Is progress solely for consumption's sake a social good? (service, preference)

[Ozzie]

I want to express a dilemma: on the one hand, capitalism enables creativity and innovation, both incredibly useful characteristics of Western social systems. On the other, most of these creative and innovative forces tend to be directed to perceived markets where consumer preference will enable a profitable return for the effort expended in developing innovative products and services. If people are likely to consume your product/service en mass you are more likely to expend your creative effort and resources in developing socially needed products (eg medical innovations) as much as purely consumer products (eg a competitor to Barbie).

Progress is undoubtedly favoured in the direction of perceived increases in market share. Where does the accent on profitable return leave innovation in areas of social improvement that have as yet sketchy marketing forcast techniques? For example, what are the social costs of environmental degradation in marketing terms?

Should our governments be more proactive in creating incentive to innovate in areas not directly related to consumption?

[michel]

Originally Posted by Ozzie

I want to express a dilemma: on the one hand, capitalism enables creativity and innovation, both incredibly useful characteristics of Western social systems. On the other, most of these creative and innovative forces tend to be directed to perceived markets where consumer preference will enable a profitable return for the effort expended in developing innovative products and services. If people are likely to consume your product/service en mass you are more likely to expend your creative effort and resources in developing socially needed products (eg medical innovations) as much as purely consumer products (eg a competitor to Barbie).

Progress is undoubtedly favoured in the direction of perceived increases in market share. Where does the accent on profitable return leave innovation in areas of social improvement that have as yet sketchy marketing forcast techniques? For example, what are the social costs of environmental degradation in marketing terms?

Should our governments be more proactive in creating incentive to innovate in areas not directly related to consumption?

Once a company starts trading, it needs capital. One good way of obtaining capital is to float on the stock exchange and issue share, warrants, bonds, whatever...

The people who have paid for those want a return on their investment which they need to see being " A good investment". Sure, shares are'nt as safe as savings with various institutions..one could well say that "The amount of profit you will make is in direct relationship with the amount of risk you are prepared to take".

Once a Company goes down that path, it is required to maximise profits to please the shareholders.....therefore, the only fieldsa in which the company will venture are money making ones.........

[niceguy]

I sometimes miss the old style capitalists, rich families that actually owned their companies and therefore cared for them in a way a simple shareholder would never do. Thease people still exist but they are getting rarer by the day.