Question

Please read the assigned short case (“The Carlson Company and Protecting Children in the Global Tourism Industry”) carefully and answer ALL questions below. Your response should be typed with a maximum of TEN pages excluding the cover page, references and any attachments. Use 1.5 spacing, Times New Roman, 12-point font with a 1-inch margin. Please include page numbers and sub-headings. The cover page should state your name, course number (with section) and date. The project will be due on November 29th, 2019 at 11:59pm.
Feel free to include additional research and include citations of your sources in reference section. Use APA style for your references. If you have charts, tables or figures, I recommend that you include them in an appendix at the back of the document and refer them in the body of the text. Please fully answer the following questions about the case in your report:
1. Why did the Carlson Company sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism? Do you agree with the company's decision, and why or why not?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages to the Carlson Company of developing the hotel complex in Costa Rica?
3. What stakeholders would be affected by a decision to develop the hotel complex in Costa Rica, and how would they be affected? What are their interests and sources of power in this situation?
4. Would developing the hotel complex in Costa Rica be ethical, or not? Why do you think so?
5. If the Carlson Company decides to proceed with the hotel development, what steps can it take to assure that the company remains in compliance with the code of conduct it has signed?
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Answer 1

1. Why did the Carlson Company sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism? Do you agree with the company's decision, and why or why not?

The Carlson Company enacted the Code of Conduct to bring awareness to child sex trafficking. The initiative and goal was to prevent sexual abuse of children at tourist destinations. This action taken by the Carlson Company shows a positive step in attempting to thwart sex traffickers and tourists from engaging in immoral acts with children. The action taken by the Carlson Company appears to show an altruistic endeavor with the goal of preventing further sex trafficking.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages to the Carlson Company of developing the hotel complex in Costa Rica?

The advantages to the Carlson Company developing hotels in Costa Rica present another market to expand into. With a new thriving tourist destination to develop into, the concept of developing new hotels in the area may seem like a ‘no brainer.’ However, the disadvantages due to Costa Rica’s rise in sex trafficking could leave a negative impact on the reputation of the Carlson Company should they knowingly develop a hotel chain in a country that is rampant with child sex trafficking.

3. What stakeholders would be affected by a decision to develop the hotel complex in Costa Rica, and how would they be affected? What are their interests and sources of power in this situation?

The stakeholders involved in this situation and decision to develop in Costa Rica is far reaching. The decision could affect everyone from the board of directors, the shareholders, and employees of the Carlson Company, to the contractors that develop and build the hotels. The effect of a potential negative media blitz for example could seriously tarnish the company reputation. This could then lead to decreased business, less tourism, stock price decreases, employee cutbacks, etc.

4. Would developing the hotel complex in Costa Rica be ethical, or not? Why do you think so?

I feel as though development of the hotel complex could potentially be seen as ‘unethical’ to some. While that isn’t to say that the Carlson Company should refrain entirely from expanding into Costa Rica, it presents a very touchy and sensitive dilemma. With the actions taken by the Carlson Company as well as the US Government and other NGO’s, serious action has been taken to stop sex trafficking altogether. However, the Carlson Company would have to take serious action to help to prevent a similar instance as that of the Marriot Resort Hotel incident in 2002 where an employee in Costa Rica was indicted for pimping minors. The results to the Carlson Company could be near catastrophic as it was for Marriot .

5. If the Carlson Company decides to proceed with the hotel development, what steps can it take to assure that the company remains in compliance with the code of conduct it has signed?

While every government or corporate initiative is arguably far from perfect as is human nature, steps taken to help remain in compliance with the code of conduct could possibly be for the Carlson Company to take considerable effort to maintain the highest level of sex trafficking in areas with a purported problem of it. Especially in areas like Costa Rica. The efforts taken by the Carlson Company were to hope to inspire other companies in the industry and around the world of the projects success . Additionally, the Carlson Company hoped to instill a sense of prevention and authority among their employees to help prevent the act of child sex trafficking within their hotels. The sense of instilling hospitality and safety among patrons and children within their hotel chains was a vitally important aspect of promoting development in Costa Rica.