Walmart case
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
University of Massachusetts, Lowell *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
3800
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by ChiefSeaLionPerson1041
Phi Nguyen
Addison Balbat
Gary Rudy
Business Ethics
Prof. Godinez
11/29/23
Walmart Case
Walmart has proven to become quite the controversial business during its run. On one hand, they’ve managed to provide items for cheap and have helped lower-class citizens to afford basic essentials. On the other, they have been proven to continuously take advantage of their workforce, exploiting them for the sake of profits. Controversies aside, it is important that employees understand who they are working for. An easy way for the average worker to understand the values of a business would be to look at its code of ethics.
Today, Walmart boasts its own website for its values and beliefs. Its main website Walmartethics.com is built to help employees and customers to understand what it means to be a part of the Walmart community. Walmart's presence is felt all over the country, therefore there are many communities that revolve around the business. The concepts of both ethical relativism and imperialism are brought into focus. With the imperialistic approach, there is one way to handle ethical dilemmas; and with the relativistic approach, there could be many ways to decide what the best course of action is. With a business as big as Walmart the approach should be taken with caution.
Assuming that Wal-Mart’s code of ethics doesn’t already exist, they would need to establish guidelines that would account for operating domestically and in foreign countries. Wal-
Mart operates in many different countries and therefore, must take into account the different cultures they would be coming into contact with. Included in a new code of ethics should be some guidelines taken from ethical relativism. Ethical relativism is the belief that nothing is
objectively right or wrong
and that the definition of right or wrong depends on the prevailing view of a particular individual, culture, or historical period. The main point that needs to be taken from this is the cultural section. It is widely frowned upon and illegal to allow children to be working until they are a certain age. However, Wal-Mart knew and was caught allowing underaged children to work at twenty different locations in Maine. There are already established child labor laws, yet executives knew about it and allowed it to happen. In other countries, children are allowed to work so there needs to be established guidelines depending on what country they are operating in. I believe in teaching others proper ways to conduct business and helping them establish ways in which to be ethical. However, ethical imperialism, which is when
a code of ethical behavior or attitude is imposed on another community or society, shouldn’t be included in a code of ethics. This would create a divide between the people in a community you are operating in and can cause a lot of backlash from these stakeholders. The code of ethics should be specific on how to operate, but leave room for managers to make decisions that a code of ethics can’t cover. Specifically, “they must also leave room for managers to use his or her judgment in situations requiring cultural sensitivity. Host-country employees shouldn’t be forced
to adopt all home-country values and renounce their own” (Harvard Business Review p56). This should be a key topic implemented into a new code of ethics for Wal-Mart. In conclusion, Walmart can respect human dignity by creating and sustaining a corporate culture in which employees, customers, and suppliers not as a means to an end but as people whose value must be acknowledged. The proposed code of ethics must adeptly navigate the tension between “ethical relativism” and ethical relativism accommodating cultural differences while upholding universal standards, especially in areas like child labor. Emphasizing flexibility over rigid values, the code should empower managers for culturally sensitive decision-making.
Work Cited Byars, S., & Stanberry, K. (2018). Business Ethics
. Houston: Openstax.
Donaldson, T. (1996). Values in tension: When is different just different, and when is different wrong? Harvard Business Review
, (75)5: 48-57
Wal-mart Case Study (BUS4402C:: Strategic Analysis and Decision Making Fall 2013)
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help