Overseas Subsidiary: Navigating Unfair Working Conditions & International Law - Essay Sample

Introduction

Your company appears to be taking unfair advantage of the working conditions in an overseas subsidiary in which you work. At the same time, however, your company is providing much-sought-after employment in this developing region. Your conscience is bothered. What should you do? What rights and obligations does your company have in such a situation?

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The law of the home country follows a company anywhere in the world they undertake business. The local country with the subsidiary does not have laws that govern the working conditions. The company, however, has the obligation to follow the laws of their home country. It has an obligation to ensure that workers operate in a safe workplace that ensures the health and safety of both employees and customers. The local laws may not be considering the working conditions in this case and other local companies take advantage of this compromising the working conditions of their workers for more profits and to provide employment opportunities for the local population. In case a company exposes its workers to substandard working conditions, it should be aware that it is subject to the law of its origin country. In this case, the use of the home country's legal system is more beneficial to the workers as the laws in the country do not protect its workers. Ethics of the company should be in accordance with the laws of both countries.

Use of the home country's working conditions may have an effect on the market which seems to be struggling with unemployment at the rise. Other workers may become aware of the better working standards and they might rally up for the legislation to be set up in the country to improve this state. The company will have played a role as a positive influence on the country's economic market.

A company should be able to meet its own ethical standards for a good public image. The public image of the company to the locals is very important and therefore a positive image should be maintained. The exploitation of the state of unemployment will lead to a deteriorating public image.

The company should act in accordance with human rights. Human rights transcend national and cultural boundaries and thus all workers are subject to the rights. The company should be at the forefront of promoting human rights and not exploiting them for profits. Workers should be protected and considered despite the local legislation lacking systems and measure that protect against exploitation. It should promote and encourage other companies locally to do the same. In this way, the workers' conditions will improve in the local country.

A company has moral obligations to fulfill. Economic actions undertaken by the company have both economic and social consequences to the surrounding society which should be considered. The working conditions of the workers affect their living standards. Good living standards is a positive effect on society and this comes as a result of good working conditions that promote the workers' health and safety. The company should be ready to do the morally right thing despite the dilemma. ("VoiceThread - Home") The social responsibility depicts that a company should promote decisions that will have good economic and social consequences.

The company has to come up with their own ethical standards which enable them to fit well into the local economy. A company should be aware of the cultural differences that exist between their home country and where they operate. Ethics are based on culture. The company should adopt the ethics of the country they operate in for harmony. Some ethics can be however illegal or in contrast with home ethics for instance corruption which might be allowed locally but it is a crime in the home country. The company should, therefore, ensure harmony in the ethics they come up with balancing all the involved factors. Ethical standards should ensure the workers are paid a living wage working for reasonable hours and without compromise to their safety. The standards as well as consider the human rights of the workers.

The company should as well as exercise fairness to all its employees. This should be despite their locality and therefore the issue on the working standards should be standard for all the employees even in the subsidiary. The employees should be able to work safely in any branch of the company and compensated fairly despite their location. This will ensure there is uniformity all over the organization in the level of product and service offered.

All the considerations above propose that the company should uphold the working conditions in the subsidiary despite the need for employment. This will be according to the laws of the home country, moral obligations and human rights. These decisions are also dependent on the personal ethics of the employees. The manager in the subsidiary may be unethical which despite all considerations will choose the most profitable way by employing more people in the name of providing employment opportunities. This will be however at the cost of working standards. The company should consider the ethical and right choice that will not lead to any legal implications.

References

"VoiceThread - Home." Conversations in the Cloud, louisiana.voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/10930998.