International Business, 14e (Daniels, Et Al) - Chapter 05

International Business, 14e (Daniels et al.
)
Chapter 5 Globalization and Society
1) According to the text, which of the following has resulted from GE's Ecomagination initiative?
A) rising profitability for many GE products
B) increasing doubt among GE's foreign partners
C) reducing investments by GE due to poor returns
D) improving pollution levels near GE plants in China
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Learning Outcome: Discuss the role of ethics and social responsibility in international business
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
2) General Electric has focused on being more "green" in recent years most likely because ________.
A) the industry has always looked to GE as a trend setter in green technology
B) GE executives believe the firm can strategically align investor and environmental interests
C) GE executives realize that the firm can save significant money through the use of solar technology
D) the U.S. government has decided to use GE as a test case to see if the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol
can actually work for a U.S. firm
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
3) Which of the following statements about GE and its "Green is Green" movement is true?
A) GE is responding in part to the fact that it is operating in many countries which require compliance
with higher environmental standards than exist in the United States.
B) GE has decided to develop new products that are environmentally friendly rather than adopt internal
policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
C) GE has moved aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas usage internally but has not been able to
develop commercially viable "clean" technologies.
D) GE considered joining the U.S. Climate Action Partnership but decided the group was too radical in
its approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Dynamics of the global economy
4) Which of the following is NOT a key stakeholder group that a company must work to satisfy in order
to survive in a global environment?
A) employees
B) competitors
C) shareholders
D) customers
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
5) Which stakeholder group primarily wants additional sales and increased productivity?
A) customers
B) shareholders
C) society at large
D) government
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
6) Which stakeholder group is most interested in trustworthy behavior by corporate executives and
increased corporate taxes?
A) shareholders
B) society
C) employees
D) customers
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
7) Which of the following statements is most likely true regarding relationships between MNEs and
stakeholders?
A) An MNE typically serves all stakeholder groups equally at any given time.
B) No individual stakeholder group is powerful enough to cause the demise of an MNE.
C) All stakeholders of an MNE have the same short-term and long-term goals and interests.
D) The inability to adequately meet the long-term needs of all stakeholders increases the probability of
an MNE failing.
Answer: D
Diff: 3
Learning Outcome: Define the fundamental concepts of international business
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
8) Monique has recently been hired as an accounts supervisor at Ballston Enterprises. She wants to
understand Ballston's values and its expectations for employee behavior. Which of the following would
most likely provide Monique with this information?
A) mission statement
B) code of conduct
C) vision statement
D) employee contract
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
9) All of the following are levels of moral development EXCEPT the ________.
A) preconventional level
B) autonomous level
C) internalized level
D) conventional level
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
10) Which level of moral development involves an individual learning role-conformity from peers,
parents, and laws?
A) conventional
B) principled
C) autonomous
D) preconventional
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
11) Which of the following statements is most likely true about the postconventional level of moral
development?
A) Individuals learn what is moral but not why such behavior is moral.
B) Individuals behave morally because they fear negative repercussions.
C) Individuals learn how to conform to society's values through observation.
D) Individuals behave morally because they believe such actions are right.
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
12) According to the teleological approach, individuals base moral decisions on ________.
A) personal and social responsibilities
B) consequences of an action
C) cultural value systems
D) opinions of peers
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
13) Which of the following most likely complicates ethical behavior for firms that expand overseas?
A) local laws and values
B) expatriate management
C) unstable financial settings
D) international codes of conduct
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Learning Outcome: Explain how differences in culture affect the international business environment
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
14) Which of the following is a primary business objective for pursuing ethical behavior?
A) avoiding industrial sanctions
B) developing competitive advantages
C) developing creative advertisements
D) discouraging false commitments to the firm
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities
15) Which of the following is a primary business objective for pursuing ethical behavior?
A) replacing home-country technology with host-country technology
B) minimizing federal investigations into corporate finances
C) avoiding being perceived as a socially irresponsible firm
D) imposing home-country behavior on the host country
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
16) Encouraging ethical behavior for the purpose of developing competitive advantages will most likely
result in all of the following for a firm EXCEPT ________.
A) strategic accomplishment
B) consumer commitment
C) industry resolutions
D) financial success
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
17) Bantam Enterprises, a multi-national enterprise, makes significant efforts to avoid being perceived
as socially irresponsible. What is the most likely reason for this?
A) Social irresponsibility can lead to labor strikes by international unions.
B) Socially irresponsible companies usually have fewer exports and more imports.
C) Cultural barriers increase for companies that are socially irresponsible, which hinders expansion into
additional countries.
D) Social irresponsibility can lead to negative publicity from nongovernmental organizations, which
could hurt a company's reputation.
Answer: D
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
18) Ethical dilemmas tend to be ________ for MNE managers than for domestic managers.
A) more complicated
B) less controversial
C) easier to decide
D) less common
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
19) A manager practicing relativism would most likely ________.
A) adapt to local conditions instead of implementing home-country practices
B) enforce home-country laws on host-country employees and suppliers
C) refuse to change company policies and procedures to comply with local norms
D) apply universal laws to each country despite local customs and traditions
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
5

