Globalization and Business Ethics
Globalization refers to the process by which entities operate on an international scale or create international influence. However, globalization brought with it some challenges, especially in very sensitive issues like child labour. According to the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2002), there were over 200 million children between 5 and 14 years who worked in economic activities in the year 2000. The use of child labour to generate income is ethically wrong, and people should frown upon and condemn it. All the relevant authorities should take matters in their own hands and treat this issue with the strictness it deserves before it becomes a common practice that many organizations adopt. Globalization affects how I would analyze the ethical issues resulting from the use of child labour for several reasons. For instance, some countries have established laws that bend over backwards to allow children to participate in working activities to contribute something to their families and the country’s economy. Child labour is still unethical despite this information. People should train young children on responsibility and not subject them to activities that are both physically and emotionally draining and denies the children the opportunity to engage in children’s activities. Companies and businesses that have embraced globalization should take into consideration the labour laws of the countries that they operate in to prevent ethical issues.
Temptations and Ethical Dilemmas
Temptation and an ethical dilemma are two different concepts that have a host of differences. I have experienced both of these at separate times of my working career. For instance, I experience temptation daily at my workplace, and it all stems from the presence of a fast and reliable internet connection. We have modern computers in the workplace, and I like to play in my free time as I feel it helps calm me down. The internet and modern computers offer access to an extensive inventory of games that threaten to affect my productivity at my place of work. I once encountered an ethical dilemma, and it involved one of the heads of the departments. I walked in on her appropriating some of the old technology that we have in storage without permission. She is in a powerful position, and she threatened that if I exposed her, she would spin the story and ensure that I lose my job. I was in an ethical dilemma in that i knew that it was wrong if i kept quiet about it, but i could not stand to lose my job.
Future Business Dilemmas
According to Carroll (2000), businesses will continue experiencing the same issues that they experienced in the past, and any new issue will only be an extension of the current problems. However, based on the video, one issue that stands atop the rest is technology. Technology continually advances with each passing day, and businesses live in constant fear of the new advancements rendering their current choice of tech obsolete. Another cause of concern, in my perspective, is that the advancements also bring new threats posed by hackers. Hackers pose a significant issue to businesses for several well-known reasons. To resolve the issue, I would research new technologies that are time-proof and still offer the best security measures against any malicious intent. Technology that is viable over the next coming years would provide businesses with some reprieve from the need to continue using large amounts of money in upgrading and securing them.
Reference
Carroll, A. B. (2000). Ethical challenges for business in the new millennium: Corporate social responsibility and models of management morality. Business Ethics Quarterly, 10(1), 33-42.
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour. (2002). Every child counts: new global estimates on child labour. ILO/IPEC.