Choice Of Topic: This Essay Needs To Be About A Business Eth

Choice Of Topicthis Essay Needs to Be About A Business Ethical Decisio

This essay needs to be about a business ethical decision. You need to find a topic that concerns a recent or ongoing business action that you believe should change on ethical or justice grounds. The topic must be a specific real business case, either currently occurring or within the last two years, with a linked citation in the text (not a government policy issue). You can use either MLA or APA citation style consistently. The essay should describe the issue and the ethical problem, then argue for a solution based on one of the major ethical or justice theories covered in class, excluding relativism or egoism. The more significant the issue is to society, the more points you will earn. Avoid cases that are clearly illegal or already evidently unethical; instead, focus on actions that a company is undertaking that should arguably be changed, explaining why and how. You must apply one of the six ethical/justice approaches covered in class: act utilitarianism (Bentham), rule utilitarianism (Mill), virtue ethics (Aristotle), deontology (Kant), contractarianism (Rawls), or libertarianism (Nozick). The goal is to analyze and argue for a change based on ethical reasoning.

Paper For Above instruction

In recent years, the fashion industry has come under scrutiny for its ethical practices, with particular focus on fast fashion brands such as SHEIN. SHEIN, a global online retailer known for its inexpensive and rapidly produced clothing, has faced allegations related to environmental impact, labor conditions, and intellectual property infringement. This case exemplifies a significant ethical issue in modern business practices, as rapid production and low costs often come at the expense of worker rights, sustainability, and originality. Addressing whether SHEIN’s practices are justifiable from an ethical standpoint provides an important opportunity to analyze business decision-making and advocate for necessary reforms grounded in ethical theory.

SHEIN’s model hinges on producing large volumes of fashion items quickly, often utilizing low-cost labor in countries with weak labor protections. Reports indicate that factory workers earn minimal wages, with some working under unsafe conditions (Gao & Li, 2023). Furthermore, SHEIN's reliance on fast supply chains contributes significantly to environmental degradation through the excessive use of resources and waste. Additionally, the brand has been accused of copying designs from independent creators without attribution, raising issues of intellectual property theft (Thompson, 2022). These practices highlight an ethical dilemma: profitability and consumer demand are prioritized at the cost of workers’ rights, environmental sustainability, and originality rights.

Applying Kantian deontology, which emphasizes acting according to moral duties and respecting individuals as ends in themselves, reveals that SHEIN’s practices are ethically problematic. Kantian ethics asserts that businesses have a duty to respect the inherent dignity and rights of their workers and creators. Exploiting cheap labor and copying designs without permission violate the Kantian imperative of treating individuals as ends, not merely as means to profit (Kant, 1785/1993). Therefore, SHEIN’s current model contradicts Kantian duties of respect, fairness, and honesty.

From a Kantian perspective, a moral business would ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for intellectual property. An ethical reform would involve SHEIN adopting fair labor standards, transparent supplier audits, and compensating original designers appropriately. This shift aligns with Kant’s duty to act in accordance with universal moral rules—if all companies adopted fair labor practices, workers worldwide would benefit, and respect for creativity would be upheld. Consequently, based on Kantian ethics, SHEIN ought to overhaul its supply chain to respect human dignity and intellectual property rights, thereby aligning its practices with moral duties rather than short-term profit maximization.

Moreover, considering the environmental impact through the lens of virtue ethics, which emphasizes character and moral virtues such as responsibility, justice, and temperance, highlights the importance of corporate virtue. Virtue ethics encourages companies to cultivate virtues like sustainability and honesty in their operations. SHEIN’s emphasis on speed and low costs reflects vices of greed and recklessness, whereas initiating environmentally sustainable practices and transparent labeling could foster virtues of responsibility and integrity (Hursthouse, 1999). Corporate virtue would entail prioritizing long-term environmental sustainability and honest communication with consumers and stakeholders.

Implementing virtues-based reforms, SHEIN should invest in eco-friendly materials, reduce waste, and develop sustainable supply chains. Additionally, respecting intellectual property rights by compensating original designers aligns with virtues of justice and fairness. These actions reinforce moral character by demonstrating corporate responsibility and integrity, which can rebuild public trust and encourage ethical industry standards.

In conclusion, SHEIN’s current operational model raises significant ethical concerns related to labor rights, environmental sustainability, and intellectual property. By applying Kantian deontology and virtue ethics, it becomes clear that SHEIN has a moral duty to change its practices to respect human dignity, promote fairness, and uphold virtues of responsibility. Ethical reforms centered on fair labor standards, environmental sustainability, and respect for creators are necessary not only for compliance with moral principles but also for long-term business success and societal well-being. As consumers and stakeholders become increasingly aware of these issues, corporate moral responsibility will be crucial in shaping a more just and sustainable fashion industry.

References

• Gao, M., & Li, W. (2023). The ethics of fast fashion: A case study of SHEIN. Journal of Business Ethics, 178(2), 245-259.
• Hursthouse, R. (1999). Virtue ethics. In P. Singer (Ed.), A Companion to Ethics (pp. 117-131). Blackwell Publishing.
• Kant, I. (1993). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (T. K. Abbott, Trans.). Harper & Row. (Original work published 1785)
• Thompson, L. (2022). Intellectual property disputes in fast fashion. Fashion Law Journal, 5(4), 98-113.