Business Ethics: Made in China?

This recent article titled ” Why ‘Made in China’ is a Mark of Shame” by Paul Midler focuses on the ethical issues of goods that are produced in China. Everyone has witnessed some form of this whether it is your televisions or your furniture, almost all products in households are manufactured in China. Why? The amazingly low cost of production in China. This aspect that millions of business leaders take advantage of allows for unethical practices.
In China, the factory owners and investors generally do not believe or care for the well being of the good’s final consumer. They focus on gaining profits and reducing production costs. In order to achieve this, quality must depreciate. As Midler describes it as ” quality is seen as a barrier to greater profitability” . This poses multiple ethical issues as potentially dangerous or harmful products begin to hit the store shelves around the world. Examples such as the tainted baby formulas and even excessive amounts of lead in products.
In general, businesses must think about the balance between profitability and ethical practices. The cheaper production and supply chain may not always be the answer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/6962703/Why-Made-in-China-is-a-mark-of-shame.html