Amazon's Business Ethics Examined: A MOD003325 Academic Skills Report

This report provides an analysis of business ethics, focusing on a case study of Amazon and its ethical challenges. It examines issues such as poor working conditions, low wages, and tax avoidance faced by the company. The report discusses the importance of business ethics and whether Amazon prioritizes ethical conduct. It explores the perspectives of Amazon's CEO, workers, politicians, and consumers regarding the company's ethical responsibilities. The report concludes with recommendations for Amazon to improve its ethical practices, including prioritizing employee well-being, paying fair taxes, and enhancing customer service. It emphasizes the significance of ethical behavior for long-term business success and positive reputation.

Academic and Professional
Skills
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this report it has been described about what is business ethics and its importance in
business. Also, it focuses on case study of Amazon in which various ethical issues faced by
company is described. Moreover, it is identified that organisation is facing issues of poor
working conditions, low wages etc. It is necessary for business to consider ethics as main priority
as it enables in creating positive image. besides that, it has been discussed that ethics is main
priority of company as well of workers. it is explained that politicians also think that ethics in
this way and consumers as well.
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
ANALYSIS......................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
RECOMMENDATION...................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Business ethics refers to applying of proper practices and policies regarding governance,
social responsibility, etc. It enables employees to work as per set standards and practices.
Through that, it becomes easy to treat customers, stakeholder, and other people. there is great
importance of ethics in business (Hunt, 2019). This is because it ensures that business work in
legal way and a positive environment is created that safeguard society. Alongside, it enables in
creating credibility in eye of people that business is offering value to them and contributing
towards society. In addition, it creates credibility in employees that their religion and values are
respected. thus, staff moral values are maintained in organisation as well. Also, ethics helps in
taking effective decision in terms of social, economic and ethical perspective. However, business
ethics ensure that company is protecting society as well. they are contributing by performing all
activities in legal way.
Here, in Amazon case the company is facing certain ethics issue. The business practices are
resulting in creating enemies due to tax avoidance. Also, employees are not being treated
properly and the wages paid to them are low. Along with it, company tax avoidance is also
criticised by politicians Donald trump and Jeremy Corbyn. besides, another ethical issue is
dangerous working conditions in warehouse reported. Staff complained about long working
hours due to which they fell ill. Similar issue is faced by drivers as well.
the report will describe about whether ethics is main priority of organization or not and
how it should be promoted.
ANALYSIS
Whether CEO of Amazon think ethics as main priority
By analysing the case study, it is identified that for Amazon business ethics are not so
important. this is because as company is facing several issues related to ethics, he is not
interested in it. this can be analysed that with poor business practices the company is making
enemy in various countries. So, it reflects that they are not working in legal way as there are
cases of tax avoidance in it (Aboud, 2019). In addition, when company earned £72 million in
2017 the tax paid was only £7.4 million. thus, it laid to its criticizing by political leaders as well.
Alongside, it is found that CEO was given Axel springer award for innovation and social
responsibility. But when he was delivering speech in Berlin Amazon workers were protesting
outside.
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Therefore, from case study the CEO of company does not thinks that ethics is main
priority of organization. It is because his main goal is to earn profit and revenue from business.
besides that, it is found that is company followed ethics then they would have paid proper tax.
even if tax amount calculated is low the CEO might have given statement and then paid right tax
(Argandoña, 2020). So, it could have shown that he considered ethics as main priority. beside
that, when employees are facing issues then he would have taken some measures and actions to
improve working conditions and ensure that ethics are followed. but CEO did not take any step
or considered issues. His goal is to earn profit only. also, he is not concerned about health of
workers and wages that is paid to them.
Workers think ethics should be main priority
It is evaluated that in Amazon workers think that ethics should be considered as main
priority. this is because when they faced issue that they are not treated well and also wages given
are low (Anderson, and Burchell, 2019). Alongside, staff who worked at warehouse also faced
concerned of dangerous working environment. So, there were total 118 ambulance calls made by
them. It is because they feel ill due to long working hours and to reach target. Furthermore, there
were many injuries occurred as well. Also, similar ethical issue was faced by driver of company
as well. They also said that working conditions are not proper. thus, when CEO received award,
they protected for it. Thus, it is analysed that worker think ethics should be main priority. Her,
organisation must provide fair and healthy working conditions to staff. moreover, they must
ensure that there are all health and safety standards followed and worker does not face any
concern or issue regarding it. So, it is necessary for organisation to maintain proper working
conditions. If they are not maintained then it leads to creating negative image of company in the
market. However, the workers are main pillars through which goals and objectives are attained.
besides, worker thinks that company must provide fair and equal wages of them. But in Amazon
they were getting low wages. in addition, staff thinks that there needs to be fix working hours in
company. It will be easy for them to work in it. thus, they think that ethics should be priority of
organisation (Fleischmann, Robbins, and Wallace, 2019).
Weather the Politicians should Think ethics should be companies first priority
Amazon is top leading company in online retail market, and they are operating their
business in all around the world and having good reputation in the in online retail industry. They
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deliver various type of good to their customers in every corner of the country and it is necessary
for the company to corporate with the government, but they are ignoring the tax which is
unethical behavior and they are directly messing with the politicians Tax avoidance is not
illegal, but many consider it to be unethical (Ciulla., 2020). In 2016, in the UK, Amazon earned
£24 million which then soared to £72 million in 2017, but only paid £7.4 million in tax in 2016
and then incredibly, despite the enormous increase in profits, paid £4.6 million in 2017. Amazon
has come under attack for tax avoidance from both sides of the political spectrum with criticism
from politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump.
