Students (as individuals) will research a real company and analyze its business ethics issues, then make recommendations for creating a more ethical and sustainable business. This is a written report accompanied by a video-recorded presentation of PowerPoint slides.
Summary Students (as individuals) will research a real company and analyze its business ethics issues, then make recommendations for creating a more ethical and sustainable business. This is a written report accompanied by a video-recorded presentation of PowerPoint slides. Selecting a topic • Students must choose one topic (and accompanying theory) • Students must choose one real organisation to research • Bring the topic together in the title of your report e.g., Ethical issues in global fashion: the case of H&M What to do • Read widely (beyond the textbook) about your chosen topic and theory. Canvas several theoretical perspectives and choose a definition and/or framework to use for your report. • Read widely about your case study organisations (e.g., their website, corporate documents, credible news articles), focusing on the key aspects of your chosen topic/theory • Prepare a professionally written report (1,200 words, excluding references) – see below instructions • Prepare 3 (max) PowerPoint slides and record yourself presenting them – see below instructions • You should cite 10 authoritative sourcesLinks to an external site. (at least 5 academic articles and 5 others, such as reports or trusted media articles). • Include your references in the report ONLY (not in the PowerPoint slides/video) How to do it – Part 1: Report The report is to be 1200 words (+/- 10%). Suggested structure: • Title page: including a URL link to your video (instructions below) • Introduction: Provide a background to the case and why you chose it (300 words) • Issues analysis: Identify 2-3 key ethical issues facing the organisation. Refer to theory that has informed your analysis (500 words). • Recommendations: Make 3-4 recommendations on how the organization could address these concerns (200 words) • Conclusion: Summarise key points (200 words) • Appendix: Include images of your slides How to do it – Part 2: Presentation • Suggested slide structure (max 3 slides): • Slide 1: Introduction to the topic , organisation and context • Slide 2: Outline key issues you identified in your research and analysis • Slide 3: Present recommendations & conclusions • Record yourself presenting the slides using PowerPoint (or other) software – we will talk through how to do this in the workshops • The video should be no longer than 5 minutes (+/- 10%) • Upload your finished presentation to studio (see instructions below)
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Introduction
SHEIN, a Chinese fast fashion giant, has seen meteoric growth globally due to its low prices, rapid production cycles, and heavy social media marketing. However, this success has been overshadowed by ongoing ethical concerns—most notably around labor practices, environmental sustainability, and transparency. I chose SHEIN because it exemplifies the core ethical dilemmas in fast fashion, where corporate profits often outweigh social and environmental responsibilities. It is a highly relevant case to study because its operations raise questions about the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks and the responsibilities of global corporations in ensuring fair labor and ethical practices.
This report will apply stakeholder theory and utilitarian ethics to assess SHEIN’s approach to business ethics. Stakeholder theory, as proposed by Freeman (1984), argues that organizations must serve the interests of all stakeholders—not just shareholders. Utilitarian ethics, on the other hand, focuses on the consequences of actions and supports the idea that ethical choices are those that produce the greatest good for the greatest number. These theories provide a useful framework to analyze SHEIN’s reported labor violations and environmental degradation, as they emphasize social welfare and long-term sustainability over short-term profits.
Explanation
This answer is appropriate because it directly aligns with your assignment brief. It focuses on a real, well-documented company—SHEIN—that is frequently criticized for its ethical practices, especially in labor rights and sustainability. The topic selected is “labour exploitation and environmental degradation in fashion,” supported by the theoretical frameworks of stakeholder theory and utilitarianism, which are both well-recognized in academic business ethics.
The structure follows the brief precisely: the introduction explains the case background and justifies the company selection, while connecting it to relevant theory. The next sections (not shown here due to space) would delve into issue analysis (500 words), followed by practical, theory-informed recommendations (200 words), a conclusion (200 words), and an appendix with slide images.
SHEIN is ideal for such an analysis because of its prominence, the volume of credible reports and academic discussions on its ethics, and its role in the broader global fashion ecosystem. Choosing this topic also allows for rich analysis using reputable sources—from academic journals to investigative reports—fulfilling the requirement to include 10 authoritative sources.
