Please, write a discussion post about the Topic/Statement attached (around 550 words) and respond to the two classmate discussion posts (around 225 words each). Please, see assignment and more instructions in the file attached. Thank you for your help!
Please, write a discussion post about the Topic/Statement below (550 words) and respond to the two classmate discussion posts (225 words each). Topic/Statement: You are visiting one of your organization’s plants in a poor nation. You discover a young girl (under the age of 16) is working the factory floor. The company has a strict prohibition on child labor. You remind the plant manager of the policy and insist that she should go back to the local school. The plant manager tells you the girl is an orphan, has no other means of support, and the country has no social services to provide for her. As the executive, what should you do? Explain your answer with a well-constructed and cogent response. (2 or 3 Citations needed for this discussion post) Citation sources (Please use any of the below citation sources for the initial discussion): Terre des hommes-helping children worldwide. (2013, November 6). More than 215 million children are still forced into labour throughout the world | Terre des hommes. Retrieved from https://www.tdh.ch/en/news/more-215-million-children-are-still-forced-labour-throughout-world United Nations. (2017, June 12). On World Day Against Child Labour, UN urges protection for children in conflicts and disasters. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/06/559252-world-day-against-child-labour-un-urges- protection-children-conflicts-and Chelliah, J. (2017). Child labor in the supply chain. Human Resource Management International Digest, 25(4), 1-2. doi:10.1108/HRMID-11-2016-0153 Kolk, A., & Van Tulder, R. (2002). Child labor and multinational conduct: A comparison of international business and stakeholder codes. Journal of Business Ethics, 36, 291-301 Child labor and child abuse in developing countries. (2013). Unite for Sight. Retrieved from http://www.uniteforsight.org/gender-power/module4. Committed to improving our world. (2014). Meeting Professionals International. Retrieved from http://www.mpiweb.org/About/CSR. Facts and figures. (2013). International Labour Organization. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/child-labour/lang--en/index.htm#a2. Urbina, I. (December 22, 2013). U.S. flouts its own advice in procuring overseas clothing. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/23/world/americas/buying-overseas-clothing-us-flouts-its-own-advice.html?pagewanted=all. Strom, Stephanie. (1996). A Sweetheart Becomes Suspect;Looking Behind Those Kathie Lee Labels. Retrieved from The New York Times:http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/27/business/a-sweetheart-becomes-suspect-looking-behind-those-kathie-lee-labels.html Castillo, Alida. (2013). Children Found Sewing Clothing For Wal-Mart, Hanes & Other U.S. & European Companies. Retrieved from Labor and Worklife: http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/lwp/NLC_childlabor.html (2012). Morocco: abuse of child domestic workers. Retrieved from Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/15/morocco-abuse-child-domestic-workers Morley, M. (n.d.). What are the major ethical issues business people face? Retrieved from Houston Chronicle:http://smallbusiness.chron.com/major-ethical-issues-business-people-face-20900.html Nisen, M. (2013, May 9). How Nike solved its sweatshop problem. Retrieved from Business Insider, Inc.: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-nike-solved-its-sweatshop-problem-2013-5 Glenn, S. (n.d.). The Importance of the Code of Conduct. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from EHow Money: http://www.ehow.com/about_6559640_importance-code-conduct.html Ingram, D. (n.d.). Importance of Creating a Code of Ethics for a Business. Retrieved September 4, 2013, from Chron.com:http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-creating-code-ethics-business-3094.html Classmate discussion posts: (Please, the responses need to be a discussion, not an evaluation. You can agree with them and add new information regarding the topic in discussion. No citation required for classmates responses) Discussion 1: Amy Van Donsel Child labor is a global issue and found in many parts of the world, especially developing countries (Rena, 2009). 96% of child laborers are found in Africa, Latin America, and Asia (Roggero et. al., 2007). In 2000, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated that there were 246 million child laborers and approximately two-thirds of children working in hazardous conditions. The ILO has many definitions of child labor which include any child under the age of 18 working in hazardous conditions; under 15 in full-time employment; and under 13 in part-time work (Rena, 2009). Child laborers living without parents make up an estimated 5% of all child labor. Child labor is “negatively correlated with the health status of the population” with increased morbidity and mortality rates (Roggero et. al, 2007, p. 273). Work limits opportunities for education as is seen in this case which is also recognized as a determinant of health. Missed educational opportunities can affect not only the child but the entire educational system (Rena, 2009). In this case, I would work with my firm’s human resources, legal, and risk-management teams to make sure that this case meets the definition of child labor. Because the child is 16, it would be imperative to know what her job duties entail and if the conditions are considered “hazardous”. There may be work she can do that meets company policy while other arrangements can be made. More important is the fact that she is orphaned and knowing if she has a place to sleep and