Question

Do you remember the proverb declaring that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime? Do you agree with critics who apply this proverb to TOMS’ charity model? Why or why not. Beyond judging the charity work of TOMS, think about how its message and appeal have captured so much buy-in from young people. When you write business messages, how can you alter your writing to engage audiences of various ages or at various education levels?

Answer 1

The TOMS charity model appear to be very attractive if we do not think and analyse it, but if we go beyond the general perspective we can get few similarities with Paternalism. Get the fish without efforts is easier than fish them but on the other hand this thing develop the dependency, remove the responsibility. In the other way we can say “The model is giving fish rather than to catch fish”.

The model is not acquiring the real reason behind the poverty and problems, they are just making people dependent, this is a strategy which was used by invaders who colonised many countries.

“The TOMS model is a marketing campaign rather than a business model, it appeals to person’s sense of compassion”.

The TOMS model is also using the sympathy and emotions to be with people, so the model does not work with reality, it works with a long term profit and market capture.

Conclusion- Every good things always have a bad side so that beyond the short term profits we can assume long term loss by this model. We must teach people how to catch fish not to give fish, dependency works like nicotine and if we get dependent of this substance, it shows the real problem after some time.