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  • Essay / The important role of multinationals in third world countries

    In my courses, I was exposed to two very different types of reasoning: in my psychology and sustainable development courses, I heard reasoning centered about people, the environment and the idea of ​​being a global citizen. In my business classes, for my international business minor, we talked about people as work units, environmental restrictions on pollution as unnecessary barriers, and saw things in terms of profits and losses. Although at first my instincts aligned with the idealistic worldviews presented when it came to sustainability, I have learned to see the meaning and common good behind some of the more commercial methods. Although it is difficult to dispel initial reservations about things that may seem unjust, I can see that, as Machiavelli said, "the end can justify the means", and sometimes what may seem cruel and unjust can nonetheless be generally good overall. the long term. Multinationals, while exploiting cheap labor, also create jobs and opportunities where none previously existed. Although they are not up to par with health and safety conditions in the United States, they may be better than other jobs available to people. Such cheap labor keeps prices low for buyers in the home country, makes products available worldwide, and can give them access to technology they would not otherwise have. I'm still not entirely sure where I stand, as I'm appalled by the working conditions and wish there was a better solution, but I also see the benefits of multinationals for the third world. Forgive me, my classmates, who seem to be overwhelmingly in favor of being held to the same standards, but I think there is certainly an argument for the other side as well. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayHowever, there are still arguments for strengthening current health and safety standards, which lie in the fact that sometimes, beneficiaries from the country of origin suffer from poor health. and security regulations at host country facilities. In the Ted Talk, he gives an example of how poor regulation in the health sector led to "a scandal that killed around 80 people worldwide, due to contaminants that seeped into the supply chain." 'supply of heparin' (Heerden). Indeed, “the Chinese define these installations as chemical and not pharmaceutical installations, so they do not audit them” (Heerden). I am not saying that there is absolutely no need for reforms, but I think we should focus on the positives and help find the best solutions that benefit the host countries of multinationals, the nationals countries of origin and the environment itself. As other classmates have pointed out, multinational corporations violate many standards in the United States and other developed countries regarding working conditions, wages, and factory safety standards. This may be true, but generally their wages and working conditions are better than their other options (Pettinger). They can also provide capital to the city, create a stronger and better trained workforce, and improve the infrastructure of the economy (Pettinger). Standards that are written and apply to first world countries cannot always be implemented in.