The article defines the Artisanal Mining Sector as a “ bureaucratic euphemism for the job of scavenging, digging and clawing a living from the harsh earth with bare hands and crude tools.” In “A deadly grind”, Geoffrey York describes the Artisanal Mining Sector as he experiences it in South Africa.  In regions all over the world today, there are children and women involved in the Artisanal Mining Sector. Forced by the poverty that surrounds them, these children and women enter into hazardous working environments day-in and day-out where they work for hours for very little pay. When interviewed about the working conditions in the mining regions, a child- age 12, answered “it’s bad. I would like to leave it and go to school”. York goes on to describe the child’s physical state including the fact that his clothes were tattered and he seemed very sick. In fact, when 33 child workers were interviewed, 21 suffered from regular pain in their limbs, head, back, neck, while others suffered from severe coughing and respiratory diseases.

The Artisanal Mining Sector

In terms of the Artisanal Mining Sectors across the world, it is easy to compare our business ethics model and point out that these situations should not be permitted; however, that is not the reason why I chose this case. The reason I chose an article on the Artisanal Mining Sectors is because when compared to the Stake-Holder’s Theory by R. Edward Freeman, the Artisanal Mining Sectors provide insight as to how corruption can take place because of a company when the company isn’t paying attention. The Stakeholder Theory states that in order for a company to run efficiently, or be successful, all stakeholders(employees, communities, customers) must be content with the company. That being said, taking the Theory and business ethics into consideration, shouldn’t companies be doing more to prevent the Artisanal Mining Sectors? Or even making them safer? Because in the end, there are things that the companies can do, and there is a line that deems something ethical and unethical. So, how far is business ethics and the Stakeholder’s Theory supposed to reach?

Article: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1033811415

Stakeholder’s Theory: https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIRUaLcvPe8

“CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products” is an article that aptly exemplifies what is explained in the assigned reading, “The Social Responsibility in Business is to increase its profits” by Milton Friedman and in “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”. In the small section from Milton’s book, it states that a businessman’s “social responsibility” and “business ethic” is defined as his effort to “make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and in ethical custom”. In the article on CVS Caremark, it touches on the company’s goal to change from a largely retail focused company to a health care provider. Although it cost them $2 billion dollars annually (according to the article), the decision allowed them to redefine their company in a way that may have later proved to be exceptionally beneficial. That being said, by appealing to society in terms of “social responsibility”, CVS may have been able to maximize profits. In  “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”  it explains that if “ corporations were to analyze their prospects for social responsibility using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices, they would discover that [corporate social responsibility] can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a charitable deed—it can be a source of opportunity, innovation, and competitive advantage.”  In terms of this, CVS can be an example of how appealing to “social responsibility” and “business ethics” can help in maintaining a company’s image to provide a competitive advantage.

“Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”- http://hbr.org/2006/12/strategy-and-society-the-link-between-competitive-advantage-and-corporate-social-responsibility/ar/1

“CVS Vows to Quit Selling Tobacco Products” – http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/business/cvs-plans-to-end-sales-of-tobacco-products-by-october.html

“The Social Responsibility in Business is to increase its profits”- http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ubc/reader.action?docID=10187339&page=171

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