases in turn. Introduction of Sottilette The product was introduced in 1961 and between 1961 to 1978 sottilette had to create its own market. In less than 15 years the product had recorded sales of approximately 8,000 tonnes. It initially served as a sandwitch filling and was therefore presented as a tasty and very practical cheese. The message distributed by successive advertising campaigns centered around the functionality of the product as well as its role as a food to be combined with bread. The most relevant advertisements were broadcast as follows: The product was launched in 1964 with the help of a well known Italian comedian Gino Brameri; in 190, when its first positioning was defined in terms of a â€Å"robust sandwich†; and in 1974, when the new singly wraped slice packaging was introduced. As time went on, the product was later differentiated and the range of the product was extended into three distinct flavours. The price remained relatively high since it was a new product and because there were limited or no competitors. Development of Sottilette Kraft maintained its leadership position between 1979 to 1993 following a fast growing market for sottilette. During this period the product reached a volume of sales in Italy that matched all the other European countries taken as a whole. The market growth for the product came as a result of continuous innovation and development of the product which witnessed the addition of new versions the product range enabling manufacturers and distributors to make a more extended use of the product and reposition the basic version (Sottillete Emmental) as a fully-fledged culinary ingredient for all recipes and not just as something to be eaten with bread. Another version referred to as Fila e Fondi (stretch and melt), which was particulary well suited for all over-cooked dishes was added in 1979. It was later followed by Piccadolce in 1982. happy snacks was added in 1989 and in 1992 following consumer’s growing interest in low-fa products, Light was introduced. In the marketing campaign for Emmental (that remains the basic product), t he key benefits for consumers were shown to be versality (in terms of its good hot and cold performance), taste and the guarantee represented by the Kraft trade mark. A megabrand campaign based upon a young boy was carried out as from 1993. This was to enable Kraft capitalize on the advertising campaign carried out for the single type brands. In addition to the basic message that reflected the superior quality of the product, guaranteed by the experience of Kraft, different messages where added on a case-by-case basis such as Emmental (â€Å"superior taste†), Fila e Fondi (â€Å"suitable for hot dishes†), and Light (â€Å"only 16% fat content†). Advertising investments were supplemented by promotion-type initiatives based on the collection of points designed to increase customer loyalty and favour heavy users and the price remained 30-35% relatively higher than competitive brands. Figure 1: Sottillete’s Market Share in 1992 Source: Pratesi[1] Crises for sottilette Sottilette witnessed tremendous crises in 1994 as a result of a number of factors which include the following: A period of economic recession; Consumers developed an approach to food consumption where quality and price relationships where properly evaluated; There was an introduction of hard discount into the market and low-price competition (modern distribution’s reaction to the challenge of hard discount) doubled the sales of unbranded products; The devaluation of the Italian lira resulting into an increase in prices of foreign-sourced inputs; The foregoing resulted in the collapse of the existing market (taking into consideration the fact that hard discount was a closed market for branded products). In addition other adverse conditions included the following: A fall in the market share of sottilette Kraft by 4%; Decrease in sales volume; Decrease in profit owing to low-price competition and high import cost following local currency depreciation. Figure 1 above show the development of the sottilette market and its direct competitors in 1992. One can observe that the market share of the sottilette brand was very high in 1992 while it witnessed a fall in 1995. Sottilette’s market share in 1992 was 55.8% and that of competitor brands was 44.2% as shown in figure 1. Following the crises period, sottillette’s market share fell from 55.8% in 1992 to 51.9% in 1995. It should also be noted that low price products had a market share of 7.5%, hard discount products a market share of 9.6%, private labels 8.9% and other brands a market share of 22.1%. Figure 3 below shows the sales trend of the sottillette brand. One can observe that the brand has gone through 4 phases: introduction; development; crises; and reaction. From 1961 and 1969 the brand witnessed a constant growth in sales volume from 0 to about 8,000 tonnes. The sales volume remained constant at 8,000 tonnes between the period1969 and 1977. During the develo pment phase that began in 1969, the sales at first remained constant at 8,000 tonnes. Following the megabrand communication campaign, the sales