Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 4-30-2025
Abstract
Is it ethical for companies like Apple to charge more for their products while excluding the necessary components to use them? In this persuasive essay, we answer that question using the theoretical frameworks of Corporate Social Responsibility Theory, Utilitarianism, Deontological Ethics, and Stakeholder Theory as well as smaller concepts including transparency, fairness, and relationship marketing. Our research found that since the release of the iPhone 12’s, Apple has been excluding the necessary charging blocks from the phone packages but has only increased their prices since then. Using the above listed theories and concepts, we determined that Apple’s decisions are unfair to the customer base both old and new, there was a severe lack of transparency between the company and the customers, the customers felt betrayed and taken advantage of, ethical norms were ignored, and the most amount of good was not done for the most amount of people. Apple’s defense in this issue was the idea of being a more environmentally friendly company by saving materials, reducing packaging, and cutting back on transport. Our research found that this was mostly untrue simply because Apple did not discontinue the manufacturing of their chargers but just started selling them separately which caused people to have to pay extra for the necessary component of their device. This unethical decision led to many troubles for both Apple and its customers and could have been avoided by simply communicating clearly.
Course Level
BUMG 3100: Business Ethics
Advisor
Claudia Hanrahan, PhD
Recommended Citation
Orth, Michaela M.; Long, Landon; and Belton, Antonio, "The Betrayal of Apple: Higher Prices for Less Product" (2025). Business Ethics. 19.
https://digitalcommons.shawnee.edu/business_ethics_3100/19
Included in
Business and Corporate Communications Commons, Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics Commons
