Business and Ethics, Essay Example

My employment at the Green Move came at a time when I needed it most. Firstly, I had just graduated from my course and that was the time I needed the job most since I had to get a platform to express what I had learnt in class. In addition, I wanted the space to grow my professional prowess and watch my profession develop from one stage to another. As if that was not enough, I received the job in my dream company. A company owned and controlled by young, energetic and vibrant people. That was the age bracket which I belonged and no experience could be better than working in such an environment. Lastly, my specific job description area was a real anticipation in the market and that gave me even more challenge and opportunities alike

Everyone in the market was waiting for the revolutionary launch of the Zero pedal, the bikes which would use the solar powers to accelerate. This type of bike was environmentally friendly as well as very efficient. Everyone, save for some few people who doubted its usability was expectant of the bikes and this single product would revolutionize and greatly increase the networth of the company and increasing its share trading in the market. However, the recent revelations on the bike was not only bringing worry but also raising different questions. The answers of these questions depended on other people but I would also have a say.

The revelations made by my friend, Mr.Doug, the product engineer on the development of the Zero pedal bikes, were not only shocking but also very tricky to handle as they involved both sides of the coin. The much anticipation of the bikes in the market was reciprocated by engaging challenges and tricky decisions to make. It juxtaposed both morality and legality together. The two were hard to blend.

Similarly, the revelations made by my friend Doug could have a multidimensional meaning. In a way, my predecessor might have lost their job because of the same sticky issue. The way in which the directors of the companies handled the issue was questionable and the fact that I was not taken through any form of official recruitment process such as induction could as well been meaning that I was in some kind of probation. Perhaps, the test was how ‘sensible’ I would handle the issue. It was in public knowledge that the bike was extremely dangerous for the extremely hot places, the markets which I was charged with the responsibility of handling.

Robert, one of the core directors of the company, was opposed to the process of making the bikes safe and ideal for these places of concern. Perhaps, this was due to the cost involved. As a result, by declining to comply with the request of making it friendly for use in such areas, he indirectly implied that the lives of the users would be put to the weighing balance on this regard.

The fact that the production of the Zero pedal was entirely unregulated – since it is not touched in anywhere in the provisions of the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSTA). This fact reduced the legality in this particular product and hence the morality part of such production would play active.

Since I was central to this, the decision I would make and stand for would determine my future career and would dictate my status of being the employee at the place. It was eminent that if I held opinions contravention to Robert’s, who represented the top management’s, the chances of termination of my job contract were so high. Again, if I stood for the ideas as those of the top administration, represented by Robert, my chances of retaining my job would be high but my conscience would never let me rest as I would have known that in a way, I would have put someone’s life to risk at the expense of my profession’s ‘fulfillment’. The fulfillment, in essence would be temporary. The regulating bodies would soon come in with the regulating clauses and the realization of the production of an unfriendly product would manifest itself inform of a law suit and the victims would apparently be the implementers of the production.

The product if produced in its current state would possibly lead to booming profits but again booming health complications and risk to the life of some users. Being party to this would only mean one thing; I will be so callous as to compare the human life to the material possessions and career fulfillments. My guiding model and principle would be value based and not any external factor would influence my decision on particular issue

My stand on this would be to take the fair ground in both the moral and legal way, even though it would have not been provided for in the law. I would also not contravene the original goals of the company to produce friendly products for the consumption by the people. I would draft the safety procedures and recommend changes to the management, if the proposals meet opposition and resistance, I would resign from the post before I receive my termination letter like my predecessor

Without a second thought, I would not recommend the company to pay the special fee of $ 5000 to allow the Zero Pedal to be put in the shelves of the good sporting store. Doing this particular act, first and foremost, will be contravention to the legal provisions regulating the free market. In a way, the lump sum paid will best be described as corruption to ensure the displaying of the sporting materials. To this end, paying the amount will misrepresent facts that the Zero pedal had no health concerns. Those who will purchase the product on this light will be misled and duped. The misleading will pose their lives to great risk and danger as was warned earlier by the product engineer. I would not be party to any of such deals because it would not be ethical to dupe esteemed customers and again, it would be unhealthy legally to introduce the ‘bribe’ or the token so as to enable the displaying of this particular product.

The Green Move should indeed apply the cost benefit analysis in analyzing the concerns raised in this particular product. The safety concerns raised will have a high social cost to the users and less social benefits to the user. Therefore, the company will be in a state of a pareto equilibrium where one party must be made worse off at the expense of the other which in essence will be made better off. The consumers in this case will be more vulnerable since their welfare could easily be snubbed by the company as there were no stringent regulations which guided their operations. Analysis of the costs and the benefits will result to the company knowing the exact social costs involved in either implementing or not implementing the safety concerns. The knowledge of such will enable the firm to determine the prudent decision to make regarding the production of the bikes against the safety involved in the users.