20) The belief that there are universal standards of behavior that all cultures should follow is called
________.
A) humanism
B) relativism
C) normativism
D) naturalism
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
21) A manager who refuses to bribe customs officials in a foreign country, even though it is morally
acceptable in that country, is most likely to believe in which of the following perspectives on ethics?
A) relativism
B) normativism
C) humanism
D) existentialism
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
22) Why is the argument that "anything legal is ethical" most likely insufficient?
A) Everything that is unethical is also illegal.
B) The law is an extremely efficient way to solve ethical dilemmas.
C) Laws are frequently based on imprecisely defined moral concepts.
D) Laws can never be changed; thus, rules for all possible ethical dilemmas are found in the law.
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
23) Which of the following is a reason for an MNE to base its standards for ethical behavior on a
country's laws?
A) The law embodies many of a country's moral beliefs but is an inadequate guide for proper conduct.
B) The law contains unenforceable rules that are impossible for society to follow.
C) The law represents a consensus derived from significant deliberation.
D) The law is based on precisely defined moral concepts.
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
6
24) An advocate of the legal-justification standard would most likely assert that the law ________.
A) develops slowly in response to evolving societal dilemmas
B) protects business activities that are unethical but not illegal
C) contains enforceable rules that apply to everyone
D) offers necessary moral flexibility for a society
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
25) Which of the following is an example of extraterritoriality?
A) a U.S. subsidiary operating in China that is forced to follow some U.S. laws, even though China has
no comparable laws
B) a U.S. sweatshop operating in Thailand that does not follow U.S. labor laws but allows children to
work 60 hours a week
C) an MNE manager who, after working in the host country, tries to implement foreign practices in the
home-country office
D) a British subsidiary operating in Indonesia that maintains the same health and safety standards for its
foreign factories that are required in Great Britain, even though the British government does not require
it to use those standards
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
AACSB: Reflective thinking skills
26) A government that enforces its own laws on foreign subsidiaries of its domestic companies practices
________.
A) civil law
B) relativism
C) externality
D) extraterritoriality
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
27) What is the primary argument against extraterritoriality?
A) increases opportunities for corporate bribery
B) contradicts demands for increased globalization
C) requires oversight by nongovernmental organizations
D) prohibits firms from expanding into foreign territories
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
8
28) The requirement by the U.S. government that its subsidiaries abroad comply with trade restrictions
with Cuba is an example of ________.
A) utilitarianism
B) extraterritoriality
C) absolute advantage
D) relative advantage
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
29) According to Transparency International, companies from which of the following countries are more
likely to pay bribes?
A) China
B) Japan
C) Singapore
D) Belgium
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
30) What is the primary concern regarding anti-corruption measures in the EU?
A) resistance to an official anti-fraud commission
B) inability to adopt a corruption definition
C) lack of uniform laws across nations
D) failure to conduct internal auditing
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
31) Which of the following is NOT affected by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?
A) companies registered in the U.S.
B) foreign firms operating in U.S. territory
C) foreign firms quoted on a U.S. stock exchange
D) foreign companies managed by U.S. expatriates
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
32) Which of the following statements describes an inconsistency of the FCPA?

