Ethical_Dilemma

ETHICAL DILEMMA WITH GLOBAL BUSINESS ETHICAL DILEMMA WITH GLOBAL BUSINESS: SWEATSHOPS Ethical issues that have evolved as a result of globalization can be seen far and wide now because of the way media has transitioned into information that is readily available on a moment’s notice almost anywhere in the world. What we as Americans see as human rights issues may also in some cases translate into unethical business practices. These views may not be shared by many nations who culture may allow for less than normal treatment of its people. In some nations a person may be forced to work long hours under, by American standards, arduous conditions without proper breaks to eat or even use the restroom. There are also many told instances of very young children working as hard as the adults, which would violate U.S. child labor laws. Human rights violations in such places as China and Sudan have triggered some actions and sanctions by other nations, but whether or not it is enough to turn the tide remains to be seen. The child labor laws here in the U.S. protect our youth from employment that may harm their health, well-being and educational opportunities. These laws are necessary because if not for them there would surely be employers who would take advantage of them and not allow for them to grow and mature into the productive citizens that we hope all our youth have the opportunity to become. On the other hand, some of the more impoverished countries or those whose human rights statues are not well founded such as China don’t have laws that protect their children and they may be forced, in some cases to work in hazardous conditions or for unfair wages. Our laws set a federal minimum standard for in pay for youth while youth in other countries work for little or nothing while putting in longer hours under poor working conditions. For countries like China, Indonesia, and Vietnam were there are no such laws that protect the young workers, it is readily accepted for their pay and conditions to be less than adequate. It is believed that Nike pays workers in these countries as little as $1.60 a day. In the 70’s Nike made most of its shoes in South Korea and Taiwan until workers began to organize and saw an increase in pay, which caused Nike to look for cheaper labor in other countries that had no laws to protect against unethical business practices. Their shoes are made by Asian workers at the poverty level , whose minimum wage is much lower than in the U.S., yet their products are sold for enormous profits, so much so that they sponsor million dollar athletes such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Then there again arises the question of whether child labor is being used in some of Nike’s factories around the world. Phil Knight, Nike Founder and Chairman, was asked if he is confident child labor is not used, he said “absolutely…its hasn’t been a problem at Nike factories”, but its frequently been shown otherwise. (“Nike and Sweatshops”, Farzin Mojtabai & Jason Cangialosi) References Global Issues: China and Human Rights http://www.globalissues.org/article/144/china-and-human-rights Child Labor Coalition: Child Labor in the U.S. http://www.stopchildlabor.org/USchildlabor/fact1.htm Third World Traveler: Nike Shoe Production in the Third World http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Boycotts/NikeThird_facts.html Kathie Lee's Latest Sweatshop Scandal http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b38744_Kathie_Lees_Latest_Sweatshop_Scandal. html Kathie Lee Gifford http://66.244.199.219/ckua_archives/eng/archive/news_gifford.aspx Nike and Sweatshops http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/29904/nike_and_sweatshops.html'cat= 3 Nike's Love Affair with Sweatshops: Still Doing It http://labornotes.org/blogs/2010/04/nikes-love-affair-sweatshops-still-doing -it