Ethics in Australian Businesses

This report discusses the ethical issues faced by four Australian businesses - Devid Jones Ltd., Kmart Australia, Myer, and Big W. It explores the concept of ethics, the importance of ethics in the workplace, and the implications of ethical practices. The report also compares and contrasts the ethical practices of these businesses and discusses various moral theories.

Identify 4 Aus
Business
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
What is ethics?............................................................................................................................3
The importance or relevance of the ethics/morality of the event?..............................................3
Explain the implication of the ethics/morality of the event?......................................................4
Compare......................................................................................................................................4
Contrasts......................................................................................................................................4
Demonstrate an understanding of argumentation in favour of criticisms against any moral
theories use in assignment...........................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
For every company it is essential to adopt ethical consideration at their workplace
because through it they able to conduct their work in legal manner as well as it will also help in
avoiding unethical or illegal practices (Crane and et. al., 2019). This report is based on four
Australian business who are involved in some ethical issues i.e. Devid Jones Ltd., Kmart
Australia, Myer and Big W. Topics included in this report are information and importance of
ethics related to businesses as well as it will also include compare and contrasts among business
ethical issues. Along with this it will also include moral theories in order to develop
understanding about the argumentation of ethical issues.
MAIN BODY
What is ethics?
Ethics or moral is considered as branch of philosophy which involves defending,
systematising and recommending concepts wrong and write conducts. It is also considered as
brand of knowledge which help in dealing with moral principles. In the retail industry there are
numbers of ethics that are necessary to be considered by companies for conducting business
effectively (Haase, 2015). But Kmart Australia, conduct unethical practice in Bangladeshi
garments industry by providing one third of pay to employees due to which staff are facing major
issues. Similarly, Myer is also conducting unethical practice by doing inequality with female
employees. In order to avoid these issues both companies can adopt legislations like minimum
pay, equal pay and discrimination act as that will help them in avoiding criticisms.
The importance or relevance of the ethics/morality of the event?
There are numbers of factors which shows importance of ethics at the workplace such as
it help in developing and maintaining better employees relation as well as it also help in
controlling business malpractices (Lane, 2019). In respect of Devid Jones Ltd., Kmart Australia,
Myer and Big W, all these companies are engaged in some unethical practices so it is essential
for them to adopt ethical practices because through it they able to improving customers services,
increase profitability, improve decision making process. Moreover, through it they treat their
employees equally which motivate them and encourage them to conduct their work properly in
given time duration. Through this companies also able to increase their productivity and
profitability ratio at marketplace.
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Explain the implication of the ethics/morality of the event?
There are several practices through which Devid Jones Ltd., Kmart Australia, Myer and
Big W can implement ethical activities or morality at the workplace such as they can develop
policies and rules related to ethical practices (Muenjohn and McMurray, 2017). Moreover they
also need to ensure that all policies are strictly followed by each and every employees of firm.
Along with this they also involved all male and female staffs in decision making process because
this will encourage them and increase feel of equality. All these firm can also train their
employer as well as employees that how they can avoid unethical practices at their workplace.
Compare
There are numbers of ethical law developed by government in order to provide proper
guidance to companies so that they perform their practices in effective as well as efficient
manner. In respect of Kmart Australia they not sell real fur at their store which help them in fulfil
ethics related to animal care but at some point of time they are lacking in farm animal welfare
which show that company is adopting ethical practices but not in full manner (Rapoport, 2019).
Similarly in case of Big W, they are implementing animal care activities at their workplace but
they also engaged in unethical practices according to which they affect the animal rights.
Contrasts
Government develop various rules and regulations so that every company can conduct
their business activities or practices in effective manner. But there are some companies who
avoid those rules and conduct their practices according to themselves. For example government
made legislation according to which no one can conduct discrimination with employees at
workplace but Myer conduct discrimination with their female employees which is ethically
wrong (Ryan, 2017). Along with this, government also set particular minimum wage rate and it
is necessary for firm to offer pay accordingly but Kmart Australia offer one third of ways to its
employees wo are working at Bangladeshi garments industry.
Demonstrate an understanding of argumentation in favour of criticisms against any moral
theories use in assignment
Consequentialism
 Egoism
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According to this theory people need to pursue their interest and there is no one who can obligate
other's interest (Suselo, 2018). But Kmart Australia, is providing one third wage to their
employees which impact on the employees as well as their family interest. This is so because due
to low wage workers children need to left their studies in middle as well as employees need to
conduct various jobs.
 Utilitarianism
It is considered as form of consequentialism. According to utilitarianism theory of ethics, a
company can determine outcome is correct for them to not which determine from consequent of
a particular situation. For example at Kmart Australia, they conduct recruitment and selection
procedure in India but they face issues because those employees are not able to make clear the
quarries of customers properly.
Non-consequentialism
 Duty of care
According to this theory, it is legal responsibility of an individual or a company to conduct
practices in order to avoid any omissions or behaviour which can be responsible for any kind of
harm. For example David Johnes kept the samples of South African artist after their negations
get failed (Vaidyanathan, 2020). Due to this practice they harm the ethical practices of business
partnership or designers. Moreover due to this there is also decrease in goodwill of respective
company at its potential marketplace.
CONCLUSION
From above discussed point it can be determined that for every company it is essential to
adopt and follow ethical practices. This is so because through it they able to conduct their work
effectively at the marketplace as well as it also help them in increase their goodwill among the
audiences. While understanding about ethics company can conduct study of different theories
such as Egoism, Utilitarianism, Duty of care and so on.
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REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Crane, A. and et. al., 2019. Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in
the age of globalization. Oxford University Press, USA.
Haase, M., 2015. The cooperation of marketing theory and the ethic of responsibility: an analysis
with focus on two views on value creation. In Handbook on ethics and marketing.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
Lane, D., 2019. Soviet labour and the ethic of communism: full employment and the labour
process in the USSR. Routledge.
Muenjohn, N. and McMurray, A., 2017. Design leadership, work values ethic and workplace
innovation: an investigation of SMEs in Thailand and Vietnam. Asia Pacific Business
Review. 23(2). pp.192-204.
Rapoport, R. N., 2019. Families, children and the quest for a global ethic. Routledge.
Ryan, L. V., 2017. Sex differences through a neuroscience lens: Implications for business
ethics. Journal of Business Ethics. 144(4). pp.771-782.
Suselo, D., 2018. Business and Religiosity: Review of Business Ethics Mayangkara
Group. Jurnal Pendidikan Ekonomi Dan Bisnis (JPEB). 6(2). pp.82-92.
Vaidyanathan, B., 2020. Spirituality, Corporate Culture, and American Business: The Neoliberal
Ethic and the Spirit of Global Capital. Journal of the American Academy of Religion.
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