Business Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Ethics - Research Paper Example The Case of Apple Jonathan Watts (2011) has laid open the lid over the assumed business ethics of such big businesses as Apple Inc., for letting its overseas supply chain damage the environment and degrade the pollution. The leading Chinese environment group has blamed the IT tycoon of not adhering to transparency in its business operations because of which the workers are suffering on health issues and lack of transparency is also causing loss of environment. The statement by the 36 Groups working for the Green Choice Initiative has heightened the controversy over the company’s incapacity in ensuring that work ethics are adhered to in the factories where ipads and iphones are being produced. Environment violations by suppliers of big IT companies are occurring to the dismay of all, the cause of which needs to be confirmed; why workers are being forced to function in such environment that is poor in safety standards. A number of tragedies are occurring at the Chinese factories ; workers are committing suicides and workplace poisonings are taking place from the heavy metal pollution. It is clearly evident that the Chinese labor is paid less and workplace safety and regulatory parameters are not enough relatively to the West (Watts, 2011). Although Apple’s supplier code of conduct vouches adherance to globally identified standards to further the cause of business ethics but accountability can not be determined by the third parties as companies like Apple do not share facts on the name of corporate confidentiality. Political confidentiality and red tape in government transactions has further deteriorated the working conditions due to non-transparency used as a cover. Apple is one of the 29 companies least interested to share relevant information about its suppliers. There are a number of companies working for Apple’s supply chain, involved in waste discharge violations. A dozen employees died unnatural deaths in Foxconn electronics in Shenzhen, a supplier of computer parts for Apple and other big IT companies operating through outsourced locations (Watts, 2011). Moren (2010) states that Apple is employing tactics such as issuing the progress report on supplier responsibility, coinciding it intelligently with the shareholders meeting. So that the company management could not be attacked aggressively by shareholders on the social responsibility issue, the report on supplier responsibility was issued just 2 days before the meeting. Apple like other American companies has been exploiting the lenient labor laws in third world countries, which can affect its reputation, as in 2006 the company’s image was tarnished with the news that workforce at Foxconn’s Langhua was working 15-hours a day and was forced to live in unhygienic conditions, as published by a British newspaper. The company level inquiry found evidence of the same and from thereon suppliers’ yearly auditing was strategized to check suppliersâ₠¬â„¢ adherence to code of conduct. The audit conducted in 2009 outlines the reforms and precautionary steps taken by the company. In the near past, in 2009 Apple initiated training programs for assembly-line workers on various educational programs such as Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) among others, protection programs such as reducing recruitment fee, educating workers on their rights and audit programs on component making suppliers and nonproduction suppliers to the final assembly production

Australian Responses to the Decline of Britain as a World Power in the Essay

Australian Responses to the Decline of Britain as a World Power in the Twentieth Century - Essay Example This is in spite of (or should one say, because) of the fact that, ethnically, the majority of Australians are British, mainly penal settlers; the original habitants of the country-the aborigines-constitute a mere 2% of the present population.2 Although some Australian writers of the early twentieth century, perhaps as a reaction, have gone to the extent of denying British influence on Australian life and institutions in general, this is a denial of the truth. The relation between Britain and Australia, "both official and sentimental"3 is complex, and "till 1914, Australia depended on Britain for much of its prosperity, by choice."(the emphasis is mine)4 As Keith Hancock said, it was "not impossible for Australia, nourished by a glorious literature and haunted by old memories to be in love with two soils."5 The imbroglio over an independent defence for the Dominion was the chief political issue between Britain and Australia during the pre World War years of the twentieth century. In 1899, 16000 Australians had voluntarily served in the Boer War. Neville Chamberlain, who later became Prime Minister of Britain, enthusiastically pushed for the formation of colonial armies (India, Canada, New Zealand and Australia) that would fight anywhere across the Empire. Although New Zealand was agreeable to providing soldiers for this force, both Canada and Australia balked. Australia wanted an army for its own protection and not for being deployed to Europe. Political events of the time, like the Boer War, which undermined British supremacy worried Australia. It felt that it could be attacked in its position as a colony of Britain. When Japan defeated Russia (Russo-Japanese War, 1905) and showed inclinations to spreading out militarily into Asia, Australia worried that it might also divert its coveto us eyes to acquisitions on Australian territory. Britain did not initially encourage Australia to develop itself militarily, because it did not take the idea of a defence force for its dominion seriously. Besides, it was felt that should any enemy commercial ship defeat an Australian gunboat in an engagement, it would reflect on Britain, as a defeat of Imperial forces.6 However, the increasing threats to British supremacy and the spectre of a Germany strengthening its military spurred Britain on to urge its colonies to develop their own military. In 1906, the Imperial Admiralty proposed the establishment of a separate navy stationed at Melbourne and was generous in funding this as well.7 Alfred Deakin, Australian Prime Minister, wrested a concession from Britain-that the personnel from the Australian navy could be interchanged with those of the Imperial. This would give them (the Australian navy) the necessary expertise. Admiral Sir John Fisher of Britain also provided, by default, an impetus for the development of the Australian n avy. Fisher believed that if a flotilla were developed, such that the British Isles instead of being defended at her borders (by battleships) could have torpedo ships that prevented enemy vessels from setting out from their shores, it would be in the larger interest of Britain.8 This led to the addition of ships to the Australian Navy, and an enhancement of its strength.