Global Ethics and Cultural Relativism: Limitations and Strategies

This presentation introduces key concepts in international ethics, focusing on relativism and absolutism at both individual and corporate levels. It explains the limitations that global corporate brands face in observing universal ethics in various countries due to differing histories, cultural diversity, political atmospheres, and legal regulations. The presentation concludes by recommending strategies for organizations to navigate these limitations, promoting human rights and ethics strategically and moderately, while also considering the risks to workers and brand reputation. It emphasizes the importance of accepting the differences between Western and non-Western beliefs on ethics and human rights and advises taking a firm stand when workers are at grave risk.

Ethics Away From Home
Limitations
Name:
Institution:

Executive Summary
The presentation will focus on;
 introducing key points on the international ethics
 launching basic understanding of relativism and
absolutism both at an individual and corporate
level
 explaining limitations the global corporate brands
have in observing universal ethics in some
countries.
 Recommending strategies for the above
limitations to ensure a balance between cultural
relativism and absolutism

Introduction
We live in a world where international corporations are
expanding their operations across the globe (Javalgi &
Russell 2018).
Big brands are globalizing their products to different
countries and cultures.
Relativism is the belief that there is no defined truth
and way while absolutism is a general understanding
that there are an absolute right and wrong.
When a firm is operating in a nonwestern culture, it has
to decide on specific policies; when to adopt a relative
attitude or absolute way on controversial issues.

Limitations to Ethics Away from Home
Approach
Ethics away from home idea may meet challenges for the
following reasons;
 Different countries have different histories, backgrounds,
and ethical interpretation
 Cultural diversity
 The difference in political atmospheres and leadership
cultures
 A country law and regulation
Ethics away from home philosophy does not consider all
circumstances where ethical decision should be made and
cultural values ignored. Some situations require pragmatic
approach to problems (Chiumento et al., 2017).

Cont.…
Limitations range from cultural differences to
government laws that discourage universal
principles and human rights (IRISH, 2016).
Some governments support strict cultural
discipline, hence limiting the international
corporations from promoting free will and
human rights.
Situations and circumstances such as
conflicts limit a company from taking an
ethical position (Celie & Prager, 2018).

Conclusion
Ethics away from home principle is both a
technical and controversial issue for private
corporations.
Dilemmas will always come up whether to
respect beliefs and cultural values or assume
them.
An organization that chooses to handle affairs
based on what their home moral understanding,
will meet rebellion on; historical differences ,
cultural diversity, religious expectations, and
government policies.

Recommendations
An organization will be successful in promoting
human rights and ethics if;
 they do it strategically and moderately
 take a severe stand if the situation put their
workers at grave risk
 It takes a contrary stand if the values put their
workers in extreme danger or pose a threat to
their brand name
a corporate body should accept the difference
between western and nonwestern beliefs on
ethics and human right

References
Celie, K. & Prager, K. (2018). Clinical Ethics
Consultation. AMA Journal of Ethics, 18 (5), 473-563
https://
journalofethics.ama-assn.org/sites/journalofethics.ama-a
ssn.org/files/2018-06/joe-1605.pdf
Chiumento, A., Atif, R., Frith, L, Sninder L. & Tol, W.
(2017). Ethical standards for mental health and
psychosocial support research in emergencies: review of
literature and current debates. Globalization and Health,
13(8), 55-78. https://
globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11
86/s12992-017-0231-y
IRISH Plan (2016). Strategic Plan, Retrieved from http://
www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Irish-Prison-Service-Strategic-Pla
n-2016-2018.pdf/Files/Irish-Prison-Service-Strategic-Plan