Abstract

In early 2001, the Government of India (GoI), announced that it would table a bill banning tobacco companies from advertising their products and sponsoring sports and cultural events. The case ‘Ban on Tobacco Ads by the Government of India’ gives an overview of the issues that have been raised by this decision. The case brings to the fore both the ethical and commercial dimensions of such a ban. It looks at international precedents to such bans and examines the correlation between cigarette advertising and consumption. The case is aimed at MBA/PGDBA students as part of the Business Ethics curriculum. The case helps them to understand the role of ethics in a business decision. From the case, students are expected to understand where to draw the line in making decisions, which involve ethical and commercial considerations. Students are also expected to understand that the element of social responsiveness as well as social responsibility attached to a business ethics dimension results in corporate strategy or business policy. Thus, the connotation of ethics goes beyond the illegal acts of professional managers or entrepreneurs. It covers the entire gamut of business operation, which includes ethics in advertising.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Social Responsibility.

Keywords

Government of India, GoI, bill, banning, tobacco, advertising , products, sponsoring sports, cultural events, Ban on Tobacco Ads case study, case study, ethical, commercial dimensions , ban, cigarette advertising ,consumption.