The universal moral standards and the ethics of co-creation

Abstract

As consumer participation in brand co-creation is increasing and conventional boundaries between producers and consumers are blurring, brands must learn to manage the unique ethical challenges of co-creation. This chapter investigates the ethics of co-creation by applying Schwartz's universal moral standards for corporate codes of ethics (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship) to examine current practices with a focus on digital platforms where the intensity of consumer participation is relatively high. This chapter shows that ethically questionable conduct by both brands and consumers is seen in today's marketplace, and makes recommendations toward ethically navigating the complexities of brand co-creation.