Maria Esther Catzim
University of Belize
Elishah St. Luce
Business Ethics (MGMT20554)
February 6, 2013
H.B. Fuller and the Street Children of Central America Analysis
According to Velasquez (2005), business ethics is a specialized study of moral right and wrong that concentrates on moral standards as they apply to business institutions, organizations, and behavior. Organizations will almost always be faced with ethical dilemmas whether in the workplace or outside. Though each ethical dilemma is different and varies in the degree of impact and importance; all should be addressed by the organization and stock holders by the use of a moral and ethical solution.
Although H.B. Fuller is the manufacturer of Resistol products, the company is not responsible for the addiction of street children in Honduras to its products. H.B. Fuller produced the glue for the sole purpose of it being used as an adhesive by legit users which are shoe makers, furniture makers and shoe repair shops not as a drug (Velasquez M. , 2005). During the production of Resistol products, H. B. Fuller was not aware that their products will be misused by street children as an addictive inhalant and they were not breaching any laws therefore; H.B. fuller should not be held liable. However upon the company’s awareness of the problem, I believe the company should take some responsibility in helping to alleviate the problem. After all, they are the ones producing and selling the product with such negatives effects to society. At first the subsidiary attempted to solve the problem but no matter what measures were taken it would be very difficult to completely fix the social problem. This is so because the street children are already addicted and would inhale any other brands and as the definition of addiction by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states “Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is
References: Business and Management Accouting. (n.d.). Retrieved Februaury 1, 2013, from http://essaybank.degree-essays.com/business/business-and-management-accounting.php The Science on Drug Abuse and Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved Februaury 1, 2013, from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/science-drug-abuse-addiction Velasquez, M. G. (2005). Business Ethics Concepts and Cases Sixth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. (2005). H.B. Fuller and the Street Children of Central America. In M. Velasquez, Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases. New Jersy: Pearson .