Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel: Five Lessons Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 638 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 2

Ethics Lapse

Business Ethics

Mattel: Five lessons learned from its ethical lapse

In the 21st century globalized economy, it is not uncommon for companies to use outsourcing to keep costs under control. This is particularly true regarding relatively inexpensive products like children's toys. The Mattel Company, the maker of iconic childhood toys like Barbie and Hot Wheels, has outsourced major aspects of its operations to China as a cost-cutting effort. Mattel sells relatively low-priced toys that are accessible to a wide demographic of U.S. consumers, hence the need to keep prices within the budget of most families.

Mattel's problems began when Early Light Industrial Co., "a subcontractor for Mattel owned by Hong Kong toy tycoon Choi Chee Ming, subcontracted the painting of parts" of the Mattel CARS toys to yet another China-based vendor named Hong Li Da (Mattel responds to ethical challenges, n.d, Daniels Funds Ethics Initiative: 6). In other words, this could be called 'subcontracting run amuck.' No longer under the careful oversight of Mattel, Hong Li Da "decided to source paint from a non-authorized third-party supplier[s]" Dongxin, Zhongxin, and Mingdai and the subsequent products were later found to contain "impermissible levels of lead" (Mattel responds to ethical challenges, n.d, Daniels Funds Ethics Initiative: 6). Ten million toys had to be recalled by Mattel because of dangerously high levels of lead.

Stuck Writing Your "Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel: Five Lessons" Essay?

View All Our Example Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel: Five Lessons Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written



The first lesson learned from this ethical lapse is that simply having written ethical policies are not enough to protect a company from falling into ethical maelstroms. According to Mattel's corporate policy, Hong Li Da had violated "Mattel's requirement to use paint supplied directly by Early Light' (Mattel responds to ethical challenges, n.d, Daniels Funds Ethics Initiative: 6). However, merely having the guideline in place did not stop the sub-sub-contracted firm from ignoring this directive. More recalls soon followed because of safety hazards in outsourced Chinese products, including magnets that posed a choking hazard to children. Over….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel Five Lessons" (2012, August 18) Retrieved May 5, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/ethics-lapse-business-ethics-mattel-five-109454

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel Five Lessons" 18 August 2012. Web.5 May. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/ethics-lapse-business-ethics-mattel-five-109454>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Ethics Lapse Business Ethics Mattel Five Lessons", 18 August 2012, Accessed.5 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/ethics-lapse-business-ethics-mattel-five-109454
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example