A) Facilitation payments are classified as bribery.
B) Facilitation payments are excluded from the FCPA's definition of bribery.
C) Payments to officials who are not directly responsible for carrying out the law are legal.
D) Payments to foreign officials who carry out the law are considered illegal by provisions of the FCPA.
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
33) A 1998 U.S. law that outlaws bribery payments by U.S. firms to foreign government officials is
known as the ________.
A) Anti-Bribery Act of 2004
B) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
C) Zero Tolerance Initiative
D) Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
34) Which of the following is permitted by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act?
A) a bribe paid by foreign firms operating in U.S. territories
B) a bribe paid by U.S. firms operating in a foreign country that permits bribes to be paid
C) a payment to a foreign government official to influence a customs official
D) a payment to a customs official to clear legitimate merchandise
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
35) The OECD Convention against bribery is an example of a(n) ________.
A) bilateral agreement developed for the EU
B) agreement that targets the demand side of bribery
C) agreement that targets the supply side of bribery
D) UN Convention dominated by developing countries
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
10
36) Which of the following is a voluntary effort by 150 multinational construction and natural-resources
companies to end bribery?
A) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
B) Partnering Against Corruption Initiative
C) OLAF (European Commission Anti-Fraud Office)
D) Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
37) Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs is known as ________.
A) competitive advantage
B) the Kyoto Protocol
C) sustainability
D) externality
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
38) The 1997 Kyoto Protocol is best described as an agreement that requires ________.
A) all members of the United Nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent
B) the United States and Japan to control greenhouse gas emissions by 8% below 1995 levels
C) the signatory countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels
D) the signatory countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
39) Firms that operate in countries that have adopted the Kyoto Protocol are required to either reduce
emissions or ________.
A) purchase carbon credits from other firms
B) file petitions to appeal the requirement
C) cease manufacturing operations
D) pay fines to the U.N.
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
11
40) How has the Kyoto Protocol affected U.S. companies operating in Europe?
A) U.S. companies are changing the way they do business in order to comply with new emissions
standards in Europe.
B) The Kyoto Protocol has not affected U.S. companies with subsidiaries in Europe because the U.S. has
not signed the Kyoto Protocol.
C) Before U.S. companies can open any more European subsidiaries, the U.S. government must sign the
Kyoto Protocol.
D) Because the United States is not a party to the Kyoto Protocol, U.S. companies may not operate in
European countries that have signed the Kyoto Protocol.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
41) Medco Pharmaceuticals charges a market price for heart medication to distributors in Italy and a
discounted price for the same medication to distributors in Bangladesh. Medco is most likely using
________.
A) discounted pricing
B) skimmed pricing
C) penetrated pricing
D) tiered pricing
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
42) Some countries reverse engineer pharmaceutical products ________.
A) because they know that generic products are inherently better than branded products
B) to lower the cost of certain drugs to the domestic market
C) as a way to charge higher prices in domestic markets
D) to comply with international patent laws
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
12
43) The WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) ________.
A) allows rich countries to produce generic versions of patented drugs without having to pay royalties to
the patent holder
B) permits developing countries to import generic products from other countries if they don't have the
capacity to produce generic drugs
C) requires pharmaceutical companies to provide low-cost vaccines and HIV/AIDS medications to
developing countries
D) requires tiered pricing for most essential drugs
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
44) Which of the following has been the primary reason for the recent growth of India's pharmaceutical
industry?
A) globalized supply chains
B) tiered pricing guidelines
C) patent-protection laws
D) foreign investors
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
45) Which of the labor issues identified by the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) receives the most
attention?
A) safe and hygienic working conditions
B) reasonable living wages
C) inhumane treatment
D) child labor
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
46) The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)is primarily focused on ________.
A) fair trade laws for undeveloped countries
B) tiered pricing by pharmaceutical firms
C) greenhouse gas emission reduction
D) employment practices of MNEs
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
13
47) According to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), ________.

