Essay Example on Ethical Principles: Business Operations in a Changing Society

Introduction

The management of any firm requires one to always consider the ethical implication of every action and the overall performance of the organization. Ethical principles in business operations are dynamic and keep changing regularly based on culture and time. Subsequently, what was previously accepted as morally correct in one era or generation can fail to meet the ethical consideration in contemporary society. Slavery was once an acceptable norm where Africans were forcefully plucked from West Africa and used as free labor in the sugar plantations in Brazil and the Caribbean. The European masters justified their actions through myths and religious explanations that were sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Slavery benefits the entrepreneur since they have cheap labor that can lead to the production and sale of commodities. Consequently, this paper will explore the ethical values that arise from the Thai Fishing Boats business segment.

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Thai Fishing Boats Slavery

The problem of human trafficking and slavery is a global challenge that affects many women, men, and children. A country such as Thailand has a robust economy and a significant population, which requires seafood for sustenance. Subsequently, the fishing industry in Thailand is a significant segment in the growth of the nation's Gross Domestic Product. Demand for fish products has forced many businesses to open up in the fishing industry, with many boats going into the deep sea to find a catch. Fishing is labor-intensive, and the industry continues to seek cheap labor (Macfarlane, 2017). Demand for labor has forced many people from different emerging nations in Asia to seek job opportunities in the Thailand Fishing industry. Individuals who seek jobs in the Thailand fishing boat sector find themselves under slavery where extreme violence against the laborers takes place.

Different independent and objective agencies have gathered information from the Fishing industry and report that workers abuse while working the fishing boats. Slavery, forced labor, and the use of extreme violence are prevalent within the Thailand Fishing boat industry (Dahan & Gittens, 2010). United Nations agencies have undertaken robust investigations into the Thailand Fishing boat sector and report widespread slavery. According to the UN Inter-agency Project of Human Trafficking established that 59% of laborers in the Thailand fishing sector report witnessing the murder of a colleague. Demand for Prawns and other seafood within Thailand and exports has fuelled the level of slavery in the countries fishing sector (Tian, 2018). Migrants and other individuals forced into slavery within the Thailand Fishing sector are exposed to a demonstration murder to ensure that they comply with the set regulations under slavery.

The fishing industry in Thailand faces tough times as the stocks of fish diminish significantly. Subsequently, the low volumes of fish stock in the sea force the boats to stay longer in the sea. The operators of the boats use human trafficking networks to acquire labor from migrants and other individuals. Thailand's fishing sector targets the export market, where prices are high. Boat operators seek to maximize from the cheap labor made available through human trafficking (Macfarlane, 2017). Human rights abuse is a fundamental challenge in the Thai fishing boat sector. Moreover, the fishing sector within the nation is notorious for its destructive and abusive nature. Unregulated and illegal fishing thrives in Thailand due to the expansive area where the fishing takes place, coupled with a lack of poor law enforcement practices. Corruption by government officials and fishing companies fosters the growth of human trafficking and slavery within the fishing industry.

Notably, laborers working for fishing boats in Thailand end-up in a continuous cycle of debt, abuse, and exploitation. Workers do not receive compensation for their duty and end-up accused of owing the boat operators. On the other hand, consumers in western nations depend on the products from Thailand for proteins. Consumers do not consider the production process for the fish and how different individuals experience slavery (Tian, 2018). Moreover, the regulatory agencies in the western nations fail to deter the entry of fish from Thailand, even when different entities report that slavery is predominant in the sector. Escapees from the different fishing centers within Thailand reveal that the fishing boats use forced labor along the production chain. Consequently, the fish produced within Thailand is tainted with the issue of human rights abuse and goes against the moral principles acceptable by society.

Utilitarian Ethics in the Thai Fishing Boat Segment

Utilitarianism is a form of normative ethics, which seeks to answer the question of what a man ought to do given a particular situation. Subsequently, utilitarianism ethics affect the good and bad that emanate from a particular action in the business environment. Moreover, the provisions of utilitarianism arise during the performance of an act or after the event. The difference of consequences for alternative actions determines whether an issue has fundamental ethical considerations under utilitarianism (Cengiz, Ferman, & Akyuz, 2012). Actions should be categorized as right or wrong under utilitarianism, depending on the significance of arising consequences. Utilitarianism depends on the principle of intrinsic value, where one considers something as good independent from further consequences. Furthermore, utilitarianism assumes the possibility to make a comparison of intrinsic values generated by alternative actions. The events and practices within the fishing industry in Thailand raise moral issues under the Utilitarian ethical theory.

