Business Issue with Competing Pressures: Based on what you see in the three videos, identify a specific issue with competing pressures. How is a business issue influenced by a social concern?
In an effort to compete with the authentic parmesan cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, made in Italy, Kraft and other similar companies have come out with their versions of parmesan cheese, which they claim is 100% parmesan and some of the best you can get on the market. They convince buyers that their parmesan cheese is high-quality while still selling it at an affordable price, which seems like a great deal to consumers. However, the ingredients used in the knock off version of parmesan are cheaper and unhealthier. They use different chemicals to mimic the taste of fresh parmesan, which many consumers may not realize. This could potentially lead to a decrease in the demand for authentic Parmigiano Reggiano or consumers believing other variations of parmesan are authentic when they aren’t.
Rationales For and Against Regulation: Based on the issue you have selected, make one statement for government regulation to address the issue (rationale for regulation) and one statement for minimal regulation/the free market to address the issue (rationale against regulation):
Government regulation would help increase the transparency of nonauthentic Parmesan cheese brands such as Kraft. It would prevent these companies from selling their products without disclosing the ingredients, which would inform consumers that it is not the same as authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. On the other hand, minimal government regulation/the free market could address the issue by allowing buyers to purchase whichever parmesan cheese they want, no matter how authentic it is. It would be the consumer’s responsibility to check to see if the product is authentic or not and then ultimately decide if it is worth purchasing.
Other Examples Like This?: Based on the competing pressures you see in this video, identify another issue that has an ongoing debate among people who argue for government regulation to address the issue versus those who argue that the free market should address the issue.
A major controversial issue occurring right now is the debate over whether healthcare should be universal. Some argue that governmental regulation of healthcare is necessary because everyone has a right to medical coverage and the overall health of the public would increase. Others argue that healthcare should not be regulated by the government because it would lead to a decrease in the quality and availability of medical coverage. Their belief is that there needs to be some competition between health insurance companies within a free market in order for individuals to get the best healthcare for the most affordable price. While there is certainly much more to this debate, the basis on which it stands is the argument for or against government regulation within the realm of healthcare.