A) child labor cannot be used unless there are no suitable alternatives
B) employment need not be freely chosen in order to be acceptable
C) no harsh or inhumane treatment of workers should be allowed
D) MNEs are not responsible for establishing codes of conduct
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
48) Which of the following best supports the idea that MNEs should remain in countries that allow child
labor?
A) MNEs have a positive influence on government employment policies in most foreign countries.
B) Many MNEs have substantially improved the working conditions of their foreign plants.
C) MNEs are required to pay child workers more than local companies.
D) Most MNEs employ local managers to handle cultural differences.
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
AACSB: Analytic Skills
49) Which of the following is NOT a likely reason for companies to act more ethically?
A) Consumer boycotts may result from unethical corporate behavior.
B) Irresponsible and unethical actions may lead to legal problems for MNEs.
C) Unethical or irresponsible behavior can negatively impact employee morale.
D) The U.N. Global Compact enforces fines on global firms that fail to act ethically.
Answer: D
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
50) Which of the following best explains Nike's quick response to criticism of unfair employment
practices in developing countries?
A) retaining employees
B) improving public relations
C) addressing product safety concerns
D) cutting costs in order to improve profits
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
14
51) A guideline for responsible action by a firm in its operations worldwide is a(n) ________.
A) code of conduct
B) corporate monitoring policy
C) education program
D) honor code
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
52) The U.N. Global Compact is best described as a(n) ________.
A) corruption mandate
B) environmental initiative
C) external code of conduct
D) international trade guideline
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
53) Which of the following is most important when designing an internal code of conduct?
A) requesting U.N. oversight and intervention when necessary
B) communicating the code of conduct only to employees
C) reporting results to external stakeholders
D) forming local polices for each subsidiary
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
54) Which of the following is most important to the effectiveness of an internal code of conduct?
A) ensuring that employees understand the code by requiring confirmation in writing
B) paying bonuses to suppliers and distributors that agree to the code
C) relying on nonprofit NGOs to develop guidelines
D) adhering to industry standards and norms
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
15
55) What is the primary problem associated with Anglo American PLC's ART program?
A) unknown side effects to drugs and treatment
B) rising costs of medications and procedures
C) poor treatment adherence by employees
D) lack of sufficient insurance coverage
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Multicultural and diversity understanding
56) What is the primary reason that Anglo American PLC developed its ART program?
A) comply with government standards
B) maintain a healthy workforce
C) abide by union demands
D) reduce employee benefits
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
57) Quantum Footwear is an MNE that manufactures inexpensive shoes. Quantum outsources portions
of its production to independent companies located in Bangladesh and India where child labor is
common. Other clothing and footwear firms have recently faced criticism regarding the use of child
labor, and Quantum executives want to avoid similar problems. Which of the following would be the
best approach for Quantum?
A) improving conditions at the subcontract facilities
B) developing an external ethics code for foreign partners and letting them worry about compliance.
C) requiring local governments to alter their labor policies
D) leaving the market and focusing on domestic production
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 4
16
58) Quantum Footwear is an MNE that manufactures inexpensive shoes. Quantum outsources portions
of its production to independent companies located in Bangladesh and India where child labor is
common. Other clothing and footwear firms have recently faced criticism regarding the use of child
labor, and Quantum executives want to avoid similar problems. Which of the following guidelines
enforced by Quantum would LEAST likely be supported by the International Labor Organization?
A) establishing bridge schools
B) monitoring workplace safety
C) allowing children ages 10-15 to work a maximum of 4 hours per day
D) prohibiting abusive labor conditions
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Objective: 4
59) General Electric's Ecomagination initiative is responding in part to the fact that it is operating in
many countries which require compliance with higher environmental standards than exist in the United
States.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
60) In the long run, MNEs must adequately meet the needs of all stakeholders in order to prosper and
survive.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
61) Stockholders are typically more interested in corporate social responsibility than in earning profits.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
62) The teleological approach asserts that individuals make moral judgments independent of
consequences.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
17
63) According to utilitarianism, actions are moral if they produce the greatest amount of good for the
