to Introduction Business Ethics
Questions
Why not just do whatever you think will benefit yourself? Just look out for numero uno? (Self Interest) Isn't ethics just a matter of what some authority like God or the Universe or Society or the Law says? (There's No Law Against it) Don't good people just make good ethical decisions? If we're brought up right we'll be ethical? (Following Gut Reaction)
Questions
As long as we don't make the decision, we're in the clear, right? (Just Following Orders) If everyone else is doing it, why is it wrong when I do it? (Group Think) These are all "easy," but not good, ways to get out of making the hard Ethical Decisions required of us. We are required by our humanity to do better!
Value
Webster's: a principle or standard considered worthwhile. A desirable quality of a person. A trait of some importance; held in high regard. Established early in life that continue to be reinforced throughout young adulthood (even adulthood), so more consistent over time. The norms or rules that we live by and that deeply affect the way we live. Broad time-honored principles which we have built into a personal framework of behavior. Make up our consciences.
Belief
Webster's: A strong conviction or opinion. A set of ideas held strongly enough to become a creed or guide by which to live a life. Strong, long-lasting, and ingrained. Based on a body of knowledge and experience. Tend to be difficult to change or to be swayed by circumstance.
Attitude
Webster's: a state of mind or feeling about something. A way we chose to feel or a reaction to a situation. Often changeable depending on the situation. Attitudes often lead to actions
Standards Guide Our Actions
Etiquette manners are good or bad Law legal right and wrong Grammar grammatically correct or incorrect Aesthetics good art or bad art Athletics good play or bad play
Moral Standard
Morals are the standards that an individual or group has about what is right and wrong, good and bad. The norms we have about the kinds of actions we believe are right or wrong and the values we place on things we believe are morally bad or morally good.
Five Distinguishing Characteristics that make a Standard a Moral Standard
1. Moral standards deal with matters that can seriously injure or seriously benefit humans.
For example, theft, rape, enslavement, murder, child abuse, assault, fraud, slander
2. Moral standards are not established or changed by decision of authoritative bodies nor does their validity rest on majority vote.
Not congress, not legislatures, not judges, not voters
5 Distinguishing Characteristics of Moral Standards
3. Moral standards should be preferred to other values including especially self interest.
Rise above self interest
4. Moral standards are based on impartial considerations beyond personal interests to a "universal" standpoint.
Beyond yourself, your family, your business, your nation, your race, your sex
5 Distinguishing Characteristics of Moral Standards
5. Moral standards are associated with special emotions and a special vocabulary.
Guilty, ashamed, remoresful, feel bad about self, lose self-esteem, indignation, resentment, disgust, not "living up to moral obligations or moral responsibilities.
Definition of Ethics
Ethics is the discipline that examines one's moral standards or the moral standards of his/herself, another person, a group, or of society as a whole to determine whether these standards can logically and rightly be applied to concrete situations and issues.
Ethical Questions
How do I know that what I am doing is ethical? What is my moral obligation or responsibility in this specific situation? Is my country doing what is right? Did another person act with a good moral conscience? What could a person do in this situation that would be more or less ethical?
Morality and Sociology
Sociologists have traditionally looked at morality in a descriptive way.
Draw conclusions about what is true about the moral standards or rules of a society or culture. Do not judge whether those standards are right or wrong, good or bad. Ask the question "how do these people act?"
Ethical Relativism
Normative Ethics "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Ethical Behavior is dictated by the norms of the society The view that there are no ethical standards that are absolute or that should be applied to all companies or the people of all societies.
Ethical Relativism
The morality of many practices are not agreed upon in all cultures
Nudity/Sexuality Abortion Homosexuality Murder vs. killing Polygamy/Incest Use of Animals Slavery/Servitude Racial/Sexual Discrimination
Six Problems with Ethical Relativism
No Criticism or Praise of Other Cultures Bribes/Graft/Corruption/Starvation/Civil War Majority Rule. Just because everyone else is jumping off the bridge....? Gay Marriage Professed or Actual Morality? Jimmy Swagart What (who) is a Majority? of 51% what? Which poll? Whose survey do we use? What is "culture"? Geography/ethnicity/race?
