Project
Part one
Ethics is an important aspect that should be taken into consideration when developing and presenting an advertisement of any given product. Many advertisements fail to take into account the issue of ethics. This section will analyze two different advertisements that have been placed in two different modes of advertising in two different countries. One of the advertisements will be ethical and the other advertisement will be unethical. The purpose of this paper is to analyze factors that make the two advertisements different when it comes to their ethical nature.
An advertisement on usage of e-pills is placed on UAE national television. The advertisement describes the usage of the e-pill and explains in details the how the pills should be used in family planning. The advertisement also explains to the potential users the sides’ effect of using the e-pills. Therefore this, advertisement on UAE national television demonstrates good ethics. On the other hand, an advertisement is placed in BBC radio on the usage of coils in family palling. The advertisement does not educate the potential users on the probable sides’ effect of sing coils but only gives the advantage of using the coils without informing them the side effect that comes with usage of these coils in family planning. The advertisement has been running in Nigeria on of the countries which BBC radio airs it news and advertisements. The advertisement only appeals to the potential users to buy the coils without giving all the information that they need in order to make an informed decision. This advertisement demonstrates poor ethics.
The first advertisement on the usage of e-pills that has been running in UAE national television demonstrates good ethics as it provides all the information that they need to know about the product, both the positive and the negative aspect of the product. The company selling the e-pills is not concerned only about selling more products, but it also provides the right information required for the users to make the right decisions on whether to buy or not. On the other hand, the advertisement on BBC radio demonstrates poor ethics as it does not provide accurate information regarding the product. The advertisement fails to reveal to the potential users the negative aspect of the product thereby, making the customers to make misinformed decision to buy the product.
In conclusion, an advertisement that is ethically good should provide all the information regarding the product which is advertised, ethical negative or positive aspects, so that the potential user can make informed decision before deciding to buy the product or not (Lyon, 1999).
Part 2
Accounting and Finance
The problem that I have been faced with as a credit officer is whether to continue with an unethical payment policy. An outgoing manager during training informed me that the payment system that is currently in use entails preparing checks for the amount of the cash discounts and the checks are not mailed immediately to the relevant recipients until five days later. The outgoing manager tells me that by delaying mailing of checks the company is able to use free cash that is supposed to be mailed through checks for another five days. In order to avoid problems with the suppliers, they blame the computer system and the mailroom. I am faced with the challenge of whether to continue with this payment policy, which gives the benefits to the company or stop it immediately.
Using the egoism theory of ethics the act of the outgoing credit officer is ethically right. The egoism theory advocates an organization to do implement policies that will benefit it, even if the policies are ethically wrong (Ridley, 1998). On the other hand, the act of the outgoing credit manager is ethically wrong if I use relativism theory to analyze the situation. The relativism theory advocates that an organization takes into consideration the interests of other parties before implementing any policy. The theory advocates for implementation of those policies that are morally right even if it means that the company will not have to go other best alternatives (Singer, 2000).
I have two alternative courses of actions that I can take as a new credit officer. I can decide to discontinue the payment policy and make mail the checks immediately without delaying them for five days. Meanwhile, I can also decide to continue with the existing system of delaying payments for five days.
After careful consideration of the social corporate responsibility, I decide to discontinue with the current payment system even if, the company will lose in away. The first alternative is the best as it takes into consideration the interest of the suppliers as well as those of the company thereby, making it ethical (Penslar, 1995).
Part 3
Employee Right
Employee rights are constitutional privileges that an employee is entitled when working for a particular organization. Those rights describe the right that an employee has in matters to do with remuneration, trade unions, and employee relations with the employer among other issues.
As a credit officer, I will be expected to perform certain duties in the organization that I am working at. First, I will be expected to advise the management on matters to do with investment through carrying out an investment appraisal. Second, I will be expected to allocate fund for various activities in the organization through preparation of a budget. Finally, I will be responsible for advising the management on available sources of finance for the organization.
As a senior member of management, a great discrimination exists in the organization as far as the right to take part in strikes is concerned. As a senior employee, I am not supposed to take part on strikes while all other employees in the organization have the right to take part in strikes. This is discrimination of my right as an employee.
There are two of my rights that have been broken in this organization. Firstly, I have a right to join a labor union but this has not been the case. I have been denied the chance to join a labor union, to fight for my rights as an employee in the name that I am a senior employee of the organization. Secondly, my right health and safety rights have been adversely violated. The organization which is engaged in production of harmful chemicals does not have health safeties in place regarding what we as employees should do in case of an accident in the workplace. The organization does not have a health insurance policy, which I am entitled to have as an employee (Hobbes, 1968).
Part 4
Supply Chain Management
Child labor is usage of children to work for an organization or individual who have not attained the majority age according to the governing laws of the country in consideration. Child labor has been in use in many organizations due to it cheapness, though it is not allowed by law. Child labor amounts to violation of children rights.
An example of child labor is where a supply chain store employee children to perform various duties in the store such as cleaning of the store. This act of employing children to clean the store amounts to child labor. This act violates the child’s rights.
Taking the perspective of the egoism theory, child labor may be considered as ethical as it helps the employer to save on cost of running an organization. The employer can exploit the child in order to maximize profit at the lowest possible cost. On the other hand, from the perspective of rule based approach to ethic, the act of sing child labor is unethical. Even though the organization is benefitting from the usage of child labor as it lowers the cost of running the organization and maximizing profit the act is unethical. The act of using child labor amounts to violation of the constitutional rights of the children. The act is unjust as the employee exploits the children for his sake and of his individual gains at the expense of the welfare of the children (Baier, 1990).
I consider that child labor has been unethical as it amounts to violation of children’s rights. In addition, child labor tends to be unjust as the employer exploits the children by paying them small salaries in order to maximize profit and minimize cost. In conclusion, child labor should be discouraged as it is morally wrong and is denying children their constitutional rights.
| Ethical Dilemma | Ethics is a Controversial |