The use of slavery and violence on laborers in the Thailand fishing boats goes against the moral principles of utilitarianism. Boat operators are after making maximum profits from the fish they catch and rely on cheap slave labor to attain their business objectives. Violent actions and abuse of the human laborers by boat operators targets to ensure that the fishing industry in Thailand meets its financial objectives. Subsequently, the managers of the boats use coercion and control on the individuals so as to force them to work. The human rights of the employees in the fishing boats are not considered as essential. Men and boys suffer emotional and physical stress for the benefit of the fishing boat business. There is little consideration of the worker's emotional plight, and the actions of the boat operators go against acceptable human treatment. Utilitarian business ethics requires that the boat operators balance between the profit margins they seek and humane treatment of the workers on the boats (Young, 2019). Moreover, slavery in Thailand fishing boats promotes the growth of human trafficking within the region. Subsequently, young men are tricked into harsh working conditions and also abandon their families. Families are constantly separated, and the welfare of the dependents worsens due to the absence of the financial providers.

Similarly, the consumption of fish products from Thailand constitutes an unethical action that defies utilitarianism (Nguyen, Mujtaba, Tran, & Tran, 2013). Consumers in Western nations and other parts of the globe fuel slavery in the fishing industry when they choose to buy fish products from Thailand. Information regarding the slavery in Thailand fishing industry is available for regulators such as the European Union to use in curbing the entry of more fish. Regulators can easily ban the entry of fish suspected to have come from businesses that engage in slavery and forced labor (Preiser, 2012). The consuming nations can seek alternative sources of fish products to ensure that slavery diminishes from the fishing industry. Furthermore, consumers have information regarding slavery and violence in the Thai fishing boats and should stop promoting consumption from such a nation (Roman & Moore, 2012). Alternative sources of fish products correspond with utilitarianism since the boat operators will reduce their involvement in slavery and human rights abuse. The intrinsic value of consuming fish borne out of a slavery environment does not support moral expectations in society. Fish consumers must enquire about the fundamental of morality associated with fish from Thailand fishing boats.

Criticism of Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism emphasizes the outcome of particular actions and the benefits (Fok, Payne, & Corey, 2016). Subsequently, slavery in Thailand fishing boats can be described as ethically correct under utilitarianism since the businesses generate profits through slave labor. Every business aims to generate profits, and this requires a reduction in the operating expenses by the management (Floyd, Xu, Atkins, & Caldwell, 2013). Consequently, the use of slave labor corresponds with the general business objectives. The theory does not allow one to evaluate the actions of boat operators but rather considers the consequences of using slave labor in the industry. Similarly, the theory of utilitarianism supports the actions of consumers who purchase fish products from the Thailand fishing industry (Payne, Corey, & Fok, 2016). The main objective of consuming fish is to add proteins to the diet and other nutrients.

Consequently, the human body benefits from the fish consumed regardless of the process used in capturing the fish. The intrinsic value of consuming the fish exceeds the actions used in coming up with fish products. Utilitarianism provisions support the value customers attain from the fish but do not consider the status of the human capital within the fishing sector. Utilitarianism depends on the human experiences of the actors and must consider every stakeholder (Brenkert, 2019). The events in the Thailand fishing boats contradict the provisions of utilitarianism since the experiences of the human laborers are traumatizing and negatively affect the industry. The guidelines under utilitarianism provide for a regulated set of actions where the boat operators and other stakeholders must follow (Kopf, Boje, & Torres, 2010). Responsibility should extend beyond self in regards to how different operations within the fishing industry take-place. The theory should consider the impact of fish production through slavery and forced labor. Furthermore, the demand for more fish forces the boat operators to use more migrants as slaves hence morally wrong.

Conclusion

Utilitarianism considers the outcomes of actions as more significant than the intentions. Subsequently, one considers the outcome of particular actions in determining the morality of particular behavior. The fishing industry in Thailand is a significant sector in the country's development. Unfortunately, there is a high rate of slavery and coercion of the human laborers within the sector. The outcome of slavery in the sector includes high-profit margins for boat operators and the availability of fish products for consumers. Moreover, slavery leads to death and injury to the laborers. The negative impact on laborers is crucial in the determination of the ethical impact of the fishing industry. Utilitarianism supports enhanced fish production and profit margins but ignores the slavery that takes place in the fishing boats. Outcomes cannot be the only measure of the actions of the boat operators within the fishing industry in Thailand. Special consideration must focus on the human laborers and the entire fish production chain in the country.

References

Brenkert, G. G. (2019). Mind the gap! the challenges and limits of (global) business ethics: JBE JBE. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(4), 917-930.

Cengiz, E., Ferm...