Corruption in Corporate America Essay

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Walt Disney Case Studies

Why has Chiquita not been successful in changing industry norms?

There are numerous reasons why Chiquita has not attained success in changing industry norms. Firstly, it has not received enough recognition for doing so. Its efforts to combat childhood obesity, unfair labor practices, and negative environmental impacts have failed to yield any sort of significant reward. Were it publicly lauded and regarded as a company that prioritizes corporate social responsiblity, it might be able to influence other companies in its industry to adopt these same practices. However, its corporate social responsibility actions are simply not publicized enough to make any sort of impact on its competitors. The other capital reason why this company has failed to alter social norms is because its competitors have not adopted its measures. In fact, avoiding them enables Chiquita's competitors to lower costs and increase productivity, without receiving any sort of boycotts or negative publicity for doing so. Representatives from Chiquita, however, cannot say the same.

As Chiquita's CEO, what are you going to recommend to the board?

As Chiquita's CEO, I would recommend to the board that it lessen some of its corporate social responsibility practices. Some are more salient than others. By continuing to engage in the more notable corporate social responsibility practices -- such as combating unfair labor practices and counteracting childhood obesity -- the company can still become renowned for its efforts in this arena of contemporary business. However, it is critical that it implement a substantial marketing and public relations campaign around its corporate social responsibility efforts. Moreover, it should also highlight its uniqueness in this area (which grants it a favorable comparison against its competitors). I would therefore recommend to the board that it temporarily abate its environmental activities while focusing on the other two aforementioned corporate social responsibility endeavors. I would also emphasize the need for a rigorous public relations campaign regarding those two activities.

As Dole's or Del Monte's CEO, what are you going to do in response to Chiquita's moves?

As Dole or Del Monte's CEO, I would merely continue doing that which I was already doing. Although these companies have not made commitments to corporate social responsibility at the level that Chiquita has, they have been able to lower their costs while increasing their revenues by not implementing such measures. Therefore, it is in the best interest of these two companies to continue to take advantage of Chiquita's situation by maintain their respective status quo. Doing so enables them to make gains, while Chiquita is currently trying to combat the sort of woes that stem from its efforts in corporate social responsibility.

Prior to taking this class and studying this case, have you often heard or read about the decline of U.S. export competitiveness? What are the social and ethical implications of such excessive (one-sided) negative reporting? Does this case change your mind? Why?

I had frequently heard about the decline of U.S. export competitiveness prior to taking this class and studying the case entitled "Why Are U.S. Exports so Competitive." However, it is worth noting that I had heard these things in the larger context of the decline of U.S. Industry in general, and in manufacturing in particular, as America purposefully took many of its manufacturing jobs overseas to take advantage of globalization. This sentiment is fairly widespread and evinced in a number of different forms, particularly those which involve the media. There are a plethora of implications about such excessive and one-sided negative reporting. These pertain to both social and ethical factors. Ethically, it is always dangerous to report just one side of an issue. Doing so can sway the public to one particular side of an issue while keeping it largely ignorant of its full ramifications. Ethically, journalists and the media in general are obligated to inform the public about all aspects of an issue, so that it can form its own opinion of it. Otherwise, it is possible for those who have the most money and media connections to simply relate just one side of an issue. Socially, the implications of one-sided reporting are that the public remains unaware of all of the dimensions of a particular issue. The public relies on the media for information; if it is one-sided it an ignorant public. This case study does not necessarily change my mind about this particular issue. It does not because it is obvious that the author has an objective in writing this case study.

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The language and rhetorical devices employed by the author are not non-partisan. For instance, referring to the U.S. as a "world champion" of merchandise exports reveals the author's partisanship -- and possible bias.

From a Resource-based view, why are U.S. exports so competitive?

From a resource point-of-view, America's exports are so competitive because they have a value of 89% that is attributed to this company, which is higher than the value of the exports contributed by some other countries. The exports that the U.S. is renowned for are not only valuable, but they're also rare and difficult to duplicate. The inimitable nature of some of these exports definitely helps to keep them and the country itself competitive.

From an institution-based view, why are U.S. exports so competitive?

US exports are so competitive from an institution-based view because of a couple of different reasons. One of these pertains to the federal government's aid in making these successful. There are multiple entities in the public sector that are responsible for helping the U.S. achieve success in its exportations. There are also various entities at the state level that do the same thing. Federal trade agreements play a principal role in keeping American exports competitive, because these agreements are between the U.S. and the various countries to which it sends exports.

The company discussed in this assignment is the Walt Disney Company. This company has had operations in France, the Walt Disney Company France, since around the time of the turn the millennium. Corruption affects the Walt Disney Company France, then, in a number of different ways. In fact, allegations of corruption and debauched behavior have surrounded the Walt Disney Company ever since it was founded. There have been a number of allegations that the alleged creator of many of the various characters and franchises upon which this company profited was not actually Walt Disney himself. Mainstays such as Winnie the Pooh and even Mickey Mouse are alleged to have been created by others; Disney has incurred numerous lawsuits over these issues and others pertaining to appropriating the creations of others (Amsellem, 2002). In this respect, controversy and corruption have seemingly plagued this company for some time, and could even affect its operations in France.

Some of the eminent issues that the The Walt Disney Company France must contend with in regards to corruption pertain to basic operational and manufacturing processes associated with this entity. Perhaps at the crux of this issue is the reality that the Walt Disney Company has greatly expanded from its domestic operations in the United States to become a major multinational company with operations in various parts of the world. There has long been a perception that multinational companies have exploited globalization to the fullest to reduce costs while increasing their profits and presence on a worldwide scale. The sort of corruption that the French operations for this company will have to contend with pertain to its maintenance and repairs. There are sources that indicate that workers for this company -- particularly in some of the acclaimed theme parks which it operates all over the world, including in France -- are injured at rates that vastly exceed those in this industry (Schweizer, 1998, p. 54). Furthermore, the impact of Disney enterprises have also been deemed counterproductive to the surrounding environment; Disney construction in Hong Kong near the turn of the millenium adversely affected wildlife and numerous sea creatures in the vicinity (Amsellem, 2002). The Walt Disney Company France has to contend with all of these issues and attempt to reduce them in the wake of mounting calls about the corruption of this company in its various locations throughout the world.

Another way in which corruption affects the Walt Disney Company France relates to financial affairs. As part of its efforts to expand via globalization, the Walt Disney company has been able to affect local politics in areas in which it runs its operations. Many of the political maneuvering involved in these instances have financial repercussions which largely benefit the company and which take a toll on the surrounding communities. For instance, the amount of taxpayer money that is spent to facilitate Disney furnishing in comparison to that spent by the actual company itself is egregiously disproportionate, and tends to favor the latter (Amsellem, 2002). All of these different factors are various facets of corruption with which the Walt Disney Company France must contend......

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