began rising again and by 1983 the sales figure had reached 15,000 tonnes. Between 1983 and 1993, the sale volume continued rising despite slight fluctuations and by 1993 the volume stood at about 18,000 tonnes. The crises period witnessed a drop in the sales volume from about 18,000 tonnes in 1993 to about 16,000 tonnes in 1994 representing an 11% drop in the volume during this period. Figure 2: Sottillette Trend of Sales (Tonnes) Source: Pratesi[2] Reaction to Crises Kraft Food’s reaction to the crises was the adoption of a strategy that concentrated upon a more aggressive marketing mix along side low price products and hard discounts in an attempt to win back customers and consolidate the loyalty of existing customers. Prices which were 50% above other brands were reduced by 20% and a new advertising message that ex plained in a rational manner the superior quality of Sottilette Emmental was launched. The new advertising campaign took the form of two commercials in which one was aimed at addressing brand products and the other aimed at hard discount and low-price products. The aim was to consolidate the loyalty of existing customers and eliminate the shift towards competitive brands that provided cheaper products. The commercials were aimed at providing a rational justification for the premium price of the Sottilette brand in terms of its superior taste and better culinary properties. This was justified by the product’s ingredients (100% Emmental Bavaria). Following the aggressive strategy, the Sottilette brand witnessed positive results as its sales volume which had exhibited a dramatic decline during the 1994 crises immediately increased by 10%. Profitability also witnessed a significant increase and sustained increase. Since the campaign focused much attention on the basic version of the Sottilette brand Emmental, the other versions of the brand including: Flia e Fondi; and Light were penalised because they were not sustained by the campaign. This resulted in decrease in their sales volumes. In a nutshell, Sottilette’s overall market share increased by 2% in 1995 and the increase continued in 1996 following increased investments in communication for the entire product range. From figure 3 above one can observe that following the reaction phase, the sottillete brand witnessed an increase in sales volume from about 16,000 tonnes in 1994 to 17,000 tonnes in 1996. Current Situation. Direct Competition. The main competitors in the cheese slice market constitute five main groups including: Sottilette: this is the market leader with a market share of above 50 per cent. other branded products including Tostine by Invernizza (which is also part of the Kraft Jacobs Suchard Group), Bel Paese and Grill by Galbani, Miette by Locatelli and Tigre. This group accounts for 18% of the cheese market share. Private Labels: These include products of large retail chains. For example, Coop. This group maintains a 20-30% lower prices than branded products. Together, they constitute a market share of 10% and have been witnessing a sustainable growth rate. Low price products: they include unbranded low-price products sold in modern distribution chains. Their market share following a strong growth in the period 1994-1995 has witnessed a considerable drop by 50% and now levels at 4%. Hard Discount Products: Hard discount products refer to unbranded cheese slices sold at very advantageous prices in eponymous chains (for example, Lidl). Their development moves in perfect lock-step with the spread of hard discount stores, while their market share has stabilized at 12%. Consumption. There are over 16million consumers of cheese slices representing over 80% of all Italian Families. 20% of all families acquire about 50% of the Sottilatte brand. Among the sottilatte customers representing 75% of all consumers of cheese slices one can further break them down as follows: 25% who consume exclusively Sottilatte; 44% who alternate between Sottilatte and low-priced products; and 31% who alternate between Sottilatte and other branded products. In general among the consumers of cheese slices there are those who never use any other type pf cheese in cooking (about 20% of the total) and those who alternate between these and other products that are regarded as being capable of performing the same culinary functions including: 8% that also make use of Emmental; 27% that use mozzarella; and 63% that use not only slices but also Emmental and Mozzarella. According to a 1996 market survey on cheese slice purchasers (over 90% women) using cl uster analysis techniques four different groups of consumers were identified including: Critics – 26%; Ambivalent – 19%; The Serene – 32%; and The Disenchanted – 23%. Critics represent consumers who generally have a negative perception towards the entire category of cheese slices. They have the belief that the product is wholly artificial and thus tend to use them as sparingly as possible. They are young, of high school age and generally do not live in the south. The ambivalent are women who are not completely convinced that branded products have a better quality than unbranded products but