Ethics and Decision Making
The following Course Outcome is assessed in this assi
Ethics and Decision Making
The following Course Outcome is assessed in this assignment:
MT220-2: Apply an ethical approach to a global business decision.
Assignment Details
Ethics are typically subtly embedded in various business decisions you may encounter on the job. Making the right decision in line with personal and company ethics is a critical skill that can impact both the individual’s and the company’s legal liability. For this assignment, you will read a scenario and then apply an ethical approach to addressing a business problem.
Scenario: In your small business as a U.S.-based organic cloth distributor, you often source organic cotton from other countries. Then, organic fibers such as cotton are woven into organic cloth in Maine and New Hampshire (U.S.). Recently, you received an email from an international labor group alleging that some of the foreign suppliers you use to purchase organic cotton unfairly compensate the small foreign organic cotton producers for their crops. The labor group asks that your company only purchase “fair trade” certified organic cotton so that you have assurance that the farmers with smaller operations will receive fair market value for their crops.
Members of your management staff are concerned that “fair trade” certified organic cotton is often more expensive, which could increase your overall import costs. However, you also must consider your long-standing relationships with the local suppliers in the organic cotton market, as they can often access organic cotton crops that other buyers cannot.
Research the “fair trade” certification and its implications to aid you in your decision-making process. You will also want to review the Unit 4 Learning Activity “Ethical Approaches.”
Checklist:
Identify one of the ethical approaches presented in the Learning Activity that would most likely guide your actions in this situation. Explain your reasoning.
Explain three considerations that will influence your decision about what to do next. These could be financial, operational, ethical, or legal.
Explain how you will apply your chosen ethical approach to make the needed business decision.
Describe your ethical reasoning for your next steps to the international labor group regarding how you will address the suppliers and the “fair trade” situation. Include detailed support for your next steps and why these steps would be prudent for the business.
Utilize at least three external sources as part of your research. Sources might include your textbook, a website recommended in a past journal, discussion, or assignment, or any other academically credible resource in the university library. Only sources cited within the body of the paper should be included in the reference list.
Your informative essayshould be a minimum of 500 words and include a title page, introduction, main body, conclusion, and APA-formatted reference list. For assistance writing a paper or formatting a reference list in APA 7th edition format, please see the “Academic Writer” link under “Academic Tools.”