Cross- Cultural Perspective
The organization is Pfizer. Please only refer to Pfizer, not another organization.
Prepare an analysis of the ethical and social responsibility issues your organization, PFIZER, must deal
with as a result of being global.
�Identify ethical perspectives in the global organization.
�Compare these perspectives across cultures involved in the organization.
�Describe a viable solution for this issue that could be acceptable by all stakeholders.
CROSS- CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE 2
Cross- Cultural Perspective
Pfizer, being one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, has a lot of
ethical issues to take care of. The ethics that exists or that is expected to exist within a
pharmaceutical entity is drawn from organizational ethics as per the system compliance, culture,
and accountability (Sammy, Charles, Timothy & Sidney, 2010). Pfizer, being a global company,
cuts across cultures in its operations, a matter that mandates it to be quite considerate to take into
account the demands of any particular culture with which it is involved. This paper will address
the ethical perspectives in Pfizer, compare these perspectives across cultures involved in the
organization and then describe a viable solution for this issue that could be acceptable by all
stakeholders.
The ethical perspectives in Pfizer would be better understood by analyzing two
theories; individualism and Kantianism. Individualism theory puts its main focus on maximizing
the profits while at the same time obeying the laws (Sammy, Charles, Timothy & Sidney, 2010).
Pfizer has strived to apply this theory though it has sometimes fallen back and undergone a
number of lawsuits, thus it could be said that it is acting somewhat ethical. Kantianism theory on
the other hand is all about that is right as considered by the general public. Respect for human
dignity is all that humanity entails (Sammy, Charles, Timothy & Sidney, 2010). Pfizer has failed
CROSS- CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE 3
in applying this theory as they have of late appear to be greedy and full of selfishness (Sammy,
Charles, Timothy & Sidney, 2010). They give little attention to the demands of various cultures.
It is the expectation of any person to get the best out of his work place. Pfizer has
ideally not given this opportunity to its workers and has violated the expectations of various
cultures due to their greed and selfish nature. It has little respect for humanity if any. The
solution to this issue is not only passing strict regulations and lying heavy penalties to put checks
and balances for such organizations put also applying such legislations without fear or favor.
CROSS- CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE 4
References
Sammy, A., Charles, P., Timothy, W. & Sidney, W. (2010). Rapidly Increasing Criminal and
Civil Monetary Penalties against the Pharmaceutical Industry: 1991 – 2010. Public
Citizen’s Health Research Group.
