Ethical Issues and how they affect Kentucky Fried Chicken.

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1.0 Introduction

Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of the well-known fast food restaurants in the world. It operates in 74 countries and territories throughout the world. KFC began with Colonel Harland Sanders. He discovered his penchant for cooking when he was only 9 years old. Through the years he grew up to become a personage the world knows as Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC. KFC has more than 11,000 branches in more than 80 nations and territories all over the world. KFC now regarded as the most chicken restaurant chain. With the chicken's natural juices sealed-in, leaving a special mouth watering taste that cannot be replaced. KFC prides itself as a fast-food restaurant that give customers great tasting chicken with a selection of home-styled side dishes and desserts to make a wholesome, complete and satisfying meal.

  1. Identify the main ethical dilemmas facing your KFC.

The fast food industry is being pressured by government agencies, consumers, and special interest groups to offer healthier menu options, particularly for children. KFC is being sued for frying its chicken in cooking oils that contain trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease and diabetes (Time Magazine, 2006). The Nutrition Action Healthletter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), reported in 1997 that in clinical studies Tran’s fat raised people’s blood cholesterol about as much as saturated fat did. It raises one's bad cholesterol, which boosts the risk of heart disease. The company says its products "meet or exceed all government regulations." But as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the activist group behind the lawsuit, points out, a three-piece extra-crispy combo meal contains as much as 15 g of trans fat—more than a person should ingest in a week. However, providing clear information to consumers must be a priority yet Philippines KFC do not feature nutritional information (consumers international).

The Humane Society of the United States (2009) defines animal abuse as a range of harmful behaviors to the animals which includes unintentional neglect and intentional neglect to malicious killings. KFC’s suppliers treat chickens cruelly (IANS, 2009).This issue is associated with corporate social responsibility (CSR), namely animal welfare. Since the late 1990s, KFC faced severe protests by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal rights protection organization. The issue in this case is not about the malicious killing of the animals, but the lack of treatment and care they receive when they are alive. Some workers even spit tobacco into the chickens’ eyes and tear the head of a living chicken which cause tremendous suffering to the chickens (Reist, n.d.). According to PETA, many of these birds are genetically engineered for faster growth. PETA also had written many letters asking KFC stop the abuse but KFC had ignored it

According to Guangzhou city government, an employee is entitled to no less than 4.3 yuan per work hour. However, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) are being bombarded for their work contracts which offer their part-time Chinese employees just four yuan per hour. This contract had violated the legal rights of employees. The fast-food giants allegedly force part-time employees to work the same hours as full-time staff but fail to pay them any of the benefits to which full-time staff are entitled. According to the mainland's labor laws, employees who work more than five hours a day and 30 hours a week should be given same benefits as full time workers. The Guangdong labor authority's clarification indicates that part-time working students are not protected by the law, which is a relief for the employers involved (China Business, 2007).

At the same time, there was a certain lack of trust about KFC’s product. In Indian market, the regulatory authorities found that KFC's chickens did not adhere to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. Chickens contained nearly three times more monosodium glutamate (popularly known as MSG, a flavor enhancing ingredient) as allowed by the Act. It related to consumer health issues. Besides that, KFC also faced problems in the form of protests by angry farmers in India led by the Karnataka Rajya Ryota Sangha (KRRS) who considered KFC is promoting junk and fried food and is unethical in a poor country like India with several malnutrition problems. The farmer’s leader, Nanjundaswamy expressed concern that the growing number of foreign fast food chains would deplete India's livestock, which would adversely affect its agriculture and the environment. ()

  1. Evaluate the relative importance of these dilemmas and how KFC is currently dealing with them.
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An ethical dilemma evolves when the choice between alternative actions with moral content is unclear. Whether a specific behavior is right or wrong, ethical or unethical is often determined by the concerned stakeholders and an individual’s personal ethics. Consequently, values, judgments, and complex situations all play a critical role in ethical decision making (De George, R.T. 1999). Due to busier consumer lifestyles and dual-working families with children, emphasis is increasingly being placed on quick meal solutions (). People today concerned more about their health and body figures. However, due to research, nowadays fast food may cause obesity, especially KFC. Furthermore, ...

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