Apple Inc. Ethical Success and Challenges

...

Another key concern of Apple Company is its intellectual property, on this issue company always aggressively reacts. Apple is extremely concerned about maintaining its exclusive material a secret to avoid revealing the ideas. In this regard many Apple has followed up many legal proceedings with other rivalry companies. In 1982, the first legal action was carried out by Apple Company against another company named, Franklin Computer Corporation with an allegation of making illegal replicas that were formatted on Apple II’s operating system & ROM that had employed on the computers of Franklin Corporation. Through this instance first time, courts determined that copyright laws are crucial for the legal cover of codes and programs of any company. Hence, now companies are more protected with widespread intellectual property protections because of this law.

Two lawsuits involved with severe ethical concerns on Apple Company side. First was using domain title of Apple brand “iTunes.co.uk”. In year 2000, name of domain was formerly registered by Ben Cohen. Cohen used the Apple brand domain name to forward consumers towards new websites. However, Apple won this case and get the legal right to use the name of domain. In 2007, Apple Company faced to the legal action from Cisco Systems. Applicant Company sued that on iPhone trademark Apple brand had overstepped. In this case actions of Apple brand remain controversial. Apple release a number of products every year and company is very much concerned to keep its unique technology from holdup to the rivals. Company is too assertive to patent protection as per fact Apple has sued many times against strong companies. Such as, claim against Samsung on coping Apple product’s designs for its new products. Apple also filed the case against HTC Company, in which Apple claimed to HCT using Apple’s patents.

Apparently it seems like Apple is involved in unreasonable claiming to others to maintain its top market position. However, courts with decide how much Apple’s allegations are validity. Apple has not been managed to deal entirely with are patent and intellect issues, as in above sections it has seen. Apple picked up many lawsuits with other competing companies. Though, Apple Company also has dealt with its main stream ethical issues quite well (Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, 2015).

Recommendations

Apple should have more consideration to address the ethical issues as well as about the employees of company who are behind to make company big. There must be evaluation of ethical performance of company, to evaluate how company is actually behaving including the issues of transparency reveling the ethical behavior. The Apple Company must inspect its engagements whether all those actions over the past few year had been consistent company’s norms, values, and purpose.

References

Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative. (2015). Apple Inc’s Ethical Success and Challenges. Maxico: University of New Mexico. Retrieved from http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell , L. (2010). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases. New York: NY: Cengage Learning. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.pk/books/about/Business_Ethics_Ethical_Decision_Making.html?id=zr-iAgAAQBAJ&redir_esc=