greatest number of people.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
64) GE's Ecomagination program has enabled the firm to develop a competitive advantage over its
competitors.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
65) Governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations monitor the behavior of companies and
their employees to ensure that laws are being followed.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
66) Pursuing responsible behavior for strategic and financial success is an example of relative behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
67) An important business objective for pursuing ethical behavior is to create a better relationship with
corrupt politicians and customers.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
68) Relativism is the theory that ethical truths depend on the values of the groups holding them; thus,
MNEs should adhere to or adopt the cultures of the countries in which they are located.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
18
69) Normativism asserts that universal standards of behavior exist and should be accepted in all cultures.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
70) The law is often based on imprecisely defined moral concepts that cannot be separated from legal
concepts.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
71) The argument that "anything legal is ethical" is insufficient as a basis for ethical behavior because
the law usually does not apply to everyone and does not have enforceable rules.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
72) Under the practice of extraterritoriality, legal and ethical values in a country may cause its
companies to operate abroad according to home country laws rather than host country laws.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
73) The requirement by the U.S. government that its subsidiaries abroad comply with trade restrictions
with Cuba is an example of externalities.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
74) The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act applies only to companies registered in the United States.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
19
75) A payment to a customs official to clear legitimate merchandise is permitted by the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
76) Transparency International, the OECD, and the ICC are all working to stop bribery around the
world.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
77) The OECD Convention against bribery is an example of an agreement that targets the demand side
of bribery.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
78) Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs is known as sustainability.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
79) U.S. MNEs that operate in Europe are under pressure to conform to the emissions standards of the
Kyoto Protocol.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
80) When a pharmaceutical company charges a market price in developed countries and a discounted
price in developing countries, the company is using partial source pricing.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
20
81) The WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) permits
developing countries to import generic products from other countries if they don't have the capacity to
produce generic drugs.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
82) According to the Ethical Trading Initiative, child labor cannot be used unless there are no suitable
alternatives for employees.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
83) The U.N. Global Compact is a legally binding document that requires MNEs to establish codes of
conduct.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
84) Studies indicate that employee morale is largely unaffected by a company's corporate behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
85) An effective code of conduct reports results to external stakeholders.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Application
Objective: 5
86) An internal code of conduct is a set of guidelines, recommendations, and rules issued by entities
within society but outside the firm with the intent of affecting the behavior of international business
entities in order to enhance corporate responsibility.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
21
87) The creation of a code of conduct includes steps such as establishing a global policy, communicating
the code to employees, ensuring that the policies are followed, and reporting results to external
stakeholders.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
88) HIV/AIDS is affecting the operations of Anglo American PLC by forcing the company to invest
outside of South Africa to avoid having to deal with workforce health issues.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
89) Which stakeholders must companies satisfy? What role should stakeholders play in a firm's internal
code of conduct?
Answer: Stakeholders include stockholders, employees, customers, and society at large. In the short
term, the aims of these groups conflict. Stockholders want additional sales and increased productivity,
which result in higher profits and larger returns going to them. Employees want additional
compensation. Customers want lower prices. And society at large would like to see increased corporate
taxes or corporate involvement in social functions. In the long term, all of these aims must be achieved
adequately, or none will be attained at all because each stakeholder group is powerful enough to cause
