Recall the discussion in International Perspectives about the conviction of four Rio Tinto employees in China, accused by the government of China of bribing Chinese officials. The company asserted that it had no evidence that such activity took place, but, nevertheless, fired the imprisoned employees.
If Rio Tinto management truly believed no bribery had occurred, was it ethical to fire employees convicted of a crime related to the business? Does your answer depend on whether or not the company officials believed the Chinese government would punish the company if it did not fire them?