however appreciate the practicality of sliced cheeses. They belong to a medium-to-low social class, live in the northeast with large families. They are light users of the category of cheese slices and adopt a relatively positive attitude towards the uncooked uses of the product. The serene represent brand loyal consumers who are convinced that high priced products represent the inherent quality of the products. They mainly like the use of the slices for cold dishes and for certain special recipes. They include middle-class women who often live in the south with part-time jobs and they are heavy users of the category of cheese slices. The disenchanted alternate between different brands and choose the brands in accordance to how each brand suits their particular needs. They adopt a positive attitude towards private labels and greatly appreciate the functionality of the product. They are young, resident in the northeast with small families but without children. They have full-time jobs and are medium users of the cheese slice category. They have no negative attitude towards using the product for uncooked dishes. Appendix. The perspective that can be identified from the above case study is centred on two strategic perspectives, which include the resource-based view and the innovation strategy. According to the resource based view, valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resources make it possible for a firm to develop and maintain competitive advantage and also to use this competitive advantage and resources to a chieve superior performance by generating superior profits which in turn create superior shareholder value for the shareholders[3]. Application of the resource based view to marketing can be achieved with the help of identifying resources that are both marketing specific (that is, generated and leveraged in part through marketing activities) and potentially manifest at least some of the desired attributes of the resource-based view (i.e., appear to be difficult to imitate, are rare, non-substitutable, etc)[4]. One can see from the case that Kraft Foods had such resources in its Sottilatte brand given that it could maintain competitive advantage for a very long time and even during the crises period it was still possible for the company to adjust to the situation and continue as the market leader. The ability of Kraft to define the rational quality of the Emmental brand following low price competition reflects Kraft Foods possession of resources that are difficult to imitate by compe titors. Given that the Sottilatte brand still has a market share above 50% in the market for cheese slices is also a reflection of the company’s possession of resources that are difficult to imitate by competitors. The resources have also been leveraged through its aggressive marketing campaign and its continued investments in advertising and brand communication. This has enabled the company to consolidate its existing customers while trying to attract and maintain new customers. Innovation refers to a situation whereby a company tries to differentiate its products in such a way as to provide value to customers that cannot be matched by competitors to enable it to maintain competitive advantage[5]. Kraft has been trying to innovate as can been seen from the introduction of different versions of the Sottilatte brand such as the Fila e Fondi, which was well suited for over-cooked dishes, and Light with low fat contents. Providing different versions of the brand enabled diffe rent customer segments (for example, those who did not love too much fat) to at least find a product that could suit their particular needs at any given point in time. This strategy paid off given that it further widened the customer base, sales volume and thus profit during the development phase of the brand. However, the company failed to properly communicate the additional versions of the brand during the crises period and thus witnessed falling sales volumes. This was later corrected as it increased investments in marketing and communication of all the brand versions as well as their different attributes to consumers in a bit to consolidate existing customers and enroll new ones. The number of words used in the case study amount to a total of 2203 words while the total number of words used in the appendix amount to 488 words. BIBLIOGRAPHY Blocker E., Chen K., Cokins G., Lin T. (2005). Cost Management. A Strategic Emphasis. 3rd International Edition. McGraw-Hill. Prat esi C. A. (2002: p. 426). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. pp 425-434 Srivastava R. K., Fahey L., Christensen H.K. (2001). The resource-based view and marketing. The role of market-based assets in gaining competitive advantage. Journal of Management, vol. 27, pp 777-802. 1 Footnotes [1] Pratesi C. A. (2002: p. 428). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. [2] Pratesi C. A. (2002: p. 426). The case of Sottilette Kraft. Consolidating the Business through innovation – 1998. Marketing Food Brands in Italy. British Food Journal, vol. 104, No. 5. [3] Srivatal et al (2001: p. 779). [4] Ibid. [5] Blocker et al (2005).

