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ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

Student ID: 1905504

Student Name: Patrick Chibabula

Course Code: BUS 403

Course Title: Business and Personal Ethics

Instructor Name: Mrs. Bester Ngulube

Essay/Assignment Title: Ethical Issues in Relation to Coca-Cola

Due Date: April 25, 2022

00Declaration:
I acknowledge that submitting this document binds me to the following:
To the best of my knowledge, I assert that no part of this assignment has been copied from the work of anyone else, be it another stude
or any other author or from any source except where due credit is given in the text below, or has been written for me by someone else
except where the relevant instructors and authorities have explicitly permitted such collaboration .

SIGNATURE:P. Chibabula

Instructor’s Comments:

GRADE [ ]
Reviewing the Approved Research Topic 2

This assignment will discuss ethical issues in relation to case study of Coca-Cola, the

remainder of this assignment is structured as follows; the first part will introduce Coca-Cola and

its ethical issues briefly. The second part will discuss ethical issues Coca-Cola has been facing in

relation to the case study. The third part will evaluate whether Coca-Cola is likely to face the

same fate as Enron and the fourth part will provide recommendations on what I think Coca-Cola

should do and finally the conclusion. 

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company has been a leader in sales, marketing/advertising, and, most

recently, ethical issues for more than a century. Lawsuits have been filed against the corporation

by competitors, workers, and customers. Muhtar Kent, Coca-Chairman Cola's and CEO, made a

statement in January 2013 reiterating the company's commitment to "be guided by their

established principles of corporate governance and ethics." (Coca-Cola Company, 2013). While

his views on corporate responsibility, ethics, and compliance were well-articulated, they were

not necessarily the deciding factor in how the corporation conducted itself. This was a different

tale in 1996, when Coca-Cola began to experience an apparently downward spiral of immoral

actions.

Ethical Issues at Coca-Cola

The stock of Coca-Cola has remained at the same price for the past ten years due to its

ethical and legal issues. Consumers in many nations have become unwell after consuming the

product, resulting in a contamination scare for the corporation. Internally, there have been

concerns with African American employees filing discrimination lawsuits against the
Reviewing the Approved Research Topic 3

corporation, tainted market research, internal sabotage, and attempts to exaggerate earnings, all

of which have had a detrimental impact on the company. For at least the last ten years, Coca-

Cola has had one ethical problem after another. Investors, employees, customers, interest groups,

the legal system, and the community are frequently the ones who decide if a certain conduct is

ethical or unethical, right or wrong. Each one of these factors is the bedrock of a successful

ethical enterprise. Coca-ethical Cola's problems stem from inconsistency in management.

Could Coca-Cola Become the Next Enron?

Coca-Cola executives failed to cultivate strong ethical habits, resulting in a long string of

unethical behaviors. Based on the collapsing of Enron, I do not that believe Coca-Cola will

suffer the same fate. Collapsing of Enron was caused by top executives retaining money for

personal advantage. I sympathize with the unethical actions of Enron, which were carried out

only for the benefit of the individuals involved. The problems Coca-Cola has faced the past

decade appeared to be a direct result of weak management and ethical abilities, particularly

among top executives.

Recommendation. The ethical foundations of Coca-Cola should be re-evaluated

beginning with the highest management. To determine the objectives and evaluations of the

business, the company must first comprehend individual variables, organizational factors, ethical

intensity, and opportunity. The ethical decisions made by the company as a whole are influenced

by the leadership. Coca-Cola must also confront and resolve any residual ethical concerns in the

future, as well as seek to maintain a strong ethical foundation by following the laws and policies

in each country in which Coca-Cola operates.

Reviewing the Approved Research Topic 4

Conclusion

Coca-Cola should demonstrate its responsibility to its stakeholders by its business

policies and commitment to the UN global compact in response to the Killer Coke NGO. Coca-

Cola should protect the interests of its workers as a leader, according to Chinese Confucianism,

to demonstrate to society that Coca-Cola is not simply focused on its own self-interest. Their

obligations to workers include maintaining a safe working environment and promoting ethical

labor practices. Coca-Cola should maintain an open image and publish information pertinent to

shareholders since they need to know all relevant facts in order to make the best possible

investment decisions. Coca-Cola is expected to follow the laws and policies in each country in

which it operates.