Monday, January 24, 2011
Apple and the Ethical/Business Problems of Child Labor and Other Unsavory Practices
Hey guys I know this article is a little outdated, but it leads to many ethical dilemmas faced throughout the world today. Child labor is definitely something that big companies don't want to talk about and it definitely doesn't help when workers end up sick from substances they use. The combination of the two creates even more problems. So what can these companies do in the future to create better solutions? Too many times we do use the "don't ask don't tell" kind of theory to hide these laborers, but is this ethically right? Is this what Apple and other big corporations want us to see? I don't think so. While legislation of where companies can find suppliers may make the situation even more companies, I think some of these companies need to make changes that help these child laborers. Price shouldn't be the main factor as these kids work in awful conditions. If they want to continue to hide these workers, I'm sure activist groups will continue to make the public aware. Apple needs to stand up for their morals and create better working conditions.
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This article is very interesting as it relates to our 2 previous classes regarding ethics in business. Personally, I was surprised to find out that Apple was dealing with suppliers accused of exploiting children and using substances that had poisoned a number of workers. This has definitely caused bad publicity for Apple, a company that has a solid and growing reputation in the market. Although, hiring children is very cheap and cuts the costs for Apple, nonetheless it is unethical. I understand that for businesses being ethical could be very expensive and generate lots of costs for the company in the short run. However, on the long run, the company’s reputation and status within the market will grow attracting consumers, employees as well as suppliers for the company. This all contributes in generating profits for the company. That’s why I think that Apple as well as other companies should always take an ethical approach in their activities and make sure to stress the importance of ethics and morale within the company’s culture.
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