APPLE INC.

Strengths, Limitations and Challenges of Ethical and Socially Responsible Business Practice- Apple

Strengths, Limitations and Challenges Of Ethical And Socially Responsible Business Practice- Apple

Introduction

Business ethics consists of a set of moral principles and values (Jones - Parker - Bos, 2009:17) that govern the behavior of the organization with respect to what is right and what is wrong. It spells out the basic philosophy and priorities of an organization in concrete terms (French, 2010: 15). It also contains the prohibitory actions at the workplace (Collier & Esteban 2007:19). It provides a framework on which the organization could be legally governed. With time, certain moral philosophies have helped in the evolution of four basic concepts of ethics. They are deontologism, relativism, egoism, and utilitarianism. The paper examines basic principles of business ethics and sheds light on the aforesaid concepts. Business ethics is the behavior that a business adheres to in its daily dealings with the world (Borgerson & Schroeder, 2008: 165). The ethics of a particular business can be diverse. They apply not only to how the business interacts with the world at large, but also to their one-on-one dealings with a single customer (Solomon, 2011: 165). Many businesses have gained a bad reputation just by being in business. To some people, businesses are interested in making money, and that is the bottom line. It could be called capitalism in its purest form (Antoniou, 2008). Making money is not wrong in itself. It is the manner in which some businesses conduct themselves that brings up the question of ethical behavior. Good business ethics should be a part of every business. There are many factors to consider. When a company does business with another that is considered unethical, does this make the first company unethical by association? Some people would say yes, the first business has a responsibility and it is now a link in the chain of unethical businesses . Many global businesses, including most of the major brands that the public use, can be seen not to think too highly of good business ethics. Many major brands have been fined millions for breaking ethical business laws. Money is the major deciding factor.

Recent media reports and ongoing protests over the reportedly abhorrent working conditions at factories where Apple's iPhones are produced have left socially conscious British with a dilemma: Is it ethical to own an iPhone? For many Americans, even those who support socially responsible manufacturing and business practices, their iPhones and iPads have become must-have devices for both work and personal use. Now they're being forced to ask themselves whether they are willing to ignore strong evidence that their beloved devices are being made by mistreated and underpaid employees.

Problem Statement

The charges of mistreatment of the workers who create Apple's products are not new. They have, however, gained mainstream momentum during the last months. The contradiction of Apple's $13 billion in profits in the fourth quarter of 2011 juxtaposed against images and stories of worker rights violations have painted a less ...