Summary:

“This thesis will aim at giving an ethical reflection on ethical responsibility through a case
study on Telenor in Bangladesh. Telenor is the majority shareholder in the Bangladeshi phone
company Grameenphone. The case will focus on the misbehaviours of several of
Grameenphone’s phone pole suppliers in Bangladesh presented in Tom Heinemann’s
documentary “A Tower of Promises” (2008). The documentary was shown on both NRK and
NRK2 in May 2008. It reveals bad working conditions, lack of safety measures, use of child
labour and environmental destruction at the suppliers’ factories. The case will be analyzed by
applying ethical theories and perspectives in order to determine Telenor’s ethical
responsibility. In the analysis Telenor’s knowledge and freedom in this case, “Codes of
Conduct” and ethical decision making will be especially emphasized. General implications on
the ethical responsibility of multinational corporations operating in developing countries will
be drawn based upon the findings in the case analysis.”