Capitalism does force us sometimes to make decisions in a context narrower than we need in order to make them morally, socially, environmentally (Rolston, 1988, p. 324).
Rolston points to several cases of corporate myopia that was changed as customers and potential customers made their views known and demonstrated that hurting customers would harm shareholders as well. He points to the DDT scare in the early 1960s which led to the banning of the chemical, which harmed shareholders of the company producing it; the improvement of the Alaska pipeline so consumer complaints served the needs of shareholders and added to the value of the pipeline; and automobile companies that responded to consumer complaints and produced cars with better emissions standards, thus serving shareholders by maintaining sales (Rolston, 1988, p. 325).
However, it is also evident that companies that pretend to be responsible toward their customers and the demands of those...
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