Introduction
Apple Inc.’s success has been fueled by the revolutionary products it has developed and released, most notably the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and AppleTV. This incredible success was only possible due to its exceptional market performance, outperforming competing products from other brands. Despite numerous attempts by other companies to replicate Apple’s success, only a few have received genuine acclaim.
However, in recent years, it has been chastised for its internal processes, particularly those of its suppliers such as Foxconn, amid allegations of labor rights violations and harsh working conditions. This raises the ethical implications of Apple’s policies, which will be discussed in the paper under the headings of casuistry, virtue ethics, and teleology.
Casuistry
The four stages of casuistry are: interpretation of the case, comparison with other moral cases, derivation of norms applicable to the individual case, and application of these norms to that specific case. Casuistry is an ethical system based on analyzing and resolving moral dilemmas (O’Brien, 2015a). Casuistry can be used to examine the ethical implications of Apple’s initial outsourcing of product production to Foxconn, specifically in the context of Apple’s relationship with Foxconn.
Interpretation
First, recognizing that a financial need ultimately drove Apple’s decision is essential. The company utilized Foxconn and other suppliers to outsource production, enabling it to reduce costs and increase output. According to estimates, Apple haggled with its suppliers for low prices and further reduced them by pitting one supplier against the other (O’Brien, 2015a). However, this cost-cutting measure had moral ramifications for worker rights and human resources.
Foxconn could follow Apple’s instructions because of the demanding working conditions it established. This included requiring its workers to put in lengthy shifts in unsanitary and hazardous settings, frequently without pay or overtime benefits. Furthermore, Foxconn’s disregard for its workers’ well-being is demonstrated by installing suicide nets around its factory in response to the 18 workers who attempted suicide, 14 of whom were successful. Indignation over these reports of suicide and violations of labor laws spread worldwide, putting more pressure on Apple to take action.
Comparison with Other Cases
Compared to other moral cases, the ethical ramifications of its decision to contract Foxconn for its manufacturing can be further understood. An illustration of this is the case of Nike, which was discovered to have outsourced labor to several nations, including Vietnam, in the late 1990s. It was discovered that employees there worked long hours for wages that were too low to support a respectable standard of living (Merk, 2023). Nike rectified this situation by enacting several reforms, including raising the minimum wage, enhancing health and safety laws, and instituting labor representation.
Derivation of Norms
In response to allegations of labor rights violations, Apple joined the Fair Labor Association and endorsed its fifteen-point plan to improve working conditions in its suppliers’ factories. However, neither this plan nor the ones for reorganizing work hours were fully implemented. Apple’s reaction to labor rights violations required modification so that standards specific to the company’s case could be developed through comparison with two established ethical scenarios (O’Brien, 2015a). Beyond this revision, the company should have ensured that its fifteen-point plan was executed completely and taken a more forward-looking approach to address future allegations.
Application of Norms
Ultimately, Apple should have responded more proactively to the claims of labor rights violations when applying these standards to specific circumstances. It could have avoided reports of suicides, injuries, and brawls erupting when the pressure to produce the iPad 2 became too much for Foxconn workers. It could have accomplished this by ensuring that its suppliers followed labor laws.
Virtue Ethics
The foundation of virtue ethics is the development of character-based virtues that help one become a good person. This ethical framework can be used to examine Apple’s internal motivations regarding its relationship with Foxconn and the ethical implications of outsourcing to the company.
Honesty
Honesty is crucial to virtue ethics, as it fosters trust among individuals and various groups (O’Brien, 2015c). Apple ignored this virtue when it chose to outsource production to Foxconn rather than considering the ethical implications of its decision. The primary motivation for the company is financial expediency. In essence, the company failed to be open and honest with its customers about outsourcing risks. The company should have explained its reasoning behind the decision adequately to consider the potential harm its partner could cause workers, suppliers, customers, and the environment.
Moreover, if the company had taken the time to explain its reasoning for outsourcing, there would have been less suspicion about its motives. After all, the public would have understood that Apple did not choose Foxconn with malice or to make it a less-than-ideal partner. On the other hand, its public image was harmed by the lack of a clear explanation. Furthermore, by failing to adequately explain its actions, the company may have left itself open to lawsuits or other legal action.
