Discussion questions:1.Do you think Apple should be responsible for ethical lapses made by individuals further down its supply chain? Why or why not?2.Should Apple continue to work with the suppliers in an effort to change practices, or should they stop working with every supplier, even the conscientious ones, to make sure no “bad apples” are getting through? Explain your reasoning. Case studyApple Suppliers & Labor PracticesWith its highly coveted line of consumer electronics, Apple has a cult following among loyal consumers.During the 2014 holiday season, 74.5 million iPhones were sold. Demand like this meant that Apple was in lineto make over $52 billion in profits in 2015, the largest annual profit ever generated from a company'soperations. Despite its consistent financial performance year over year, Apple's robust profit margin hides amore complicated set of business ethics. Similar to many products sold in the U.S., Apple does not manufacturemost its goods domestically. Most of the component sourcing and factory production is done overseas inconditions that critics have argued are dangerous to workers and harmful to the environment.For example, tin is a major component in Apple's products and much of it is sourced in Indonesia. Althoughthere are mines that source tin ethically, there are also many that do not. One study found workers-many ofthem children-working in unsafe conditions, digging tin out by hand in mines prone to landslides that couldbury workers alive. About 70% of the tin used in electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets come fromthese more dangerous, small-scale mines. An investigation by the BBC revealed how perilous these workingconditions can be. In interviews with miners, a 12-year-old working at the bottom of a 70-foot cliff of sand said:"I worry about landslides. The earth slipping from up there to the bottom. It could happen."Apple defends its practices by saying it only has so much control over monitoring and regulating its componentsources. The company justifies its sourcing practices by saying that it is a complex process, with tens ofthousands of miners selling tin, many of them through middle-men. In a statement to the BBC, Apple said "thesimplest course of action would be for Apple to unilaterally refuse any tin from Indonesian mines. That wouldbe easy for us to do and would certainly shield us from criticism. But that would also be the lazy and cowardlypath, since it would do nothing to improve the situation. We have chosen to stay engaged and attempt to drivechanges on the ground."In an effort for greater transparency, Apple has released annual reports detailing their work with suppliers andlabor practices. While more recent investigations have shown some improvements to suppliers' workingconditions, Apple continues to face criticism as consumer demand for iPhones and other products continues togrow.

Question

Discussion questions:1.Do you think Apple should be responsible for ethical lapses made by individuals further down its supply chain? Why or why not?2.Should Apple continue to work with the suppliers in an effort to change practices, or should they stop working with every supplier, even the conscientious ones, to make sure no “bad apples” are getting through? Explain your reasoning. Case studyApple Suppliers & Labor PracticesWith its highly coveted line of consumer electronics, Apple has a cult following among loyal consumers.During the 2014 holiday season, 74.5 million iPhones were sold. Demand like this meant that Apple was in lineto make over $52 billion in profits in 2015, the largest annual profit ever generated from a company'soperations. Despite its consistent financial performance year over year, Apple's robust profit margin hides amore complicated set of business ethics. Similar to many products sold in the U.S., Apple does not manufacturemost its goods domestically. Most of the component sourcing and factory production is done overseas inconditions that critics have argued are dangerous to workers and harmful to the environment.For example, tin is a major component in Apple's products and much of it is sourced in Indonesia. Althoughthere are mines that source tin ethically, there are also many that do not. One study found workers-many ofthem children-working in unsafe conditions, digging tin out by hand in mines prone to landslides that couldbury workers alive. About 70% of the tin used in electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets come fromthese more dangerous, small-scale mines. An investigation by the BBC revealed how perilous these workingconditions can be. In interviews with miners, a 12-year-old working at the bottom of a 70-foot cliff of sand said:&#34;I worry about landslides. The earth slipping from up there to the bottom. It could happen.&#34;Apple defends its practices by saying it only has so much control over monitoring and regulating its componentsources. The company justifies its sourcing practices by saying that it is a complex process, with tens ofthousands of miners selling tin, many of them through middle-men. In a statement to the BBC, Apple said &#34;thesimplest course of action would be for Apple to unilaterally refuse any tin from Indonesian mines. That wouldbe easy for us to do and would certainly shield us from criticism. But that would also be the lazy and cowardlypath, since it would do nothing to improve the situation. We have chosen to stay engaged and attempt to drivechanges on the ground.&#34;In an effort for greater transparency, Apple has released annual reports detailing their work with suppliers andlabor practices. While more recent investigations have shown some improvements to suppliers' workingconditions, Apple continues to face criticism as consumer demand for iPhones and other products continues togrow.

Accepted Answer

Do you think Apple should be responsible for ethical lapses made by individuals further down its…