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Marley Elementary A Public Elementary School - 1626 Words

Marley Elementary is a public elementary school located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, in the Anne Arundel County district. Marley Elementary opened its doors in 2005, and has since expanded by opening a new wing for preschool through first grade in 2014. According to AACPS.org, there were 724 students enrolled at Marley Elementary in 2014. Marley Elementary is a host of a diverse range of families, with many bilingual students, students with unique family backgrounds, students with diverse learning abilities, and students from many different parts of the world. In the kindergarten and preschool classrooms, the majority of students are originally from the Pasadena/Glen Burnie area but many students are also relocated from other parts of the state and the world. A wide variety of tools and strategies were used to learn more about the students and families of the Marley Elementary community. The first tool is a Parent Questionnaire that was sent home with students. More than half of the students in most kindergarten classes returned these forms to school filled out with helpful information about their educational and family backgrounds including special holidays they celebrate, languages they speak at home, and responsibilities they have at home. The second strategy used to better know the students and families of the school community was the participation in several school fundraisers and events, such as Chick-fil-a night and Gino’s fundraiser nights where the student teachingShow MoreRelatedHarmful Effects of Standardized Testing939 Words   |  4 PagesStandardized Testing A Fault in School Systems Standardized testing had become a norm throughout the entire nation. From grade level students to high school students, college admittances tests and post-secondary exams, tests have all been standardized. While it may seem like the most logical way of evaluating students, the problem with these tests is the way that students are now being prepared for them and what the scores are being used to measure. For some schools, they become the sole factor ofRead MoreThe First Day Of School1588 Words   |  7 Pagespreceded that day— the last minute packing, labeling all those new binders like voids waiting to be filled with overwhelming homework assignments, and the running around for this and that two weeks ago. Contrary to popular opinion, the first day of school isn’t as bad as everyone makes it seem. For me the anticipation, the glow, the joy, and the eventual let down when it’s over are all what makes it one of my favorite times of the year. However, the beginnin g of my academic career was a psychologicalRead MoreThe Issue Of Concealed Carry2669 Words   |  11 PagesAllowing people to carry a loaded weapon won’t make the world a more dangerous place. According to crime analysis Nick Leghorn found that citizens with a concealed carry permit in North Carolina are five times less likely to kill someone than the general public. That’s not all people that hold a permit are 5.48 percent less likely to commit a violent crime with a firearm (Leghorn, 2000). Just because citizens can legally carry a gun does not at all mean that there will be more deaths with firearms it simplyRead More Peter Tosh and Nelson Mandela Fighting from Opposite Corners4125 Words   |  17 Pagesownership and made next to no money. Young Nelson grew up wearing only a blanket until age seven when an opportunity arose, to be the first in his family to attend school. Mandela recalls, On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an En glish name and said that from thenceforth that was the name we would answer to in school†¦The education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed superior. ThereRead MoreEssay about Jamaican Patois4705 Words   |  19 Pagesone of these reggae songs that is coated in patois. Obviously, access to music that hasnt left Jamaica is hard to gain but, there are somemainstreamsongs that could suit this purpose of demonstration with a little more patois than the typical Bob Marley song. Included is part of the Bounty Killer songBabylon Ah Drop. Babylon Ah Drop: I dont like how di system mekeup No way (Lawd a mercy) Long time dem hung Black people on di tree (Yeah. yeah. yeah) Oh yes, di Black race dem waan fi

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

A Fantasy Essay Example For Students

A Fantasy Essay A FantasyCrypt of the Shadowking by Mark Anthony is a fantasy tale of the never ending struggle of good against evil. The Zhentarim, the hell-bent organization which is more concerned with making a profit than the greater good of all has taken over the city of a thousand spires. The Harpers, a loosely construed group of people who are always meddling in others affairs to keep the proverbial balance between good and evil in check, are ready to get the once bustling trade city back on the track it once was with the help of a former member. Through out the book there is never a dull moment, making it easy to read in just one or two sittings. Anyone who loves a good fantasy should read this book. After seven long years of traveling, the rough looking, worn out Caledan Caldorien is returning to his home town Ireaebor and finds it has been taken over by a tyrant known as Cutter. In Caledans absence, Cutter has passed many ridiculous laws and anyone violating any of these is forced into slavery under the Tor which the city is set upon, where Cutter is mining to find the crypt of the Shadowking, where the nightstone, an ancient artifact of great and evil power, believed to be. Caledan finds this out through a connection within the slums and goes to find his old traveling companions who once made up the Company of the Dreaming Dragon. After reuniting, the company goes to find the tomb