the company's demise. When developing an internal code of conduct, firms need to communicate
company policies to employees, suppliers, and subcontractors to ensure that everyone involved
understands what behavior is acceptable. External stakeholders should receive reports of how the code
of conduct is functioning.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1, 5
22
90) What is the difference between relativism and normativism? How do these concepts relate to ethical
behavior in international business?
Answer: Relativism affirms that ethical truths depend on the groups holding them. This makes
intervention by outsiders unethical. The idea of relativism can be expressed by the statement "When in
Rome, do as the Romans do." Normativism holds that there are universal standards of behavior (based
on people's own values) that all cultures should follow, making nonintervention unethical. Managers
thus struggle with implementing a "universal" set of truths versus adapting to local conditions on the
assumption that every place is different and should be treated differently. Often, a company faces certain
pressures to comply with local norms. These may take the form of laws that permitor even requireonly
certain practices that grant competitive advantages to firms accepting local norms while throwing up
roadblocks in front of companies that try to impose home-country practices in the local arena.
Conversely, firms may face certain pressures not to comply from its home-country government, or even
from constituencies that threaten retaliatory action if it submits to objectionable foreign practices.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1, 2
91) Explain why the argument that "anything that is legal is ethical" is insufficient.
Answer:
a. The law is not appropriate for regulating all business activity because not everything that is unethical
is illegal.
b. The law is slow to develop in emerging areas of concern. Laws take time to be legislated and tested
in courts. Further, they cannot anticipate all future ethical dilemmas; basically, they are a reaction to
issues that have already surfaced.
c. The law often is based on moral concepts that are not precisely defined and that cannot be separated
from legal concepts. Moral concepts must be considered along with legal ones.
d. The law is often in need of testing by the courts. This is especially true of case law, in which the
courts establish precedent.
e. The law is not very efficient. Efficiency in this case implies achieving ethical behavior at a very low
cost, and it would be impossible to solve every ethical behavioral problem with a law.
Diff: 3
Objective: 2
92) What is extraterritoriality? Why is the concept controversial?
Answer: Extraterritoriality takes place when governments apply their laws to the foreign operations of
their domestic companies. Laws vary from country to country, often because moral values vary from
country to country. What some countries accept as illegal may not be considered as such by other
countries. Strong governments can attempt to enforce their laws on their domestic companies operating
in other countries. This has become very controversial and, as argued by some, inconsistent with
increased globalization and the need to collaborate across national boundaries.
Diff: 3
Objective: 2
23
93) What types of payments are legal and illegal under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of the
United States? Provide an example.
Answer: Payments to officials to expedite otherwise legitimate transactions (officially called
"facilitation payments" but sometimes referred to as "speed money" or "grease money") are legal, but
payments to other officials who are not directly responsible for carrying out the transaction are not.
Facilitation payments take many forms. For example, payment to a customs official to clear legitimate
merchandise is legal, whereas a payment to a government minister to influence the customs official is
illegal. The FCPA allows the former payment because governmental officials in many countries delay
compliance of laws indefinitely until they do receive payments, even though such payments may be
illegal in those countries.
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
94) What is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? How has this law affected ethical behavior among
international businesses?
Answer: The FCPA outlaws bribery payments by U.S. firms to foreign officials, political parties,
political officials, and political candidates. According to the act, it is illegal to make payments to
government officials to directly engage in illegal activity to benefit the briber. However, it is possible for
U.S. companies to make facilitating payments to foreign government officials to expedite legitimate
transactions, in other words, doing what they should be doing, not doing something wrong. The FCPA is
directed toward U.S. companies operating abroad, although the provisions of the FCPA were extended in
1998 to include bribery by foreign firms operating in the United States or one of its territories. The U.S.
government and other governments worldwide are starting to crack down harder on bribery.
Governments want to ensure that individual and corporate behavior are consistent with the best interest
of the broader community and also want to be sure that laws are being followed.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1, 2
24
95) What ethical and labor-related issues are a major challenge to footwear and clothing MNEs that
operate in developing countries? What guidelines are provided by the Ethical Trading Initiative?
