The Moral and Ethical Implications Emerging due to Globalization

Globalization and Its Ethical Implications
The dynamic force of globalization, a phenomenon of interconnectedness and integration of economies around the world, has resulted not only to increasing opportunities for trade diversification but presents inherent risk such as global financial instability, increased inequalities, terrorism. In an increasingly interdependent world, increasing world population, scientific and technology innovation advancement, global human development issues, global governance, peace and security, global environment and natural resources are emerging global issues of interest to both national and international governments and critical for maintaining global stability (Bhargava, 2007).
Forces of globalization have contributed to multilateral trade liberalization, which has an economic value such as increasing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), greater economies of scale and scope and knowledge, and technology spillovers (Bhargava, 2007). It's enabled the development of competitive and comparative advantage in manufacturing by developing countries. The expansion of economic activities across the globe has put pressure on the supply of energy water, fisheries, and forest resources, resulting in their rapid depletion, presenting a risk of future scarcity (Yi. et al., 2012). The expanded economic activity triggered climate change that's evident by the prevalent extreme weather, rising sea levels, and heatwaves that have resulted in declining economic productivity. The forces of globalization triggered the need for addressing global income inequalities and poverty which remains pervasive
Globalization- children's rights nexus is one of the emerging global societal topics with two fundamental ethical issues that pervades in developing countries: child labor and child soldiers. Children are used in some severe forms of child labor and are exposed to hazardous conditions such as chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, mines machinery, and pollution. Moreover, ten of thousands of children are associated with armed terror groups and exposed to acute levels of violence by being engaged as combatants or non-combatants. Children being used in acts of terrorism as suicide bombers have been observed in some parts of the globe. This condition exposes the children to other forms of exploitation, such as sexual exploitation, and condemns them to a life of poverty. It also denies the children their right to education undermining a countries future human resource and contributing top intergenerational poverty.
Globalization has contributed to increasing global inequality and incidences of poverty, which then drives children in child labor. The unbearable situation of impoverished households and the high cost of schooling forces children to work. Forces of economic globalization have enabled illicit trade of minerals that finances military operations, proliferation, and availability of light weapons to armed groups, which have fueled regionalization of violent conflicts, which has fueled conflict conflicts (Bhargava, 2007). Recruitment, exploitation, and abuse of children in hostilities by both governments and insurgent groups are not uncommon in countries experiencing armed conflicts.
The complexity of the scourge of children's rights exploitation necessitates a global and more comprehensive strategy. As Bhargava (2007) notes, the prevalence of poverty contributes to labor exploitation and is a means and motive for armed conflict. Therefore, a global commitment to reduce the income gap inequality and reduction of poverty incidence is key in the reduction of child labor. Enforcement of existing national and international legislations, particularly prosecution of groups and individuals that are engaged in promoting child labor and child soldiering, is fundamental. The international community advocate for and support efforts that limit illicit trade and transfer of small arms that sustain inhumane use of children in violent conflict.
References
Bhargava, V. (2007). Global issues for global citizens: an introduction to key development challenges, The World Bank. DOI: 10.5860/choice.44-5760.
Yi, J., Giddy, P., and Altinay, H., Laffont, G., Weinhardt, C., Wiese, J., … Qiu, Y. (Producers). (2012) 'Global Civics Social Ethics in an Interdependent World.' Available at: https://ezproxy.uu.edu/login?url=http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=13753&xtid=53720
Ethics and Moral Development
As the world becomes increasingly diversified, the significance of the virtues and ethics and their role in defining moral characteristics can't fail to be underscored (Gong & Zhang, 2010). Newton (2008) defines being ethical as the act of doing good and avoiding evil. Gampel (2010) identifies utility, rational self-interest, respect for autonomy, justice, and virtue as fundamental principles, personal and professional ethical perspectives. According to Ahmad (2013), coherence and unity in life, equity, fairness, rational judgment, as the fundamental foundations of ethical behavior founded on universal and divine revelation in the Islamic religion. Based on Gampel, (2010) argument personal ethical perspective entails that an individual's actions and judgment ought to defined by the societal definition of what is ethical. Ethics in academic growth necessitates that students need to complete their education work and accredit other person's work in their research work
During my summer internship, while undertaking my research project, I observed that one of the departments was destroying accounting information, which is an unacceptable business practice. I consulted the issue with my supervisor on how well to handle the issue. The supervisor advised that I needed to submit a comprehensive report documenting my findings. Upon submission and evaluation, the supervisor forwarded the report to the departmental manager, who handled the issue. Given my junior role as an intern in the department, I couldn't directly handle the issue. Still, then I had an ethical duty of promoting responsible and accountable work practices in the department, hence my initiative in reporting identified malpractices. The fundamental step in addressing an ethical dilemma is information gathering (Gampel, 2010), a step that I implemented by documenting the departmental malpractice of destroying accounting documents.
Buller, Kohls, and Anderson (1991) identify the education approach as a means of addressing ethical conflict. Through the use of education skills, ethically conflicted parties could be persuaded to change their position. As points out, education contributes to our knowledge build-up, which shapes our relationships and actions and has the potential to contribute to good or perpetuate the destruction of humanity or the planet. The general education courses enhanced my realm of understanding of the ethical behavior held common by global society. In addition to acquiring new competencies, Bereiter and Scardamalia (2020) note that education enables one to be an ideal critical thinker who is well-informed, analytical, flexible and open-minded, fair-minded in evaluation, and prudent in making judgments. Education has enabled me to make ethical reflections, develop a more general outlook, and enabled me to step beyond my judgments when faced with ethical issues. Such understanding enables me to work in a multicultural environment with minimal conflict enhancing my efficiency in task delivery. The Blogxer (2012) points out that an educated person has the responsibility of educating others, seeks to advance to a better future, creates and maintains order and stability in the world a principle that I now hold.
References
Ahmad, A. (2013) 'A Global Ethics for a Globalized World,' Policy Perspectives, 10(1), pp. 63–77. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42909298.
Bereiter, C. and Scardamalia, M. (2020) 'What will it mean to be" educated" in 2020', The Gordon Commission on the Future of Assessment in Education.
Buller, P. F., Kohls, J. J. and Anderson, K. S. (1991) 'The challenge of global ethics,' Journal of Business Ethics, 10(10), pp. 767–775. DOI: 10.1007/BF00705711.
Gampel, E. H. (2010) 'A framework for reasoning about ethical issues', pp. 1–18. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/4323854/A_Framework_for_Reasoning_about_Ethical_Issues.
Gong, Q. and Zhang, L. (2010) 'Virtue ethics and modern society—A response to the thesis of the modern predicament of virtue ethics _ SpringerLink,' Frontiers of Philosophy in China, 5(2), pp. 255–265.
Newton, L. (2008) 'Hale Chair in Applied Ethics Resources - Manuals.' Available at: http://www.rit.edu/cla/ethics/resources/manuals/dgae1p1.html.
The Blogxer (2012) 'Responsibilities of an educated person,' The Third Eye. Available at: http://enlighten-me-not.blogspot.co.ke/2012/03/responsibilities-of-educated-person.html.