Courage
Courage entails making difficult and potentially unpopular decisions, which Apple should have done when outsourcing production to the Foxconn Corporation. Reports and allegations of human rights violations prompted the public to condemn the decision. Apple could have made a more moral decision to stop doing business with Foxconn and even considered the actions of its competitors, but it chose to ignore these essential considerations. This would have required great courage in light of the possible public backlash, but they would have been correct in the end (O’Brien, 2015c). Apple is responsible for many labor abuses it ignored for convenience by failing to make courageous and ethical decisions.
Gratitude
The third virtue, gratitude, encourages people to be appreciative and thankful for what they have. In Apple’s case, the company should have been more grateful for the opportunity to outsource production to different suppliers, such as Foxconn. It should have been part of their action to express gratitude to the individuals who put in the effort to produce the commodities for which Apple is known.
It should have paid attention to recognizing and being grateful for the opportunity to profit from the labor of these individuals. Showing gratitude to those who worked tirelessly to achieve what Apple seeks by relying on foreign vendors will result in a more genuine engagement between the two (O’Brien, 2015c). If the company had been thankful and appreciative, it could have avoided the unavoidable consequences of vendor mismanagement.
Justice
Justice is a vital virtue that entails treating everyone fairly and equally when making decisions or taking action. In the case of Apple’s relationship with Foxconn, justice was lacking. According to reports, Foxconn employees work long hours without overtime pay and are injured due to inadequate safety regulations. This suggests that Apple acted unjustly by not treating its employees with the respect and dignity they deserved, or by failing to provide them with the necessary legal protections. This example highlights the importance of incorporating justice into decision-making to ensure everyone is treated fairly and equitably (O’Brien, 2015c). Without it, people may suffer serious harm or even death.
Summary
Virtue ethics is a moral system based on the belief that individuals should uphold specific core values and virtues. Apple’s decision regarding its suppliers harms the last and perhaps most important core value and virtue of virtue ethics, charity. Charity requires that those in need be assisted, but its decision to outsource production has prevented Foxconn workers from earning a living wage, denying them the opportunity to live comfortably (O’Brien, 2015c).
Apple did not act in the spirit of charity by denying these workers their rightful wages, which reflects negatively on the company’s ethical policies. Apple, a company that ought to embody the five virtues of virtue ethics, has yet to demonstrate charity, which is damaging its standing and reputation.
Teleology
A moral philosophy known as teleology, also referred to as consequentialism, is based on the idea that an action’s consequences determine its moral worth. This idea can be applied to Apple’s decision to select Foxconn for its manufacturing to understand the company’s choices (O’Brien, 2015b). First of all, it is evident from numerous reports that its primary motivation for outsourcing was financial gain. This is evident in the business’s discussions with suppliers aimed at reducing costs and increasing outputs. As a result of this choice, Apple was able to increase its profits because it could produce goods at a significantly lower cost.
The choice to outsource, however, has also had unfavorable effects, as demonstrated by reports of Foxconn’s violations of labor laws and the exposure of its workers to hazardous chemicals while fulfilling orders for Apple’s iPad 2 and other products. The numerous suicides are further evidence that its decision has harmed the workers at its suppliers and the communities that live near the factories. People have committed suicide as a result of difficult working conditions.
One could argue that Apple’s decision was made with little consideration for its long-term effects, prioritizing only the possibility of higher profits. Furthermore, it can be argued that the company outsourced to its suppliers despite being aware of potential harm to employees (O’Brien, 2015b). This suggests that the business was willing to put others’ safety at risk for financial gain.
Conclusion
This paper has discussed the company’s internal motivations by examining the moral ramifications of Apple’s internal operations in terms of casuistry, virtue ethics, and teleology. It chose Foxconn as its production partner primarily for financial reasons, with little regard for the welfare of those suppliers’ workforces and local communities. Additionally, Apple’s fifteen-point plan was only partially implemented, and the company’s response to accusations of labor rights violations required revision.
The company did not act in a way that upheld the fundamental virtues of virtue ethics—honesty, courage, gratitude, justice, and charity. Regarding teleology, Apple’s decision was also primarily motivated by financial gain and was not given much thought to its long-term effects. It should have taken a proactive approach to ensure labor law compliance and responsible decision-making to uphold moral standards and protect human life, thereby preventing tragedies such as reported suicides.
References
Merk, J. (2023). Subcontracted capitalism and the polemical verification of rights: a Rancièrian interpretation of the politics of transnational private governance in Nike’s global production network. Territory, Politics, Governance, 13(4), 565–583.
O’Brien, T. (2015a). Casuistry. YouTube.
O’Brien, T. (2015b). Teleology. YouTube.
O’Brien, T. (2015c). Virtue Ethics. YouTube.