Tina Moore
Business Ethics
November 4, 2014
There is a saying that bad things come in threes. One bad or negative leads to another, and then another. How the negatives relate to one another can make a difference on rectifying the problem. It could be a coincidence that the bad things happen in threes or maybe it is the bad or negative influence is passed down and spread to the next. Is there a realistic way to prevent bad influences and possibly remedying the bad that has already occurred? Some industries can create a bad image and that is passed down to the next which then can influence irresponsibility and ignorance. Large organizations, high profile people, etc. can make decisions to have a positive influence on the public and create a less destructive world and state of mind. Those who choose selfishness, power or greed over being responsible, altruistic and respectable help the negative influence spread because the public views their actions as reasonable and the idea of “that just how the world works” attitude.
A high profile company like the Nike Corporation stands in the spotlight constantly. They sponsor many athletes, teams, events, etc. Nike has created an image that everyone wants to be a part of and the corporation has had many looking deeper into their operations. A corporation of this magnitude needs multiple manufacturing plants worldwide to keep up with the high demand of their products such as, footwear, athletic gear, apparel, equipment, and other accessories. How far would a corporation go to keep their profits at a maximum? Nike Corporation has gone to extreme measures to make sure their financial statements stay at their highest.
Greed is everywhere and in every business in some form or another. Greed isn’t always a bad thing, it will give someone drive, ambition, but to what extent. Nike, like most large corporations, has become extremely successful based on greed. The United States has many resources, people in need of work, along with the necessary means to produce their products. Many of the operations and manufacturing plants are outsourced to minimize overhead costs, therefore increased profits. Sounds like greed doesn’t it? Minimize expenses, costs, and increase the earnings regardless of whom or what is at stake.
Nike has taken advantage of people in parts of the world, and has used their cheap labor wages to increase profit. The United States has become a country that has prized itself on capitalism. The global economy has spread the practices of capitalism everywhere. It has now become nothing more than who can make the most money and stand at top of the charts. Nike has exploited “third world” countries, taken advantage of the people and low economical means, to produce products that the corporation will turn around and sell for a very substantial amount. Nike is the epitome of a capitalistic corporation. They’ve witnessed the manufacturing plants operations, the living conditions of the workers, the toxins they’re releasing into the environment, etc. and yet they continue to operate to keep their earnings as high as possible.
Nike was found violating multiple worker, labor, and human rights acts at it factories. What would employees living in the United States do if they had the same treatment as those who work at the overseas factories? In more than one factory, including Malaysia, Indonesia, India all had employees working 12-15 hour days, 7 days a week, little to no pay, housing conditions were terrible and some dangerous and unlivable. There are no ‘luxuries’ or benefits like many have through their employers. Many cannot feed their families and barely feed themselves, and then they wake up with only a few hours of sleep and each day is the same as the next. Lack of sleep can create risky working conditions; add in the strenuous work and lack of nutrition, and the body
