Crimes That Harm and Limited Liability Companies

Part 1 and Part 2 must be at least 150 - 200 words unless otherwise noted

Part 1: Crimes That Harm Business Versus Crimes Committed by Business

Which do you believe presents the greatest threat to civil society: a corporation that commits crimes (e.g., murder, environmental crimes, or bribery), or persons who commit crimes that harm businesses (e.g., embezzlement, fraud, or larceny)? Defend your response, using at least one example from current events.

Part 2: Limited Liability Companies

After viewing the Chinese Imports & Food Safety - https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BKe70AAU_lc video, consider whether U.S. retailers that utilize products or raw ingredients that are imported from China and are poorly regulated should be liable in tort for injuries to consumers who are harmed by those products. Answer parts a and b of the prompt.

a. For this part of the prompt, answer one of the following points:

o If U.S. companies should not be liable, then they could be legally exempt from tort liability. Discuss the consequences of such a policy to U.S. consumers.

o If the U.S. companies should be liable, then those companies would not be legally exempt from tort liability. Discuss the consequences of such a policy to U.S. businesses.

b. Regardless of your response to part a, assume that U.S. retailers do have legal liability for defective products. What steps could U.S. retailers and manufacturers take when using products imported from China that would minimize their liability exposure? For example, they could warn consumers about the potential, though speculative, dangers when using products comprised of poorly regulated ingredients or components. Given your strategy, what challenges would exist for U.S. businesses that implemented your strategy?

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Required Resources 

Text

Seaquist, G. (2012). Business law for managers [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Please read the following chapters in: Business law for managers:

· Chapter 6: Criminal Law

· Chapter 7: Intentional Torts

· Chapter 8: Negligence, Strict Liability, and Product Liability

Multimedia

Chinese Imports & Food Safety - PBS Newshour - YouTube. (n.d.). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BKe70AAU_lc

Website

United States Consumer Product Safety Commission  (www.cpsc.gov/)