With increasingly diverse domestic and global markets and the spread of consumerism, companies must consider the ethical implications of outsourcing production and resist the temptation to look the other way when their… Technology is a driving force in ethical shifts, as we can see in tracing changes from the age of mercantilism to the Industrial Revolution to the postindustrial era and the Information Age.

Culture has a tremendous influence on ethics and its application in a business setting. In fact, we can argue that culture and ethics cannot be separated, because ethical norms have been established over time by and make sense to people who share the same background, language, and customs.

mercantilism — the economic theory that global wealth is static and prosperity comes from the accumulation of wealth through extraction of resources or trade. consumerism — a lifestyle characterized by the acquisition of goods and services. localization — the process of adapting a product for non-native environments and languages, especially in other nations and cultures. humanistic business model — a business model for balancing profitability and responsibility fairly, especially with regard to stakeholders.