ABSTRACT
This chapter considers some of the ethical challenges and social responsibility concerns and the impact of this on management of larger sets of international employees. Universalism takes the position that objective moral guidelines exist and that they should be followed by everyone, everywhere. In many firms, making ethical decisions is a balancing act. If management tilts toward cultural relativism, it does not mean that it thinks using prison labor in factories and employing young children are moral activities because they happen in Yangon instead of Miami. The universalism–relativism difference and the rise of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity suggest that there will be variance in how people and companies perceive and take action on ethical issues. The chapter explores how global firms manage a larger workforce so as to increase commitment and otherwise function more effectively.