of Merrimeck to find the secret of the shadow song, the known power against the Shadowking and the nightstone. As the company travels to toward the Fields of the Dead, they encounter a shadevar, a horrifying and powerful foe thought to have been banished from the world of Toril long ago. After a wild battle, and the death of the shadevar, the company thief, Ferrit, searches the corpse and finds a ring which enabled the shadervar to communicate with the frighteningly powerful creature who summoned it, and through magic the mage, Morhion, finds that the master of the shadevar was not the lord Cutter as they had once thought but Cutters own lord steward, Snake. After returning, Ferrit does a little spying and finds that Snake has made a pact with the Shadowking and to conspire against Cutter and eventually rule over all of Toril. The Company of the Dreaming Dragon devise a plan to free all of the slaves and through a little flag waving get all of the slaves and cityfolk alike to revolt against Cutter and the Zhentarim. As the slaves are freed, however, Cutter finds the Crypt while personally leading a group of soldiers against the revolt, unleashes the Shadowking while greedily trying to take the nightstone for her own, and is grotesquely killed by the being. But of course the Com pany intervenes and uses the shadowsong to drive the Shadowking back into the crypt and they save the world. The book revolves around the main character Caledan Caldorien. The fact that Caledan cannot be around his friends from the past without rousing memories of his wife who was killed seven years before causes a conflict within him, man versus self, because he has to have the help of his old traveling companions to survive. With Cutter leading the Zhentarim forces into Iriaebor and Snake conspiring with the Shadowking, the company has to stop the dictator and the being of evil before the Shadowking arises and all hope is lost, a good versus evil conflict. Being told in third person omniscient point of view, the reader is opened to all characters thoughts: Caledan swore under his breath, that was all he needed, another female to make his life miserable., Snake was going to have to take action, and he would need lord Cutters help, but first he would half to decide how much to tell her. When Cutter finds the nightstone the climax hits and sends the reader into such a frenzy that one may ski p over half a page to find out what happens next. This time the pain showed clearly on Cutters beautiful face. The blood drained from her cheeks, her eyes widening as she stared at the nightstone. No! she cried out in horror. Bow to me! a vast and ancient voice thundered within Caledans mind. Terror clawed brutally at his heart. Bow to me. I am Darkness! To me! To me! Tyveris bellowed in his enormous voice. Despite the din, all around him the city folk looked up to see him striding through the battle, his sword flashing under the magical illumination of the banner. Hope ignited in their eyes. The Shadowking is released but Caldorien drives it back with the sweet notes of the Shadowsong. The priest Tyveris leads the revolt up on the ground and drives the Zhentarim out of the city. As the book slows down, the cityfolk begin to rebuild their once wondrous city, and despite the heavy work load, the cityfolk are just happy to have their freedom. The theme of the story can best be stated in this one quote, Willowy saplings now grew in gardens where ancient oaks and ash trees had once stood, before they were hacked down and burned by the Zhentarim. But scars such as these only served to remind cityfolk how much their homes meant to them and how valuable their freedom really was. .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .postImageUrl , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:hover , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:visited , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:active { border:0!important; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:active , .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6ae0c6123f71255441fa5651cc95339c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Vegetarianism EssayThe book is fantastic and there is never a boring moment. Mark Anthony tells an epic tale of lost love, new-found love, friendship, hate, and terror in Crypt of the Shadowking. The book is easily read because the fast paced writing flows so smoothly it sets the reader onto a thrill ride. The variety and life which the author gives the many characters keeps them, the story, and the many sub-plots in your mind long after you put the book down. Category: English

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Issues of Professional Responsibility

Specialists in all the professional fields and industries know their actual responsibilities and duties which influence their professional activity from the point of its results.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Issues of Professional Responsibility specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it is also possible to speak about professional responsibility as the collection of the moral obligations and norms to follow. Thus, the boundaries of the professional responsibility for specialists are broad and include not only actual completing the work tasks and assignments but also the moral aspects of the question. Nevertheless, where is the fringe of the person’s responsibility for his or her professional actions? Are individuals responsible for all their actions without references to the character of the received tasks and their completing? Is it necessary to point out the facts of not following the principle s of professional responsibility? These questions are rather controversial. Richard Hare and Sissela Bok discuss these ones and the other questions associated with the problem of professional responsibility in their articles. In spite of the fact the researchers’ arguments are quite different and depend on the various aspects, it is important to pay attention to the fact that, in the moral context, professional responsibility is based on those principles which are accentuated in the field of ethics that is why a man is always morally responsible for all his actions because he has the moral right of choice. Professionals are responsible for doing their work carefully with references to the documented norms and standards and to the code of ethics for the definite profession. That is why professional responsibility is the notion which involves a lot of elements significant for the practical aspect of the work and for the moral field with depending on the character of interperson al relations between the colleagues, the employer and employees, partners, workers and clients.