Response to “[Business Ethics] Samsung in Hot Water for “Serious Labor Abuses””
I stumbled upon Robert De Luca’s blog about Business Ethics in Samsung factories, an article that is reminiscent of the Nike sweatshop article I read. Both well-known companies have been caught by the law because they’ve provided unethical labour conditions in third world countries.
Since their labels are iconic in present day society, I wonder how these companies could taint their own image in performing such unethical actions, but stand to do so and not lose any customers. I’ve realized that although Nike had a huge scandal against them, their brand is still one seen wherever I look. Kids still don them on their feet and celebrities continue to endorse the company in selling unethically made products. Reading Rob’s Samsung article, I realize the same epidemic is happening again. Samsung has shown to be unprofessional and cruel to their staff and workers, yet the new Galaxy SIII is the biggest rave.
People don’t care. As blunt as that may seem, it’s true. There will always be a group of activists that raise protests but the majority of consumers don’t care. We continue to purchase their products regardless of how they’ve been made. We don’t see the face of the poor South Korean child who slaved away just to make the phone we’re using. This is the route of how business ethics have gone awry.
In class, David Silver had come and spoke to us about how teachers are failing to teach ethics in business. I don’t believe this is true. You can give someone the tools but it all depends on how they use them. I think we’re born with these morals, or they’ve been taught to us when we were younger. But we’ve reached the epitome of our already human characteristic of being greedy. Our ethics have been skewed and we continue to support the behaviour of these companies, treating kids like they’re doing them a favour by giving them two dollars a day in a factory with toxic fumes. We’re as bad as Samsung is. I believe that this is where business ethics go wrong, because this is a lesson that you can’t possibly learn in class.
Photo via: University of Michigan Closes Ethics Center, Claims Ethics in Public Life Achieved