Business Ethics in Globalization and Child Labor
For this assignment, you will watch a series of short video segments from the film Business Ethics: A 21st-Century Perspective. In combination with the assigned reading, provide a response to the questions that follow. Business ethics: A 21st-century perspective [Video file].
After locating the video, complete the steps below: Watch the video segment titled “Business Problems/Ethics.” How does the globalization of business affect how you would analyze the ethical issues surrounding the use of child labor around the world? Watch the video segments titled “Temptations vs. Ethical Dilemmas” and “Resolution Principles.”
Discuss the difference between a temptation and an ethical dilemma in the context of an experience you have had, and describe how you resolved the matter. Watch the video segment titled “Future Business Dilemmas.” Identify and discuss an issue confronting 21st century businesses today, and explain how you would analyze and resolve the issue. For example, what questions and/or research would you employ, and on what basis would you make your determination?
Globalization and child labor
Globalization has opened the space for world’s interdependence through integration and interaction of people, governments, and businesses, mainly cultivated my international trade and investment (Crane et al., 2019). As such, the events of globalization affects me in different ways. Foremost, it has reduced to global distance into very reachable dimensions. It is possible to communicate instantly with people overseas, view goods and make instant purchases, transact, and even make travel decisions abroad, informed by various existing conditions. These are among the possibly undisputable merits of globalization that I can attest to.
Conversely, globalization is not all positive. It has opened avenues to other unethical practices such as child labor. Arguably, child labor is a trend evident in both developing and developed countries. Some communities view child labor as exploitation for financial gains while others perceive it as an accepted way of helping in gaining income. Needless to state, globalization has furthered this practice. In fact, today, most children, especially, from poor backgrounds, are increasingly subjected to practices of generating income against their wish, (Nogler & Pertile, 2016) rights and freedom is even gravely compromised.
Temptation and Ethical dilemma
Temptation is a clear state of choosing between right versus wrong, for instance, picking something that belong to someone else, one can choose to go with the picked item, or take it to the owner. It is tempting to go with it, which is wrong, but there is also the choice to take it back to the owner, which is the right decision (Daly, White & Vogel, 2000). Therefore, temptation is the state where one is presented with the both alternatives of right and wrong at their disposal, Therefore, child labor is a morally wrong practice as it compromises the children’s welfare, rights and freedom.
Ethical dilemma, on the other hand, is the choices between a right option versus another right option. It is the situation of being presented two choices both with are right, but which in competition for a higher moral good (Daly, White & Vogel, 2000). It envisages a situation where one has to choose between two alternatives which exude an almost equal degree of moral soundness. According to Prof David Vogel, when faced with an ethical dilemma, one needs to ‘engage in a fair analysis’ (Daly, White & Vogel, 2000) of the situation and engage other relevant persons so as to arrive at the best possible decision. While globalization is good, it is giving rise to increased instances of child labor. As aforementioned, this calls for engagement in fair analysis so as to make a decision to stop child labor, which is an embrace to the higher moral good.
Challenges of businesses in the 21st century
Businesses in the 21st century are faced with numerous challenges, which basically stems from ethical implication of certain business ventures and decisions. Business are pushed to used cheap human labor, which is usually an exploitation of the citizens of developing countries, and design products that promote unethical trends for profits prospects. For instance, video games are increasingly developed and availed in the market. This ‘new market’ usually targets children, who, in turn, transfer what they watch into their daily play, an act that is increasingly fanning violence among children (Daly, White & Vogel, 2000). Hence, the main challenge of these businesses is marketing profit while having the interest of the consumers in mind so as to remain ethical, a move that some term as ‘incompatible.’
Resolving this need an introspective contemplation of any possible dilemma. As aforementioned, a fair analysis for a decision gives primacy to ethical principles is crucial. As such, I would recommend, for the sake of a higher moral good, a cease on products that have negative ethical implication as this overrides profits foregone and employment opportunities lost. To achieve this, I will first conduct a research on the degree of ethical pitfalls associated with certain businesses, and its impact the social, economic and spiritual wellbeing of the society.
Reference
Crane, A., Matten, D., Glozer, S., & Spence, L. (2019). Business ethics: Managing corporate
citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
Daly, F., White, T., & Vogel, D. (Writers). (2000). Business ethics: A 21st century perspective [Video file]. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=10685
Nogler, L., & Pertile, M. (2016). Child labor in a globalized world: a legal analysis of ILO
action. Routledge.