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Professional responsibility is closely associated with the problem of effective completing the tasks when the process of work includes following definite practical and moral duties and obligations. Is it easy to make the right moral choice from the perspective of professional duties? It is significant to note that the field of the actual and practical professional responsibility is limited by the range of the certain professional duties and obligations. When a man follows them correctly and complete the tasks thoroughly with references to the canons presented in the code of ethics, the possibility to make a wrong moral choice in relation to this or that action is minimal. Nevertheless, there are a lot of problematic situations when a person has to c hoose between completing the order according to the superior’s instructions or follow his or her own considerations about the character of the order because of its possible immoral nature. Richard Hare discusses the situation with referring to soldiers and their completing the orders. The author presents the problematic question as following, a soldier must obey the orders, â€Å"and he is liable to blame if he disobeys them, we cannot consistently also blame him if in a particular case he obeys them – even though the act which he has committed is of itself wrong† (Hare 425). In this situation, a soldier should follow the principles of his professional responsibility and obey the order, and he should follow his moral vision of the situation and try to act morally because â€Å"the individual is always responsible for his own acts† (Hare 425).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Issues of Professional Responsibility specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From this point, the principles of morality are crossed with the principles of professionalism. Thus, professionals should obey the orders and complete the tasks according to the instructions when morally responsible persons should act in relation to the norms of morality with references to the professional ethics. The scenario according to which it is necessary to act in the morally problematic situations at workplaces is difficult to be developed. There are always threats which can occur while working and they are often associated with the moral aspects of the problems. If a person notices the definite threat for effective developing the working process or for its results and consequences, is it necessary to draw the leader’s attention to the problem with referring to the person who is not efficient from the perspective of his or her duties? The phenomenon of whistleblowers is discussed in the work by Sissela Bok who states that â€Å"for whistleblowing to be effective, it must arouse its audience† (Bok 4). Nevertheless, the reasons for whistleblowing and its effects can be different. There are a lot of people who are sure that the fact of whistleblowing is not just in relation to the other employees against whom it is directed. However, there are also many individuals who agree that whistleblowers can contribute to reducing the threats and risky situations in companies.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The aspects of professional responsibility refer to the actions and professional behaviors of the definite individuals, thus, they are responsible only for their own actions. The question is in the responsibility for the other persons’ actions and the fact of knowing the actions are not morally or professionally good. Bok discusses the problem from many sides and accentuates its controversial character. Each situation is unique, and the visions of different people of the problem of professional responsibility can be various in spite of the fact there are universal laws and norms of morality and definite standards of professional acting and behaving. Bok indicates that â€Å"whistleblowing has to remain a last alternative because of its destructive side effects: it must be chosen only when other alternatives have been considered and rejected† (Bok 6). Thus, it is possible to speak about some positive effects of whistleblowing while not paying attention to the negative a spects of the process because of the controversy of the question. Speaking out in order to attract the public’s attention to the problem, a whistleblower can provoke a great number of problems connected with the reputation, authorities’ attitude, audience’s reaction, moral choice, and prejudice. Thus, according to Hare, â€Å"the subject-matter of philosophy is the use of words† (Hare 427). That is why the effective or ineffective use of words by a whistleblower can result differently depending on the moral aspects of the situation. The fringes of professional responsibility according to the code of ethics can be so broad that the definite elements of the process of whistleblowing can be even fixed. According to Bok, â€Å"the largest professional engineering association requires members to speak out against