Majority of MSOE students believe it is OK to cheat, then OK?
Can Tolerance be a Universal value? Can we agree to be tolerant of EVERYTHING?
Morality and Ethics
Ethicians look at morality in a prescriptive way.
Try to discover what should be. Try to determine which standards are correct. Try to support their choices with the best reasons possible. Try to reach conclusions about moral right and wrong. "Is this the right way for a person to act?"
The Test of Time
The issues discussed in Ethics have not changed much over time. Earliest discussions in GrecoRoman times are about the same values and qualities:
Honesty Responsibility Care for Others Respect
Philosopher James Rachels Fundamental Ethical Actions
Caring for infants to ensure the continuation of the group No lying to members of the group No murder of members of the group
Business Ethics
Ethics from the Greek ethos which means the holding of standards in common. We must interact (work) with others. The more orderly and agreeable these interactions the more pleasant and fulfilling our lives will be. Certain standards of behavior are required if human interactions are to be successful. Once the code is agreed upon, conformity is expected
Proper Professional Actions
A society is a group of people who have common goals and norms and whose activities are organized by a system of institutions designed to achieve these goals and to institute these norms.
Family Education Religion Media Politics Health Care The Economy
Business Ethics is a specialized study of moral right and wrong as they apply to policy, institutions, and behavior in the business social setting.
How Ethics is Applied to Corporations
Systemic Ethical questions raised about the economic, political, legal and other social systems within which the corporation operates.
The morality of capitalism The morality of the law/regulations The morality of the industrial structures The morality of the social practices of the corporation
How Ethics is Applied to Corporations
Corporate Ethical questions raised about a particular company
The morality of the activities of the company The morality of the practices of the company The morality of the policies of the company The morality of the organizational structure of the company
How Ethics is Applied to Corporations
Individual Ethical questions about a particular individual or individuals in the business setting.
The morality of an individual decision The morality of an individual action The morality of an individual's character
Do Moral Questions Apply to Corporations?
Some philosophers say "Yes!"
Because the rules that tie organizations together allow us to say that corporations DO things Because corporations have objectives (missions) Therefore, we can say that corporations are "morally responsible" for their actions and we can judge their actions as moral or immoral.
Do Moral Questions Apply to Corporations?
Some philosophers say "NO!"
Businesses are like machines Machines can't make moral choices Machines only do what the humans direct them to do. Therefore, only the people who run the corporations can be held moral responsible. But the organization is made up of many people and do they all agree????
Ethical Issues for Multinational Companies
The ability to shift operations in or out of a country based on hospitality, cheap labor, less stringent laws, or to avoid unions. Local laws of the other country may not agree with ours. Presence in country allows manipulation of raw materials, avoiding paying taxes and other fiscal obligations Transfer of new technology to underdeveloped country soft drinks, fast food. Lower standards for safety and wages.
Technology and Ethics
Is technology good or bad for the world? Are the risks of technology predictable? Are the risks of technology reversible? Are the benefits worth the risks? Do the people who will be hurt, understand and consented to the risks? Will they be compensated for their losses? Are the risks fairly distributed among the various parts of society?
Other Ethical Problems in Modern Society
Dispersal of computers who has them? Privacy on computers; on cell phones Property rights software; songs Genetic engineering cloning; stem cell research Medicines who gets them; who bears the cost of development; can animals be used to develop Health care who gets it; who bears the cost; who is left out; can anyone ethically be left out
Conclusion
An ethical analysis attempts to determine whether the moral standards of a person or group are good criteria leading to good and right action in the modern world. Ethics are not the rules by which we live moral lives, but rather an effort to critique the moral standards that we use to make decisions about good and bad, right and wrong.