Connie Guglielmo, a reporter for Bloomberg news services, begins an article on A

Question

Connie Guglielmo, a reporter for Bloomberg news services, begins an article on Apple this way: “Apple Inc. said three of its suppliers hired 11 underage workers to help build the iPhone, iPod and Macintosh computer last year, a violation it uncovered as part of its onsite audit of 102 factories.”Connie Guglielmo, “Apple Says Children Were Used to Build iPhone, iPod (Update1),” Bloomberg, February 27, 2010, accessed May 11, 2011, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aiEeeQNHkrOY.

Her story adds details. The underage workers were fifteen in places where the minimum legal age for employment is sixteen. She wasn’t able to discover the specific countries, but learned the infractions occurred in one or more of the following: China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and the Philippines.

Following the discovery, the employees were released, and disciplinary action was taken against a number of the foreign suppliers. In one case, Apple stopped contracting with the company entirely.

The story closes with this: “Apple rose $2.62 to $204.62 yesterday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. The shares more than doubled last year.”

Instructions for submission
Please read the case study entitled Who Made Your iPhone? that you find in the reading assignment.

Based on what you have learned in this unit, answer the following questions:

The ethical question is whether Apple ought to contract (through suppliers) fifteen-year-olds to work on factory floors. Is the fact that the stock price has been zooming up a pertinent fact, or does it not affect the ethics? Explain.
From the information given and reasonable assumptions about these factories and the living conditions of people working inside them, sketch an ethical argument against Apple enforcing the age workplace rule. What fundamental values underwrite the argument?
From the information given and reasonable assumptions about these factories and the living conditions of people working inside them, sketch an argument in favor of Apple enforcing the age workplace rule. What fundamental values underwrite the argument?
Within the context of the Apple situation, what’s the difference between making a decision in terms of the law and in terms of ethics?
Submit a paper that is well constructed using APA format. The paper should be a minimum of one typewritten page (approximately 300 to 400 words) with an introduction and conclusion. This paper shall demonstrate use of standard written English with respect to: organization, grammar, spelling, composition, sentence structure, punctuation, and construction.

Explanation / Answer

The Wage and hour division within the department of labor is responsible for administering and enforcing all federal child labor laws as specified within the Fair labor standards act. The FLSA specifies the minimum age for employment as 14 years for non agricultural jobs, along with clear restrictions for the number of hours that youth under the age of 16 work with the prohibition for employment of youth under the age of 18 in hazardous occupations. Goals this legislation is meant to achieve is to ensure that children who are the future citizens of every nation are not deprived of educational opportunities which can result in a lifetime of poverty due to them becoming unemployable, along with the protection of their health and ensuring the safety of every child. This is meant to ensure that youth are not employed in jobs that are detrimental to their health and safety which may result in impacting the quality of life in the earliest stage of life along with having a psychological impact regarding work and employment. Certain States have different rules and Standards regulating employment of youth and when there is a discrepancy between Federal and state standards the rules affording maximum protection to young workers are applicable.

However, legislatures however stringent they may be, cannot replace what ethical values and the conscience of a society as a whole is required to implement. Every individual is responsible for the safety and well being of the earth, the environment and all other living beings as a moral duty of care not not only legal. Being Human is a most important ethical value of compassion towards all living beings including nature and environment. This becomes more relevant in the context of global organisations due to their massive outreach and widespread impact of their actions on society and future generations. Unless the future citizens of the earth are mentally, emotionally and physically healthy and able, we are creating a disastrous situation which can lead to destruction and deterioration of society and all the related rules and regulations by such negligence which results in irretrievable damage to the quality of life of a section of the youth.

The question is not of a company like Apple Incorporated or any such Global giant. The question is of an individual or organisation which employed and continues to employ children even as young as 5 years old in factories for handling materials which cause extensive harm to their health. The profitability and personal financial gain from this action is of paramount value overriding all ethical considerations. It is essential that the conscience of individuals and Society be awakened to enable them to hold ethical values over any financial gains. Every organisation is implementing the values of its management, the do not true identity is capable of taking decisions and committing acts. once ethics and morality become an integral part of individuals no organisation can commit genius crimes against humanity especially children who are defenseless in protecting themselves. If laws were successful in bringing about social reforms and curtailing crime, wind stringent emulated across the world crimes should have ceased decades ago. However, we are well aware that crime at every level is rising. This is a result of laxity in moral and ethical values within society. Once human beings learn the art of Being Human once again, such trespasses shall become rare or cease.

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