1. Introduction
“Ethics are in vogue” is an assertion drawn after the International Herald Tribune (IHT) conference on luxury (Smale, 2007). The reason for this statement is the presumption of an emergent type of luxury consumer whose purchase decision is up to the ethical behaviour of business. Is this concept mere wishful thinking or does it reflect empirical reality, since the latter would void the expression “the devil wears Prada”. It is obvious, that the conventional way of economic development not any longer satisfies the needs of the world in which we live – “the environment is, without doubt, one area which is being subjected to greater public scrutiny” (Dembkowski and Hanmer-Llyod, 1994). Society increasingly requires a healthy living, innovative, efficient and safe technologies as well as a “stable and safe” natural and social environment (Jochem 2011). The media especially reports on ethical and sustainable business conduct and its affects on “human health, the ecosystem and future generations” (Bonacchi and Rinaldi, 2006).
Simultaneously to the increasing requirements of ethical and sustainable business conduct, the luxury fur demand is substantially growing. From US $ 456.99 million in 2001, the world fur outlook estimates an increase in sales up to US $ 854.13 million in 2011 (Parker, 2005) - fur auction houses sell “record-breaking” numbers. Fur re-emerges as a fashionable design material; especially younger designers are “fascinated with fur and use it in innovative ways” (Foreman, 2010). The material has also trickled down to the streets - the younger generation demands it more than ever; even child fashion designers use it for their collections (Vulsier, 2010).
The inherent question from these insights is whether both developments, namely an increasing requirement of sustainable and ethical business conduct as well as a growing fur fashion demand, are in line or in contrast to each other. Thus, is a fur producer ethical and sustainable? The author aims to gain knowledge whether a fur business responds to these external societal requirements regarding ethics and sustainability and whether ethical and sustainable or unethical and insustainable business conduct implicates advantages or disadvantages.
This study will examine the topics ethics and sustainability within a fur business. The research will examine the supply chain sustainability performance and ethicality of a fur producer and trader from a business and consumer perspective.
At a glance
- Original consumer survey completed by 64 respondents
- Single-company case study using structured and semi-structured interviews with the managing director
- Printed consumer questionnaire collects quantitative and qualitative data
- 68 sources in the bibliography
- 9 figures and 5 tables
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Motive of the research study
1.2 The research questions and focus
1.3 Structure of the Research
2. Literature Review
2.1 Overview of key themes
2.2 Ethicality and morality
2.3 Sustainable development strategies and their potential to competitive advantages
2.4 The measurement of sustainable strategies
2.5 The fur industry
2.6 Ethical consumption in the luxury industry
2.7 Conclusion of the literature review
3. Research Design
4. Empirical Investigation
4.1 Bonnie – the single case study – an introduction
4.2 Evaluation of Bonnie’s sustainability strategy
4.3 Analysis through case study
4.4 Analysis of (non-) consumer questionnaire
5. Conclusion
5.1 Findings
5.2 Discussion
5.3 Limitations of the research
5.4 Recommendation for further research
Objectives and Themes
This dissertation investigates whether a fur producer and trader can be considered ethical and sustainable, and how sustainability relates to competitive advantage and consumer behaviour. It combines theoretical analysis with a company case study and a survey of consumers and non-consumers.
- Business ethics, morality and stakeholder theory
- Sustainable development and competitive advantage
- Measurement of corporate sustainability performance
- Fur production, sourcing and supply chains
- Ethical consumption and luxury purchasing decisions
- Comparison of theoretical and empirical perspectives
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Motive of the research study
“Ethics are in vogue” is an assertion drawn after the International Herald Tribune (IHT) conference on luxury (Smale, 2007). The reason for this statement is the presumption of an emergent type of luxury consumer whose purchase decision is up to the ethical behaviour of business. Is this concept mere wishful thinking or does it reflect empirical reality, since the latter would void the expression “the devil wears Prada”. It is obvious, that the conventional way of economic development not any longer satisfies the needs of the world in which we live – “the environment is, without doubt, one area which is being subjected to greater public scrutiny” (Dembkowski and Hanmer-Llyod, 1994). Society increasingly requires a healthy living, innovative, efficient and safe technologies as well as a “stable and safe” natural and social environment (Jochem 2011). The media especially reports on ethical and sustainable business conduct and its affects on “human health, the ecosystem and future generations” (Bonacchi and Rinaldi, 2006).
Simultaneously to the increasing requirements of ethical and sustainable business conduct, the luxury fur demand is substantially growing. From US $ 456.99 million in 2001, the world fur outlook estimates an increase in sales up to US $ 854.13 million in 2011 (Parker, 2005) - fur auction houses sell “record-breaking” numbers. Fur re-emerges as a fashionable design material; especially younger designers are “fascinated with fur and use it in innovative ways” (Foreman, 2010). The material has also trickled down to the streets - the younger generation demands it more than ever; even child fashion designers use it for their collections (Vulsier, 2010).
The inherent question from these insights is whether both developments, namely an increasing requirement of sustainable and ethical business conduct as well as a growing fur fashion demand, are in line or in contrast to each other. Thus, is a fur producer ethical and sustainable? The author aims to gain knowledge whether a fur business responds to these external societal requirements regarding ethics and sustainability and whether ethical and sustainable or unethical and insustainable business conduct implicates advantages or disadvantages.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Introduces the tension between demand for ethical business practices and demand for fur, and sets out the research questions and structure.
2. Literature Review: Examines philosophical and business ethics, sustainability strategies and measurement, the fur industry, and ethical luxury consumption. It develops hypotheses for the empirical investigation.
3. Research Design: Explains the pragmatic mixed-method approach, combining a single company case study with a consumer and non-consumer survey.
4. Empirical Investigation: Evaluates a fur company’s sustainability performance and analyses company interviews alongside questionnaire responses about ethical consumption.
5. Conclusion: Discusses the findings, their limitations and opportunities for further research into sustainability and ethics in the fur industry.
Keywords
business ethics, sustainability, supply chains, fur industry, ethical consumption, luxury fashion, competitive advantage, stakeholder theory, Sustainable Balanced Scorecard, consumer behaviour, animal welfare, corporate sustainability
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the work about?
It explores business ethics and sustainability in the fur industry through theory and empirical research.
What are its central themes?
Its themes include ethical business conduct, sustainable supply chains, competitive advantage, sustainability measurement and luxury consumption.
What is the main research question?
The study asks whether a fur producer and trader is ethical and sustainable, and considers the roles of business practices and consumer behaviour.
What research method does the author use?
The author combines a literature review with a mixed-method single-company case study and a questionnaire for consumers and non-consumers.
What does the main empirical section examine?
It assesses a fur company’s sustainability performance, analyses its supply chain and considers consumer attitudes and purchasing intentions.
Which keywords characterise the study?
Business ethics, sustainability, fur supply chains, luxury consumption, competitive advantage and the Sustainable Balanced Scorecard are central terms.
How is the company’s sustainability assessed?
The study applies Hubbard’s Sustainable Balanced Scorecard using company management’s ratings across financial, market, operational, development, social and environmental categories.
Who participated in the consumer survey?
The questionnaire was completed by 64 consumers and non-consumers and combined quantitative questions with opportunities for qualitative responses.
What role do animal interests play in the theoretical discussion?
The literature review considers stakeholder theory that includes animals, the environment and future generations, and asks how that perspective relates to fur production.
- Quote paper
- Corinna Jung (Author), 2011, The Importance of Business Ethics and Sustainability within Supply Chains, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/183156
