Business Ethics In The Tractor Industry

[Henry Island Guy]

My Bobcat dealer in Marysville WA, bent over backwards to help me get the tractor I needed when I needed it at what I thought was a fair price. He even took an entire day to deliver my tractor and implements to an island (expensive ferry ride) and put them on a barge on the coldest, wettest day of the year. Half of my implements were purchased from other sources. He even went to the LS dealer and personally picked up my grapple at no charge.

The tractor has served all of my needs and has been 100% reliable (knock on wood).

Unfortunately, Shareholder value has been confused with Shareholder wealth in many companies. This dealer is building value. This value will translate to more sales in the longrun. I sing their praises wherever and whenever I can.

 

[PuffyC]

You were taught wrong then. My company exists to serve our customers, our community and our employees and improve people's lives.

You'll need to take that up with the likes of the Harvard Business School then.

Why does a corporation do things that serve it's customers? To make money.
Why does a corporation do things that serve it's community? To make money.
Why does a corporation donate to political groups and charities? To make money.
Why does a corporation _____________________? To make money.

That's neither good or bad, nor does it have anything to do with passion or ethics. The only question is whether the results align with your personal objectives and principles. The concept of ethics is a philosophical and social construct that means completely different things to different people and different cultures, and that applies whether you're selling tractors, hot dogs, or bombs.

 

[PuffyC]

My Bobcat dealer in Marysville WA, bent over backwards to help me get the tractor I needed when I needed it at what I thought was a fair price. He even took an entire day to deliver my tractor and implements to an island (expensive ferry ride) and put them on a barge on the coldest, wettest day of the year. Half of my implements were purchased from other sources. He even went to the LS dealer and personally picked up my grapple at no charge.

The tractor has served all of my needs and has been 100% reliable (knock on wood).

Unfortunately, Shareholder value has been confused with Shareholder wealth in many companies. This dealer is building value. This value will translate to more sales in the longrun. I sing their praises wherever and whenever I can.

Exactly. Why did the dealer do all of these wonderful things for you? Because in the business sense they are smart enough to know that it will earn them more money. Maybe not today, and maybe not even from you, but it will someday from somebody.

 

[sd455dan]

You'll need to take that up with the likes of the Harvard Business School then.

Why does a corporation do things that serve it's customers? To make money.
Why does a corporation do things that serve it's community? To make money.
Why does a corporation donate to political groups and charities? To make money.
Why does a corporation _____________________? To make money.

That's itself is neither good or bad, nor does it have anything to do with passion or ethics. The only question is whether the results align with your personal objectives and principles. The concept of ethics is a philosophical and social construct that means completely different things to different people and different cultures, and that applies whether you're selling tractors, hot dogs, or bombs.

Well there is the psychopathic characteristics of the "Personage" of "some" corporations

from the documentary The Corporation

They have No Body to Incarcerate
and No Soul to Send to Hell...

Lots of Good well run Corporations out there The majority imo. But there are some that over their history have fallen far short of being Good citizens.

Before I put on my flame suit, I admit to being a holder in publicly traded stock, as well as being a member of an LLC myself.

 

[JWR]

Like ****, you know it when you see it. The big tractor corporations executing their clear plan to remove small dealers and family businesses from their franchise lists are an example of the most unethical behavior in American corporate history in my long lifetime.

Put them out of business. Use technicalities. Out live them and wait until the old guy who stood in their way dies. Unethical.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Exactly. Why did the dealer do all of these wonderful things for you? Because in the business sense they are smart enough to know that it will earn them more money. Maybe not today, and maybe not even from you, but it will someday from somebody.

Yep. Just always do the right thing, because it’s the right thing.

 

[jayhawk238]

What are the areas of ethical responsibility that is specific to this industry? For example: Energy companies have an ethical responsibility to protect the environment as they produce the natural resources necessary to power homes and cars. The tech companies have a responsibility to protect users privacy and data as they interact with their platforms. What do tractor manufacturers and dealers have an ethical responsibility to do?

I would like to hear everyone's opinion on this.

There is no "ethical responsibility" in this country anymore. I don't care if you are talking about tractors, cars, trucks, health care, quality of food or medical care or even worse our "political leaders". This country lost it's moral compass decades ago. And even though this is not Facebook, I will probably be put in jail.

 

[jyoutz]

I guess I'm pretty ignorant and rude. In Canada there are only 5 banks because they have a government protected monopoly. Every year they report record earnings. They pay no interest on savings. Every year my bank fees go up. Every year they reduce service and make it impossible to speak with a human being.

If I stuff $1,000 cash in my mattress I will have $1,000 at the end of the year. If you put the money in a bank I will only have $880 left in the same period. That's before inflation knocks off 5+% of its value.

Guess what? Car insurance companies in Ontario Canada also have a government enforced monopoly. Guess what banks are now getting into? Providing car insurance. WTF. So much for "free market"

Do they have credit unions in Canada? I ditched my bank several years ago, and only do my financial business through a credit union. Much better loan rates and they don’t charge fees for everything.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The Real Purpose of Business: Why Does Your Business Exist? | ariel lim consulting

With a brand new year and a new decade, it’s a great time to step back and asses things in our life. No, you don’t need to add this to your New Year’s

ariel-lim.com

This was a good article, thanks for sharing.

 

[Hay Dude]

I guess I'm pretty ignorant and rude. In Canada there are only 5 banks because they have a government protected monopoly. Every year they report record earnings. They pay no interest on savings. Every year my bank fees go up. Every year they reduce service and make it impossible to speak with a human being.

If I stuff $1,000 cash in my mattress I will have $1,000 at the end of the year. If you put the money in a bank I will only have $880 left in the same period. That's before inflation knocks off 5+% of its value.

Guess what? Car insurance companies in Ontario Canada also have a government enforced monopoly. Guess what banks are now getting into? Providing car insurance. WTF. So much for "free market"

Sign me up!