if basic needs are being met. Since there are no local social services available, I would get any U.S. or international social agencies available involved seeing how we can best support this girl in receiving the care she needs and get her back in school. Globalization brings together companies and industries of all sizes, industries, and ownership structures together in joint ventures to grow businesses (Ernst, 2016). Because countries all have different cultural complexities, it can make joint ventures very challenging (Williams et. al, 2018). Roughly 50% of joint ventures can overcome differences in culture. This does not have to be a “fatal flaw” though if due diligence is practiced with understanding those differences (Ernst, 2018). The company may have been ill-informed regarding the culture of child labor in this country and may have to adapt in some capacity. Processes and procedures that work in the U.S. may not necessarily work in other countries for many cultural reasons. It may behoove the company to make amendments in their policies for different cultural norms. The company needs to determine what extent they will adopt a country’s norms and beliefs to gain a competitive advantage (Hill, 2019). References Ernst, D. (2016, December 13). Succeeding in Cross-Cultural Joint Ventures: Key Intervention Points for Side-Stepping Cultural Clash. Retrieved from https://www.waterstreetpartners.net/blog/succeeding-in-cross-cultural-joint-ventures-key-interventions-points-for-side-stepping-cultural-clash. Hill, C. W. (2019). International business: Competing in the global marketplace. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education. Rena, R. (2009). The child labour in developing countries: a challenge to millennium development goals. Indus Journal of Management & Social Sciences, 3(1), 1-8. Roggero, P., Mangiaterra, V., Bustreo, F., & Rosati, F. (2007). The health impact of child labor in developing countries: evidence from cross-country data. American journal of public health, 97(2), 271-275. Williams, J. R., Haka, S. F., Bettner, M. S., & Carcello, J. V. (2018). Financial & managerial accounting: the basis for business decisions. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Discussion 2: Derrick Williams Upon visiting one of our plants and discovering the employment of an under-age girl, as the executive my first immediate step would be to dismiss the girl. Keeping her on the job would mean our company conforms to child labor, which is against our employment policies. The act equally violates international labor stands and requirements. I will then instruct our compliance department to conduct an audit of our entire workforce and terminate any similar cases. My next step would entail a review of the company’s anti-child labor laws, to include more robust consequences for non-compliance, followed by a company-wide training on the same. International Finance Corporation (2002) advises that a company's policy should prohibit harmful child labor in its workplace and those of any of its suppliers. After streamlining our internal policies, I will spearhead the formation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program; through the approval of our company’s board. The proceeds would go towards education development, specifically school fees and school materials for the needy within the communities in which we operate, starting with the dismissed girl. According to Kotler & Lee, as stated by Waa Yee (2012), CSR is a commitment to improving communities’ well-being through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate resources. The adoption of these measures will ensure the company pays the school for the under-age girl and provides funds for her upkeep. A long-lasting solution for the child would entail enrolling her in a children’s home or working the local authorities to identify possible or willing to foster parents. From this definition, our company will do its part in contributing resources to society’s betterment. We will therefore not only help children access education but also ease their burden of school fees hence no need for under-age employment in search of fees. They will eventually earn employment but at the appropriate age. Additionally, there will be an improvement in our company’s image. Waa Yee (2012) reckons that CSR can be a ‘win-win', where a firm improves its image by contributing to society. The program will entail the allocation of internship programs to beneficiaries, giving them an opportunity to earn employment once of an appropriate age. Lastly, I will implement a community awareness program through which we will conduct education on child labor, in conjunction with the local authorities and local labor law office, for total reformation. International Finance Corporation (2002) insists on the need to educate the community and local businesses about the detrimental aspects of child labor, national and local legislation pertaining to child labor and penalties involved for violation. Through these initiatives, I will have done my part in ensuring child labor is not only done away with at our company but also that the community and business partners adhere and work towards mitigating it. References: International Finance Corporation. (2002) Good Practice Note- Addressing Child Labor in the Workplace and Supply Chain. World Bank. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/8808eda1-bee5-49fb-a9d0-c2eaa46ecdd1/ChildLabor.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-8808eda1-bee5-49fb-a9d0-c2eaa46ecdd1-jqeEyTs Wae Yee, Ng. (2012). Corporate social responsibility; importance, benefits, consequences, approaches to managing corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility; importance, benefits, consequences, approaches to managing corporate social responsibility.