abuses threatening the safety, health, and welfare of the public† (Bok 2). In this case, whistleblowing of such a character can be discussed a s the requirement which is supported by the code of ethics used in the company. Professionals should be responsible for their strict following the norms of their work and interactions and prevent the development of the other persons’ risky acts. On the one hand, whistleblowing as the process is associated with some injustice when a person’s actions are directed against the other person. On the other hand, many people can argue that it is immoral to be silent when there is some threat which can be predicted. That is why it is possible to speak about the more developed classification of actions and behaviors which should be prevented with the help of speaking out. Responsibilities, obligations, and duties are not preferred by people because they limit their actions. Professional responsibility limits the person’s professional behavior, and the moral responsibility influences all the aspects of his or her life. Richard Hare indicates that people are inclined to get rid of their moral responsibilities by any means, and individuals very often prefer to blame the others, especially authorities, for their wrong moral choice, and as a result, immoral orders. Thus, â€Å"to get rid of one’s moral problems on to the shoulders of someone else †¦ is to be free of much worry; it is to exchange the tortured responsibility of the adult for the happy irresponsibility of the child (Hare 427). Responsibilities of any character are perceived by people as too limited for them, but it is only a human quality to feel the moral responsibility for his actions and behaviors. That is why Hare proposes one more controversial question, â€Å"how can the orders of somebody else absolve me from moral responsibility?† (Hare 430). Ethics presents a lot of canons and rules on which the problem of a man’s moral responsibility depends. As a result, the ethical principles are also used for regulating the professional relations, and they affect the development of the professional responsibility. Professional responsibility means that people who can be considered as professionals in any field should do their duties effectively with references to the practical results and according to the moral laws and norms. If a man acts in a definite way, he is responsible for his professional actions. However, it is necessary to distinguish between right and wrong actions, moral and immoral behavior. Moreover, there is always a risk that a person discusses his or her actions irrelevantly to the situation and can have wrong vision of the notions of responsibility and morality. Hare accentuates the possibility of the situation when a person can say, â€Å"I did what I thought good, and I still think it good† (Hare 429). Who is right in this situation? Is it possible to fine the guilty person? Should people blame the person who is responsible for giving the orders or who is responsible for their completing? To answer these questions, Ha re states that â€Å"we must never lose sight of the distinction between what we are told to do and what we ought to do† (Hare 430). Depending on this statement, it is necessary to note that people can be ordered to do a lot of tasks and assignments which are different according to the level of their moral goodness and the superior’s vision of it. However, if people are not responsible for the other persons’ opinion on the problem of responsibility and morality, they are responsible for their own actions because the moral responsibility is the inner quality. The feeling of responsibility in spite of its possible exterior effects influences people with the help of definite feelings and emotions. From this perspective, the feeling of guilt is the main sign of doing immoral and irresponsible actions. To support his ideas, Richard Hare refers to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. There are definite ethical norms and rules which are based on the universal understanding of good and bad actions and behaviors. It is a human’s duty to act according to these principles, and if the ethical norms are not addressed, the action cannot be discussed as good. If it is almost impossible to do the moral choice, it is important to rely on the fact that God is good that is why all the actions should be justified from the point of their moral value (Hare). That authoritative person who can assess your actions is you, and you should follow the universal ethical principles and God’s will in discussing your actions and evaluating their effects as positive or negative ones. The concept of professional responsibility is closely connected with the idea of the moral responsibility. There are a lot of situations in a person’s professional life when he or she should make choice between morally good actions and any other effective actions and beneficial perspectives. Moreover, taking responsibility for one’s own actions and behaviors, it is also necessary to pay attention to the possible consequences of the other persons’ acts. From this point, the question of responsibility becomes more complex. If the problem of the personal professional responsibility can be discussed in the context of the opinion that each individual is responsible for his or her actions, the involvement of the other people makes the moral choice more painful. Works Cited Bok, Sissela. â€Å"Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility†. New York University Education Quarterly II (1980): 2-7. Print. Hare, Richard. â€Å"Can I Be Blamed for Obeying Orders?†. The Morality of War: Classical and Contemporary Readings. Ed. Larry May, Eric Rovie, and Steve Viner, 2005. 425-430. Print. This essay on The Issues of Professional Responsibility was written and submitted by user Tanner H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.