Is it possible to apply moral theory in today's business world?

Résumé du document

Fifty-six percent of the world's population currently lives in poverty. Indeed, 1.2 billion people live on less than 1.05 Euros per day and 2.8 billion live on 2.10 Euros per day. For a few years, fair trade has been essential as an effective alternative for reducing inequalities. In the context of polemics, questions are posed on the equality and the respect of working conditions; we can ask ourselves about the development of fair trade, combining the fight against the exploitation of the labor of the South and the respect of the environment. The big deal seems to be how to link trade and ethics. We will see that despite the fact that fair trade seems to create a real market; it always has to confront of a lot of barriers to develop itself. And any attempt to react to the problem seems to be too weak.

Extraits

[...] It thus seems more profitable to propose the products at strong added value. That is why retailers prefer to support other types of products which pay more (promotion, clean mark, etc.). Finally, fair trade is tackled from the conjectural aspect. The label (high quality control) products suffer more than others from the whims of the international economic situation. The products concerned with equitable circuits are mainly raw materials whose weakness in the course of the international market, prevents those countries from engaging in a dynamic economic and social market. [...]

[...] Indeed fair trade, as a real way of consumption, has come up against a lot of obstacles but its development is assured. The fair trade and businesses could match together but the complete enculturation will take some time. Reference and bibliography Association ‘Alliance For a Responsible, Plural And United World' document (2001). ‘Development proposal for the 21st Century'. www.alliance21.org/2003/article538.html - 17k [Accessed 20/11/2006] Aubril, S. (2003). 5 chantiers de la grande distribution' [The 5 workings of the supermarket sector], LSA [French magazine], 08/2003. [...]

[...] http://www.oxfamsol.be/fr/article.php3?id_article=466 - 22k [Accessed 01/11/06] Paillet, S. (2003). Définition, origines, objectifs, impact et difficultés du concept du commerce équitable [Definition, sources, objectives, impact and problems of the fair trade's concept]. http://www.hcci.gouv.fr/lecture/fiches/fi01.html [Accessed 01/11/2006] Peter, S. (2003). commerce équitable cherche ses marques' [Fair trade look for its landmark], Le Monde [French newspaper], 15/05/2003. Plate-forme du commerce équitable (2006). Les réseaux nationaux et internationaux du commerce équitable. [Translation: platform of fair trade (2006). National and international fair trade's network] http://www.commerceequitable.org [Accessed 21/10/2006] Sanjurjo, D. [...]

[...] Le commerce équitable : un juste prix ne suffit pas [Fair trade : a fair price doesn't suffice]. www.politis.fr/article1163.html - 17k - [Accessed 05/12/2006] Taisne, A.F. (2005). ‘Chronic of the last day on the WTO meeting', 18/12/2005. www.artisansdumonde.org/actualite/OMC-hongkong.htm - 15k [Accessed 20/11/2006] The Independent consumer label “Fairtrade” website (ND). Product, supplies and resources of fair trade. http://www.fairtrade.org.uk [Accessed 15/10/2006] Thual, F. (2005). grande distribution en première ligne' [Supermarket sector in the first line], Journal du textile [French Newspaper], 04/2005. Vander Stichele, M. (1994). [...]

[...] ‘World trade: free for whom, fair for whom?', Challenges for the United Nations ,Martin's press p.64-81. [...]