Week 1 Discussion Post
DISCUSSION TOPIC Ethical Dilemma: Major corporations with overseas subcontractors (such as IKEA in Bangladesh, Unilever in India, and Nike in China) have been criticized, often with substantial negative publicity, when children as young as 10 have been found working in the subcontractor 's facilities. The standard response is to perform an audit and then enhance controls so it does not happen again. In one such case, a 10-year-old was terminated. Shortly thereafter, the family, without the 10-year-old 's contribution to the family income, lost its modest home, and the 10-year-old was left to scrounge in the local dump for scraps of metal.
1. Was the decision to hire the 10-year-old ethical?
2. Was the decision to terminate the 10-year-old ethical?
Many of the ethical issues and dilemmas in overseas corporations and international business are rooted in the fact that political systems, law, economic development, and culture vary significantly from nation to nation. Consequently, what is considered normal practice in one nation may be considered unethical in other nations because they work for an institution that transcends national borders and different cultures. Corporations should be sensitive to these differences and able to choose the ethical action in those circumstances where variation across societies creates the potential for ethical problems (Hill, 2011).
In conclusion, I feel there is no easy answer the questions in the discussion topic. In this case, employing child labor was not acceptable, but given that she was employed, neither was denying the child her only source of income, it is an ethical dilemma open to debate.
Best Regards,
Mr. Mario Nerey
References:
Hill, C. (2011). Ethics in International Business. In International business: Competing in the global marketplace (8th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
1. Was the decision to hire the 10-year-old ethical?
2. Was the decision to terminate the 10-year-old ethical?
Many of the ethical issues and dilemmas in overseas corporations and international business are rooted in the fact that political systems, law, economic development, and culture vary significantly from nation to nation. Consequently, what is considered normal practice in one nation may be considered unethical in other nations because they work for an institution that transcends national borders and different cultures. Corporations should be sensitive to these differences and able to choose the ethical action in those circumstances where variation across societies creates the potential for ethical problems (Hill, 2011).
In conclusion, I feel there is no easy answer the questions in the discussion topic. In this case, employing child labor was not acceptable, but given that she was employed, neither was denying the child her only source of income, it is an ethical dilemma open to debate.
Best Regards,
Mr. Mario Nerey
References:
Hill, C. (2011). Ethics in International Business. In International business: Competing in the global marketplace (8th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
References: Hill, C. (2011). Ethics in International Business. In International business: Competing in the global marketplace (8th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.