Philip Morris Ethical Issues
BUSI 385
Philip Morris International Inc.
Cigarettes an Ethical Dilemma
For a Prosperous Company
By
Matthew Murray
Table of Contents
Company Overview
Company Success and Campaigns
Tobacco Regulation and Effect on the Company
An Ethical Look on an “Evil” Company
Philip Morris and Positive Ethical Behavior
Company Views and the Utilitarian Approach
The Fact of the Matter for Philip Morris
In Conclusion
References
Company Overview The Philip Morris founded a cigarette company in 1847 London. They specialized in hand-rolled cigarettes and were very much a small, family ran business. In 1902 the company moved to New York City and had a new demographic in a new country. The company remained small and was actively only the sixth largest tobacco company in the United States. With the famous “Marlboro Man” advertising campaign the company gained popularity and in 1983 Philip Morris was the largest cigarette company in the United States. From there, the company began to expand into other businesses expanding on its international market. Philip Morris acquired Miller Brewing Company in 1970 and General Foods in 1985. The same year Philip Morris Companies was incorporated as a publicly traded company. Philip Morris continued their expansion with the takeover of Kraft in 1988 and the merger between South African Breweries with Miller Brewing in 2002. Philip Morris Companies changed its name to Altria Group Inc. in 2003 and spun off Kraft Foods in 2007. (4) They then gained the international business of Philip Morris as a separate company and acquired U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. The holding company owns Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Philip Morris Capital Corp and Nu Mark, a new company that produces Nicotine Lozenges.
Company Success and Campaigns Today Philip Morris is still top in the cigarette market. The company’s cigarette brands have about half of the cigarette market in the United States. The other
Philip Morris International Inc.
Cigarettes an Ethical Dilemma
For a Prosperous Company
By
Matthew Murray
Table of Contents
Company Overview
Company Success and Campaigns
Tobacco Regulation and Effect on the Company
An Ethical Look on an “Evil” Company
Philip Morris and Positive Ethical Behavior
Company Views and the Utilitarian Approach
The Fact of the Matter for Philip Morris
In Conclusion
References
Company Overview The Philip Morris founded a cigarette company in 1847 London. They specialized in hand-rolled cigarettes and were very much a small, family ran business. In 1902 the company moved to New York City and had a new demographic in a new country. The company remained small and was actively only the sixth largest tobacco company in the United States. With the famous “Marlboro Man” advertising campaign the company gained popularity and in 1983 Philip Morris was the largest cigarette company in the United States. From there, the company began to expand into other businesses expanding on its international market. Philip Morris acquired Miller Brewing Company in 1970 and General Foods in 1985. The same year Philip Morris Companies was incorporated as a publicly traded company. Philip Morris continued their expansion with the takeover of Kraft in 1988 and the merger between South African Breweries with Miller Brewing in 2002. Philip Morris Companies changed its name to Altria Group Inc. in 2003 and spun off Kraft Foods in 2007. (4) They then gained the international business of Philip Morris as a separate company and acquired U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. The holding company owns Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Philip Morris Capital Corp and Nu Mark, a new company that produces Nicotine Lozenges.
Company Success and Campaigns Today Philip Morris is still top in the cigarette market. The company’s cigarette brands have about half of the cigarette market in the United States. The other