Discussion
There are two parts to to this week’s discussion forum. You must respond to both parts.
Should multinational organizations doing business in developing countries behave according to local standards or according to the standards in their home countries?
What steps should multinational companies take to ensure that their subcontractors are behaving in an ethical manner toward employees? How should companies make human rights issues part of their overall policy?
*Discussion Assignment should be Between 250-300 Words
*Remember to reference the textbook when doing the discussion assignment and use other references as well. (The textbook is attached below)
respond to each of the two students and use 150-200 words when responding. Start of by saying (Hello name)
Chase
Question 1: If one of the main goals is to improve these developing countries, then the best thing to do is to adhere to the local standards. But hopefully before that even happens, the developed countries should be doing their homework and research on the countries they want to do business with because if they cannot adapt or change their way of doing business, it is not worth risking your name over it. But the generous thing to do is to adapt to the rules and laws in that country or else the residents and citizens will believe you are just using the developing country for your own good/dominance. Most of the time it is not clear what to do being from a different country. However, without making the commitment a lost cause, you should have some say and input, especially as you are the more successful one.
Question 2: First off, it is very unlikely that this issue will dissolve completely as their is plenty of it going around. Nontheless, the manner should be clear with the subcontractors. For instance, the head-contractors should award any good behavior constantly happening below them, or if they violate the policies and rules given, then give them the notion that you will not be seeking any more business with them or else it would show a poor image on the people above.To make it part of your policy as a company, you need to to look into the country that you are doing business with and construct it as how the majority of the people in that country feel like is just and a fair environment to work in. And keep track of the companies even after the human rights make the policy to see if you ever need to take action.
Rondalee
Part 1;
Should multinational organizations that do business in developing countries behave according to local standards or according to the standards in their home countries?
I believe that if you are doing business in another country you should adhere to the local standards, customs, and laws of that country. It should not matter whether the country is developing or has a strong economy, you should show respect for their culture and way of life. This is important if you intend to do business with this particular country in the future. However if the working/living conditions are substandard compared to those of the multinational organizations country then it would be important for this company to do everything in its power to help raise the conditions for those that work for the them. We have an example of this situation in this weeks reading, the Nike Company faced protests when it was discovered that they were using “sweatshop” workers. (pg. 107)
Learning about a country before you travel there is part of the business process, not just for the country that you are visiting but also for your business and yourself. This is a sign of respect can have a great impression on the country you are dealing with, and it may give you an idea of the kind of conditions your company will be dealing with, giving your company an advantage when the initial set up begins.
Part 2;
What steps should multinational companies take to ensure that their subcontractors are behaving in an ethical manner toward employees? How should companies make human rights issues part of their overall policy?
There are several ways a multinational company can set up safe guards to make sure their policies about human ethics are being carried out to correctly. One is to have periodic unannounced visits by the human resources department, have annual training for all employees, and extensive training for all management members, set strict guideline with consequences outlined for those that do not follow the policies of the company. And set examples of the benefits of treating employees with respect and dignity, incorporate incentives for managers that follow the guidelines and for departments that meet the standards set by the company.
Week 3 Assignment: Country Memo
Continue your research on the country you selected in Week 1. (The country I chose was China)
Prepare a memo in APA format that answers the following questions:
What is the culture like? Religious differences, definitions of respect, time, and business etiquette?
What are the gender role definitions? Individualistic or collective?
What are three things you should do during a business encounter?
What are three things you should not do during a business encounter?
Are there any human rights issues or reports on this country?
What is the level of Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the country you have selected?
What ethical issues do you need to consider when doing business with this country?
If you were to do business with this country, how do you think the culture and ethical considerations would contribute to success or failure?
