The main argument of the article by Snyder (2014) is that people should not use the Uber application to travel around town and instead use alternative transportation methods. The issue with Uber that Snyder (2014) focuses on in this article is how this company operates, including the safety of the passengers, pricing policy, and communication with the media. Hence, the main argument of this article is that one should not support Uber by using this application since this company has been accused of promoting unethical business practices. This paper will discuss the main ideas voiced and arguments voiced by Snyder (2014) and persona view of Uber.
The first idea that supports the main argument is that Uber’s business ethics are questionable. Snyder (2014) argues that this company stores users’ data and its executives have used the information about the destinations to threaten journalists who wrote negative articles about Uber. Moreover, despite this organization implementing a policy that would forbid the employees to access and use user data, it is unclear if the company has any actual safety measures that would support this policy. The next argument is that Uber has been accused of treating its customers unfairly due to its policy of price increase.
The idea behind this is that in cases when demand for cabs is high, the drivers need to be encouraged to take orders, that is why the prices are higher. However, there were instances where this policy has led to customers having to pay extreme amounts of money, for example, during a blizzard in New York (Snyder, 2014). Finally, Uber’s executives have used fair policies to defeat their main competitor Lyft, including investing in a series of rides that have been canceled. Hence, Lyft has suffered financial losses that benefit Uber.
After reading this article, I have changed my opinion regarding Uber since the author has cited several instances where this company’s management disregarded business ethics and moral standards. Prior to reading Snyder’s (2014) text, I thought of Uber as a convenient application that has made the process of ordering a cab easier. Moreover, I thought that Uber was beneficial for the drivers as well since it provided them with an opportunity to earn money on their own terms and schedule. However, Snyder (2014) discusses the instances where Uber has failed to screen their drivers properly, and I have heard that this company has poor work ethics and policies regarding their drivers. It means that people working for this business do not receive the same benefits as drivers working from a traditional cab company would.
Apart from this, I think that Snyder’s (2014) advice about taking a step further is valuable because not using the application does not necessarily mean that the company’s business analysis will pay attention to the issues with Uber’s public image. Moreover, one can still use Uber in cases of necessity if this application is still installed on their smartphone while deleting it would eliminate such possibility.
Overall, this paper addresses the arguments that Snyder (2014) presents regarding Uber’s unethical business practices. This text has convinced me to delete Uber’s application and use alternatives. The author argues that Uber is not safe for passengers because its driver’s screening is insufficient. Moreover, this application artificially increases the prices, and the leadership of the company has threatened journalists who exposed these problems.
Reference
Snyder, B. (2014). Five good reasons to delete the Uber app right now. CIO. Web.