ABSTRACT

The study examined how ethical marketing affect stakeholders’ responses in telecommunication industry in Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined how product-related ethics directed at customers affect consumer satisfaction; effect of price proportion principles and fairness on shareholders’ return on equity; effect of management contacts with confidential and personal information of customers on social responsibility management; effect of promotion-related ethical campaigns on corporate relationship intra the industry; and examine how price disparities among distribution channel intermediaries affect corporate brand image. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in Telecommunication industry of Nigeria all the member as focus and Abia State, Nigeria as cluster area. The population of the study comprised of 7750 staff of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria which include: MTN Connect, Airtel Nigeria, Glo Mobile, 9mobile. In effect, 100% of the study population (4 firms) were used as sample size of the study (MTN connect, Airtel Nigeria, Glo Mobile, 9mobile). In effect, the total sample size comprised of 4 telecommunication firms in Abia State. Purposive and convenience sampling technique were adopted for this study. Hence, 200 (two hundred) copies of questionnaire were administered on target personnel of the firms at the ratio of 4:3:2:1 based on estimate target market. Questionnaire was the major instrument of use for data collection. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentage. The hypotheses were tested with simple linear regression analysis model. The result revealed that product related ethical value in offer generates increase in the level of consumer satisfaction and enhances social responsibility management. Price proportion principles and fairness have significant effect on shareholders return on equity. Management contacts with confidential and personal information of customers have significant effect on social responsibility management. Promotion –related ethical campaign has significant effect on corporate relationship intra and inter firms in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria. Price disparities (practices) among channel intermediaries have significant effect on corporate brand image. In conclusion, ethical marketing significantly affect social responsibility management. The researcher recommended that, firms in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria should based on their market offer, define and identify their product related stakeholders, their values, weigh associated conflicting values for choice of option to balance offer and implement decisions on types, quantity and quality of offer, media of promotion and content, context and structure of promotion and negotiate without taken unreasonable advantage of suppliers of inputs as means to ensuring attainment and substance of accepted market share based on consumer satisfaction.