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 You probably know this... April 12, 2005 4:34 PM

Thanks for the invite Freediver! You guys probably know this but for a boycott to have any success, we have to write letters to the corporation and tell them exactly how much we would spend there if we supported their ethics and how much they're losing because we don't.  Just to boycott but not tell the company is fairly useless, IMHO.   [ send green star]  [ accepted] 		 
I think we know this... April 12, 2005 6:04 PM

but let's talk about the best ways to let boycott targets know what's going on.  I have personally contacted companies, and occasionally get responses.  I think petitions could be useful for showing companies just how large a boycott movement is.   These petitions would need to have very large numbers of verifiable signatures.  Does anybody know how best to put together effective paper and electronic petitions?

I'm not sure where this idea would go, but would it be possible to start non-profit corporations providing various goods and services, encouraging companies to innovate (as that's where most of these hypothetical corporations' "profits" would go) and to be more ethical?  For nonprofit groups as a trigger for innovation, look at open-source software.  Would it be possible to take this attitude into the automotive, pharmaceutical, food, and other industries?
 [ send green star]  [ accepted] 		 
 April 12, 2005 6:09 PM

I had a lot of trouble trying to contact Yamaha about my boycott. They don't list any contact email addresses online anywhere! All you can get is the contact details for the dealers, and they are few and far between. I get the impression they have had problems like this before and have adopted the approach of not listening.

Joel, I don't think you'll get non-profits to drive innovation in other industries because the investment required is so large compared to software.

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Letter to the President April 12, 2005 6:22 PM

Letter to the President of large businesses as well as smaller ones are read.  Good boycotts are designed to cause a change in behavior and not just an anti-activity. 

A boycott is a group activity with a joint refusal to deal with a situation.  So, others must be with you in a group.  They do not have to act together but a group of people must organize to boycott.

 [ send green star]

 
Freediver April 12, 2005 6:42 PM

The large investment needed for many industries is indeed an obstacle, and I'm surprised I didn't put that in my post.  But that does not mean that it would be impossible.  I think I've heard about a non-profit pharmaceutical company formed to develop, produce and distribute life-saving medicines in the Third World.  That's not exactly what I was suggesting, but it's a big step toward it.  The primary competition that non-profits can provide seems to be ethics and other ideas, though, since those don't cost money, so there are lots of people who have an edge on big corporations in those areas.  Organic products, fair trade goods, and things like that do set higher standards and encourage those large and sometimes unethical corporations to change their ways.    [ send green star]  [ accepted] 		 
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