What does boycot mean?

Answer 1

A boycott is a willful and deliberate action coordinated across a segment of a community in which that segment seeks to effect commercial or political reform by refusing to deal with a particular person, company, country, or other entity. Consumer advocates typically promote the boycott of a particular product or manufacturer because the product or manufacturer offends the sensibilities of the boycott promoter. For example, some consumer advocates encourage the boycott of Sony products because Sony embedded potentially malicious software in their Sony BMG Music CD (Review PC World Article at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,947166,00.html). Some boycotts are imposed by law. For example, it is illegal in the USA to conduct business with companies that operate in Cuba. Such boycotts are typically designed to achieve a political aim. Boycotts are only effective when the organizers of the boycott succeed in convincing a large enough population to refuse to deal with the targeted entity such that the entity's economic interests are affected. It is unclear if the USA's boycott of trade with Cuba has achieved any outcomes, since the USA is virtually alone its position, and the boycott has not achieved the results desired by the USA's government. However the mere threat of a boycott can be very effective, especially in the commercial world, where profits weigh heavily in corporations' decisions.