Both the politician Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump top leaders in their own country
it can create problems for the Amazon company . Jeremy is a British politician and Donald
Trump is America's president. Amazon should not forget that they are having huge business set
up in the UK and avoiding taxes can be create big problems for them. Politicians have power to
boycott their company in their own country, and they can promote other companies to expand
their business because there are several options which are available in the online retail market
who can replace Amazon so it is necessary for the Amazon to understand the importance of
business ethics and corporate with the government so they can get proper support, and they
can easily run their business. They can also take competitive advantages by corroborating
government and creating good relationship with the politicians (McMurrian and Matulich.,
2016).
Whether consumers Think ethics should be the main priority of the company.
Customers are most important part of the company because they buy the services and
goods from the Amazon which helps them to earn profit, and they can grow their business
more. Customers are also important priority of the business but their first priority should be
their business ethics and It can also be think by the customers that Amazon's first priority
should be their business ethics if they will not get proper customers services and treatment
from them. There are many customers of the Amazon company who are facing problem
related to the policies. Where customers request for the return and customers executive ensure
their customers that their delivery men will come, and they will take their return product, but
they did not come which is unethical behavior from the Amazon company. They should look
for their policies and they should improve it because this is an unethical behavior from the
company and bad services make their customers to go with the other option where they can get
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required product online (Sroka and Szántó., 2018). Bad service by Amazon company is
companies by many customers which need to improve so their customers can be satisfied their
needs and their demand.
Incident which happened with the companies CEO where Jeff was getting award for
their social responsibility and innovation, and outside of the venue their own employees was
protesting against the company. This Scan was captured by new papers and news articles
which create negative impact on their customers mind. Company cannot be successful for the
long times until they will understand their business ethics and their corporate social
responsibility. Unethical behavior from the Amazon company can lead them toward the
business failure , so they should understand the importance of the business ethics because it
helps to gain locality of the customers, and they can able to take comparative advantages and
show their presence in the market.
CONCLUSION
As per the report has been covered case study of Amazon which top leading company in the
online retailer industry where they are having 45 percent shares worldwide and the CEO of the
company is top reached man in the world which is big achievement for this company. This
report has been analyzed unethical behavior of the Amazon with their employees and ignorance
of the Taxes. It has been properly explained what is business ethics and why it is necessary for
the companies to make it their first priority (Vazquez, 2018). This report has been discus about
the who should think companies first priority is their business ethics and explain the
responsibility of the companies CEO who is the Superior of the company and having
responsibility make company successful. It also has been explained that how employees can
contribute to make Amazon company understand their business ethics and how it can help them
to take comparative advantages in the market.
RECOMMENDATION
As per the case study of Amazon company I would like to suggestion this company to
understand the importance of business ethics because they not give importance to their
employees and not even cooperating with the government and their workplace is unsafe for
their employees. This unethical behavior from the Amazon company can lead them toward the
business failure and create bad image among everyone including their customers. They should
solve this all problems by makings strategies (Barry., 2016). Amazon should give first priority
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to their employees because they are responsible to run their day to day activities, so they shroud
make polices related to their satisfy and their security, provide them accurate working hours
and minimum wages. Another big issues is avoid taxes, they should understand that taxes are
used for the welfare of the people, so they should pay the taxes to the government, so they can
make good relationship with the government. One more suggestion I would like to give to the
Amazon which is improvement in customers services they need to improve otherwise
customers have other options as well. However, company can organize and conduct various
business ethics programs in order to promote ethics. this will be useful for them to create positive
image in market and promoting ethics through it. also, they can form a policy or initiate practice
to be followed by staff in it. It will be help in promoting of ethics in organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Aboud, N.A., 2019. Business ethics and their implications for job discipline An exploratory
study of the views of a sample of individuals working in the Directorate of Mosul
Municipality. Tikrit Journal Of Administrative and Economic Sciences, 3(43), p.66.
Anderson, S.E. and Burchell, J.M., 2019. The Effects of Spirituality and Moral Intensity on
Ethical Business Decisions: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-13.
Argandoña, A., 2020. Ethics and Digital Innovation in Finance. Handbook on Ethics in Finance,
pp.1-22.
Barry, N., 2016. Business ethics. Springer.
Ciulla, J. B., 2020. Business ethics as moral imagination. In The Search for Ethics in Leadership,
Business, and Beyond(pp. 121-129). Springer, Cham.
Fleischmann, K.R., Robbins, R.W. and Wallace, W.A., 2019. Information ethics education for a
multicultural world. Journal of Information Systems Education, 22(3), p.2.
Hunt, S.D., 2019. The ethics of branding, customer-brand relationships, brand-equity strategy,
and branding as a societal institution. Journal of Business Research, 95, pp.408-416.
McMurrian, R. C. and Matulich, E., 2016. Building customer value and profitability with
business ethics. Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER).14(3). pp.83-90.
Sroka, W. and Szántó, R., 2018. Corporate social responsibility and business ethics in
controversial sectors: Analysis of research results. Journal of Entrepreneurship,
Management and Innovation.14(3). pp.111-126.
Vazquez, P., 2018. Family business ethics: At the crossroads of business ethics and family
business. Journal of Business Ethics.150(3). pp.691-709.
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