Foxconn
Foxconn
Apple computers, Nokia, Dell and Nintendo are the major suppliers of Foxconn Electronics, all of them face ethical issues from this company unfair treatment of their workers. Due to poor working conditions of one of their factories in Shenzhen China, workers are committing suicides, forced to work long days, forced to work overtime, paying employees low wages, as well as denying workers the right to organize. In order for Foxconn to meet its high production quotas they force these conditions onto their employees.
Now is it ethical for these suppliers to continue to do business with this company? Due to the mass production and relatively inexpensive costs they continue to use them. However, even though the suppliers have no say in the working conditions of China or this factory it is very unethical to turn the other cheek in this situation. By ignoring the circumstances they will continue to sell high quantities of their products but at what price? By looking at two models of ethical behavior theses suppliers should demand better working conditions for Foxconn workers.
First, look at the “The Front-Page-of-the-Newspaper Test” this ethical model requires only that a decision maker envision how a reporter would describe a decision on the front page of a local or national newspaper. The headline would more than paint a poor image for the suppliers by saying this is unethical because it’s violating human rights. The suppliers are breaking no legal laws, but breaking moral laws. In order to continue to sell high volumes of their products, suppliers need to think of the consequences that Foxconn could have on their products and the negative publicity it could cause.
Next, “Laura Nash and Perspective,” is a series of questions managers ask as they evaluate their ethical dilemmas. For example one should ask “How would I view an issue if I stood on the other side of the fense?” Based on the model the actions are unethical. As the model asks how you would
Apple computers, Nokia, Dell and Nintendo are the major suppliers of Foxconn Electronics, all of them face ethical issues from this company unfair treatment of their workers. Due to poor working conditions of one of their factories in Shenzhen China, workers are committing suicides, forced to work long days, forced to work overtime, paying employees low wages, as well as denying workers the right to organize. In order for Foxconn to meet its high production quotas they force these conditions onto their employees.
Now is it ethical for these suppliers to continue to do business with this company? Due to the mass production and relatively inexpensive costs they continue to use them. However, even though the suppliers have no say in the working conditions of China or this factory it is very unethical to turn the other cheek in this situation. By ignoring the circumstances they will continue to sell high quantities of their products but at what price? By looking at two models of ethical behavior theses suppliers should demand better working conditions for Foxconn workers.
First, look at the “The Front-Page-of-the-Newspaper Test” this ethical model requires only that a decision maker envision how a reporter would describe a decision on the front page of a local or national newspaper. The headline would more than paint a poor image for the suppliers by saying this is unethical because it’s violating human rights. The suppliers are breaking no legal laws, but breaking moral laws. In order to continue to sell high volumes of their products, suppliers need to think of the consequences that Foxconn could have on their products and the negative publicity it could cause.
Next, “Laura Nash and Perspective,” is a series of questions managers ask as they evaluate their ethical dilemmas. For example one should ask “How would I view an issue if I stood on the other side of the fense?” Based on the model the actions are unethical. As the model asks how you would
Cited: Abramsohn, Jennifer. "Amid Foxconn Tragedy, Consumer Movement Sets Sights on Fair Mobile Phones." Www.dw-world.de. 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. <http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5667795,00.html>.