The field of business ethics is mainly concerned with the responsibilities of any company to make sure that the products that it brings out to the market and the processes that are followed during production do not cause any kind of harm to the people involved (Böcker and Hanf, 2002). It is usually difficult to deal with this issue owing to the fact that there is always a chance for danger in production and the definition for the degree of permissibility is hard to define. The ethical dilemma posed should on the other hand have a way to be dealt with in order to ensure that all the involved parties are safe. This paper will seek to outline how ethical issues in production can be brought forward in a novice company.
Presentation of the case
Though quite tricky due to the lack of a clearly spelled-out ethical structure, the simplest way to encounter the management is through facts and figures. One should have a detailed analysis of various case studies which can act to showcase the impacts of faulty production. This should include the negative impacts to the company if the products were to cause any harm to a person or the environment. Such consequences are closure, lawsuits probable loss of lives. This information can be circulated in a memo to all relevant departments (Reisch, 2004).
Customer notification
Notifying the customers can be done in a very discreet manner as it can lead to loss of the job. In the first place, the person involved can liaise with other stakeholders in telling people about the dangers of certain products without mentioning brands (Rowe and Frewer, 2005). The person can also try wooing people to try different products and also check on their health trends if he suspects some products.
Internal actions
This part is a bit simple as compared to the previous parts as one deals with people close to him. He can notify his peers through social engineering the dangers posed and ways to avert them, spread flyers containing real-life information on the products, have a chat with the mates during tea and lunch breaks. With this kind of insistence, it is highly likely that most people will get a sense of the issue and act accordingly (Hagendijk, 2004).
Permissibility of ethics to the company
This has to start from the management downwards. To the worker, he can spread flyers and arrange with the relevant authority to hold meetings and seminars which teach people on ethical issues and implications. Another good way to ensure that people remain ethical in all their endeavors is to make sure that one leads by example. It does not make a lot of sense to woo people towards certain actions whilst the person involved does not follow suit. Interesting articles can be displayed on the notice boards in the company’s social areas which will more than often tend to foster a discussion on the same during resting hours (Winter, 2004).
Conclusion
If the above steps were to be followed by a few employees in any organization, it gets too common knowledge that the management will tend to comply with pressure and ensure that ethics in the production of their goods leads to defective free markets. The issue of business ethics thus lies in the hands of all the stakeholders involved in any group or organization.
References
Böcker, A. and Hanf, C. (2002). Confidence lost and – partially – regained: consumer response to food scares. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. 43:471-485.
Hagendijk, R., (2004). Public Understanding of Science and Public Participation, Minerva, 2004, 1, 1-19.
Reisch, L., (2004). Principles and Visions of a New Consumer Policy, Journal of consumer Policy, 27, 1-42.
Rowe, G., and Frewer, L., (2005). A Typology of Public Engagement Mechanisms, Science Technology and Human Values, 30: 251-290.
Winter, M., (2004). Geographies of food: agro food geographies – farming, food and politics, Progress in Human Geography, 28, 5, 664-670.