The risk of conducting such analysis is the result which will influence the decision making. If the company realizes a net loss in terms of revenue in incorporating the safety standards, the directors of the company will be unwilling to adopt the method. They will snub the concerns of the public and go ahead to produce the bike. The pressure resulting from anticipation of the product in the market will not allow the directors make a rational and safe decision. They would tend adopt the idea of producing the bike in its original form so as to take care of their interests. The anticipation posed by the market and the pressure to balance the safety and the profitability is the risk which will accrue from the conduction of cost/benefit analysis because either way, hard decisions will have to be made, in most cases, in favor of the directors.

As a human being and a patriot, Robert should not facilitate the worsening of conditions for someone at the expense of the growth by his own company.Robert should therefore terminate the contract with the Solar Group because the company has not followed the provisions in the contractual clause which led to their signing of agreement and working together. By terminating the contract, the stake of the company will be at risk because they will be required to procure another supplier. Procurement of another supplier might be more costly. However, the cost might not be as high as the cost of losing the reputation on the customers through the realization of contractual agreements with companies which unfairly treat their employees.

Should the video footage leak to the media or should the blogger decide on a legal action against Robert, a lot of resources would be spent in contingency conditions of the company. The strict American provisions on the company transacting with a non-compliance company might lead to more adverse effects to the company than the growth realized by the partnership with the Solar Group. Therefore, although, the company’s interest is at stake, the best way out is to act morally and within the bounds of the law and terminate the contract. This will be to the best interest of the firm.

The government of Bangladesh has prudent provisions which are meant to make the human life more meaningful and healthy. As a result, Robert should rely on the laws provided by the Bangladesh government to evaluate the provisions of the contract with the Solar Company. Such a decision will have a legal backing since the provisions of the laws of Bangladesh will be in the favor of Robert incase of laws suits.

The wages provided by the Solar Company might not be as competitive as the people’s daily needs are concerned. This is the case if the incidence of Akash is to go by. The government of the Bangladesh must have provided the minimum wages, payment below which is illegal. Due to the economic situation of the country, the implementation of such laws might be poor because of the high unemployment rates. Going by the law of demand and supply, when the supply of labor is high (as the case of Bangladesh), the demand reduces and therefore many people become jobless. Therefore the Green Move should rely on the competitive and prevailing market prices to determine the wages charged on the employees. The competitive wage prices and the general price in the market depict the equilibrium level of the demand and the supply of labor.

The brand of the Green Move largely depends on the actions taken by the blogger. With the information and video footage in his custody, he has various choices and options to choose from. All the options have consequences to the company once made. If the blogger leaks or shares the link to the operations of the company and indeed it is proven that the working conditions are poor and that the allegations are found out to be true, the reputation of Green Move will be soiled and this effect might trickle down to its financial statements. Most of its customers who are law abiding will shy away from transacting with them commercial deals. This will result to losses to the company in form of weak reputation and reduced market worth. Alternatively, the blogger could initiate a legal proceeding on the Company or perhaps facilitate the proceeding by providing the information in form of evidence or testifying against the company. A part form the cost which will be incurred during the process of the case, the company might pay a lot of contingencies as damage and compensation fees to the injured party.

From the superficial analysis, the leasing process is marred with malpractices and a lot of bad will. Viktor should not present both envelopes because this would mean that he has agreed to the demands of these people and therefore the act will soil his reputation. The inclusion of the second bid and numerous requirements to lease does not sound well for the reputation of the firm. Legally, such a process might lack the legal backing more so when it comes to.’Keepingthe process moving’. The legal provisions will be silent on this and its execution will be prejudicial to condoning the malpractices in this transactions. Ethically, it would not be to the best interest of the virtuous provisions. It would injure the personal considerations and principles of the people in the industry.

Green Move should move to Russia because their intentions are noble; to reduce the underemployment  rate of the people of Russia. However, engaging in underhand deals within the establishment of the firm are not in the interest of the virtues and personal ethics provided. The company could move and set its base in Russia but that would be better done when specific rules and laid provisions are made. The company would perform better if the personal interests are not used as the basis for expansion of operations to Russia.

The organizational issues which might have lead to the breach of the legal and ethical provisions could have been bureaucracy. The decision making was self-centered on personal desires. The residual risk of this act is the law suits which might be launched against the company. In addition, the reputation of the company will be soiled in the face of its stakeholders. Green Move would adopt a plan to rebrand itself by complying with the provisions of the law and practicing ethical practices. The government has a duty in the legislation and implementation of provided laws.