Answer: The many labor issues that companies must deal with include fair wages, child labor, working
conditions, working hours, and freedom of association. These issues are especially critical in retail,
clothing, footwear, and agriculture where MNEs outsource production to independent companies
abroad, usually in developing countries. The challenge for MNEs is that they work in an environment
with different cultural, legal, and political rules than what they are used to in their home countries. The
objective of ETI is to get companies to adopt ethical employment policies and then monitor compliance
with their overseas suppliers. ETI's trading initiative base code identifies the following issues:
a. Employment is freely chosen.
b. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected.
c. Working conditions are safe and hygienic.
d. Child labor shall not be used.
e. Living wages are paid.
f. Working hours are not excessive.
g. No discrimination is practiced.
h. Regular employment is provided.
i. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed.
Diff: 3
Objective: 4
96) What motivations do companies have to act responsibly? How can codes of conduct help firms to act
ethically?
Answer:
a. Unethical and irresponsible behavior could result in legal sanctions, especially in the areas of bribery
and product safety.
b. Unethical and irresponsible behavior could also result in consumer boycotts.
c. Unethical behavior can affect employee morale. Good behavior can positively influence both the
workers in the developing countries as well as those in corporate headquarters back home who are proud
of their company's behavior.
d. Companies never know when bad publicity is going to cost them sales.
A major component of most companies' strategies for ethical and socially responsible behavior is a code
of conduct. External codes of conduct are useful only insofar as they give companies some general
guidance on how to operate. The practical challenge for the company is familiarizing itself with the
codes of many different organizations and use them to fashion its own internal code of conduct. A code
of conduct that is clearly communicated to all employees, suppliers, and subcontractors should provide
global policies that help guide decisions.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1, 5
25
97) How have sustainability demands and the Kyoto Protocol affected international business? Discuss
the controversies surrounding each.
Answer: Sustainability refers to the concept of meeting the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Proponents of the concept argue that
sustainability considers what's best for both people and the environment. However, the concept is
controversial because sustainability can be interpreted differently by environmentalists and
businesspeople. The Kyoto Protocol, which requires the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases,
has not been adopted by all countries and is therefore still limited in its total global impact. However,
companies must adapt to countries that have implemented the Protocol. Countries that have not signed
the Kyoto Protocol argue that the mandatory restrictions may reduce economic growth.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 2, 3
98) How can an MNE operating in a developing country have a positive influence on labor policies?
Illustrate your answer with an example.
Answer: MNEs operating in countries with very different labor policies succumb to the pressure to
simply leave the market. Usually, this turns out to be a shortsighted decision. Research shows, for
instance, that companies like Nike have substantially improved the conditions of workers in overseas
facilities. Granted, MNEs are in no position to revolutionize the employment practices of the countries
in which they operate, but they can improve conditions at subcontract facilities and even influence the
guidelines set by other foreign investors. In the case of IKEA, carpets make up a small percentage of
sales, and it would have been easy to simply give up the product line and move out of India. But
officials at IKEA felt a responsibility to the children and decided to do as much as possible to make a
difference. As IKEA got more involved in India, it set up the IKEA Foundation and partnered with
UNICEF, contributing over $190 million in cash and in-kind donations to UNICEF programs to help
children and their families. IKEA's work with UNICEF went beyond the issues of the supply chain and
moved more into the humanitarian aspect of how to help the children. The IKEA Foundation targets
South Asia, especially India, because of its supply chain issues, but it also targets that region because of
the tremendous need that exists to help the children.
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
26

International Business, 14e (Daniels, Et Al) - Chapter 05

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

International Business, 14e (Daniels, Et Al) - Chapter 05

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

International Business, 14e (Daniels, Et Al) - Chapter 05

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

How have sustainability demands and the Kyoto Protocol affected international business? Discuss the controversies surrounding each.

How can an MNE operating in a developing country have a positive influence on labor policies? Illustrate your answer with an example.

International Business, 14e (Daniels et al.

AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning abilities

32) Which of the following statements describes an inconsistency of the FCPA?

47) According to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), ________.

You might also like