Applying Virtue Ethics to Mattel Inc. Global Manufacturing Principles

The book Out of Site by Erik Loomis discusses many problems when it comes to American companies outsourcing their factory jobs. One of the issues that he discusses are the horrible working conditions that plague foreign countries. These awful working conditions used to be normal in the United States in the early 19th century but laws soon changed that. Now these working conditions have just changed their location and continue to take people’s lives every year.

Business ethics and values have developed through time and crosswise over orders into a field, which is a standout amongst the most vital subjects in the field of business. For the authentic improvement of business morals, it is vital, to begin with, a meaning of business ethics and values in a worldwide setting (Savage, 2005). The study characterize business ethics and values from an administrative viewpoint as choices about what is correct or wrong (worthy or unsuitable) in the authoritative setting of arranging and actualizing business exercises in a worldwide business condition to profit (Child, 2015). The development

And yet children seem to believe that the way to prove themselves adult is to imitate the unstable destructive, irresponsible

Ethics and virtue have been a very contentious issue facing society for centuries. Many argue over the merits of various theories, each with its own philosophies and assumptions. It is this argument that has given rise to many popular and followed theories of ethics and virtues. The theories discussed primarily in this document include the virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological theory. Each is very distinct to the others in regards to its principles and assumptions regarding human behavior. Each however, has merit in regards to question of ethics and virtue, and how it should subsequently be valued.

“Globalization means different things to different people,” so therefore individuals have their own standpoints regarding various things. In this case, an issue that has arisen is the allegation of mistreatment of employees in developing countries. Slimline is an apparel manufacturer in Sri Lanka, which does business disparately. The company employs 5000+ employees, whom help produced $50 million worth of apparel annually. In this company, the entry level wages are set higher than the local markets and to mention that some of their employees have undergraduate and graduate degrees. Slimline does not have the typical

Ethics in the Lockheed Martin Corporation didn’t always have the message it has today. As I read through the book, Ethics at Work: Creating Virtue at an American Corporation, specifically chapter two, I came across some very interesting issues this corporation has had to deal with over the past few decades that go back to the 1920’s and earlier. In the following I’ll go over a few points that led to the development of Lockheed Martine’s current ethics program. Ill cover some ethics issues that were overcame on the way to a great ethics program. First let’s talk about the beginnings that started the Lockheed Martin Corporation so you can get an idea of the foundation of the company itself.

Multinational corporations should do more to adequately promote and support the dignity of their employees. It seems to me that the general business trend is for those who make the most money at an organizations, tend to forget or dismiss that the most valuable resources of a company are the employees. Executives tend to forget that without the employees, they would not be living and affording the luxurious lifestyle they can afford to live, a lifestyle far more luxurious that the workers can afford. There are some really ugly and detestable business practices that have become traditions and there is no reason. There is no reason why workers should be humiliated, coerced, mistreated, threatened, and tortured while companies simultaneously generate substantial revenue. Just as organizations are waking up to the simple fact that a company does not need to be wasteful, harmful, or oblivious to the environmental consequences of their company and still make money. In other words, companies that go green still make a lot of money.

The Walt Disney Company also has strong standards which the company feels that are imperative to make sure the Disney name, vision and company has superior record with the community. This is shown in their Code of Conduct for Manufacturers (“Code”, n.d.), which specifies: a standard of excellence in every aspect of our business and in every corner of the world; ethical and responsible conduct in all of our operations; respect for the rights of individuals; and respect for the environment; manufacturers will not use child labor; manufacturers will treat each employee with dignity and respect.

Apple is committed to ensuring that working conditions in Apple’s supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. Apple’s suppliers (“Suppliers”) are obligated, in all of their activities, to operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations of the countries in which they operate. This Supplier Code of Conduct (“Code”) goes further, drawing upon internationally recognized standards, in order to advance social and environmental responsibility. Apple requires that Suppliers implement this Code using the management systems described below. The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct is modeled on and contains

Caterpillar Incorporated (Caterpillar) is the world’s top in manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. In 2008, Caterpillar reported sales revenue of $51.3 billion dollars from domestic and worldwide operations (Caterpillar, 2008). As reported in Caterpillar’s 2008 Annual Report, Caterpillar is a worldwide company with 67% of their sales from outside of the United States (Caterpillar, 2008). With a global reach and influence, Caterpillar has recognized the need to develop and implement a Code of Conduct to guide its management and employees in their daily practices to make Caterpillar the efficient and profitable global leader

For the past few years there has been a rise of awareness of major western corporations that tend to exploit their workers in third world countries. On one hand it’s significantly cheaper having labor overseas than back home, but the treatment of these workers ' is unjust. All these major companies care about is making a quick buck, they could care less how these workers are treated, the conditions they work in, and how it is affecting their way of living. The way these major companies treat their workers not only affects them emotionally, but also affects their life in the social and economic aspect.

The second issue to discuss is on the policy on labour practices for companies such as Foxconn. Reports on their practices have been reported for years. There are over million people still working for the company working in these conditions. This raises a question on what is being done about this. Being reported for many years, the company doesn’t seem to do much about it. This is where policy and regulation should be coming to play. However, there seems to be a lack of enforcement on this. (Caufield, 2012)

Duty ethics is also known as Deontology, a word that comes from the Greek word “deon”, which translates to 'duty '. Duty ethics is a moral theory that focuses on people’s actions, regardless of their consequences. This moral theory teaches that individuals should do the right thing, simply because it is the right thing to do. The same applies to the contrary: do not do wrong things, all wrong things should be avoided because of their nature of being wrong. According to this moral theory, no action should be justified solely by demonstrating that it produced good outcomes (Duty-based ethics, 2014).

Even though words cannot do justice in emphasising the massive effect Multinational corporations such as this one have globally, their injurious actions are affecting the environment from all directions as well as aspects of our day-to-day life, something as simple as breathing clean air. Diminishing the finite sources available in a certain areas, they are able to pack their bags and move to another place, leaving many of its workers jobless.

Substandard working conditions in the less developed world are usually described as terrible places where employees are subjected to both mental and physical abuse, near impossible quotas, long hours, extremely low wages, and unsafe working conditions compared to western standards. All of this within an uninhabitable environment that corporations knowingly force the world’s impoverished people to submit to. Through pure ignorance, complete disregard, or lack of moral direction, many corporations have taken the concept of