Business ethics, as we all know, are moral principles that constrain the behavior of a business. From my perspective, the most basic business ethics are that a business should obey the law and doesn’t have any illegal operations.

Coca-Cola funded researches

In the newsCoca-Cola’s research funding criticized by obesity expert, obesity experts censure Coca-Cola for its flawed message. Basically, Coca-Cola has sponsored lots of scientific researches that suggest exercise, not diet, is the best way to fight obesity. Coke’s purpose in that kind of researches is obvious. It wants to pass a message to consumers that drinking less Coke will not help them to fight obesity. In this way, Coke can keep old consumers while attracting new consumer

It is evident that Coke alters results of some researches. Since scientists want to obtain funds from Coke, they have to give conclusions which will not conflict with Coke’s interest. In my opinion, Coke doesn’t break business ethics. By following business ethics, a business should use resources and gain profit efficiently as long as it stays in the rules, and Coke doesn’t break any regulations. Someone may argue that the flawed message from Coke is a fraud. Well, I admit some parts of the scientific results funded by Coke are incorrect, but it is hard for people to judge the validity of a research. The mistakes in scientific researches should be seen as experimental failure but nothing to do with business ethics.

Sources from:

http://www.cspinet.org/new/201508191.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coca-cola-s-research-funding-criticized-by-obesity-expert-1.3186279