Prepare: In your first post in this discussion, you will identify
and apply one ethical theory of your choosing to a current problem in business,
also of your choosing. Start by reviewing your notes on the Week One course
material and your completed work for Week One. Then, choose one of the three
ethical theories—i.e., utilitarianism, deontology, or virtue ethics—on the
basis of your thoughtfully considered preference in general and independent of
the business problem that you will select here. Keep in mind that you will
employ this ethical theory for supporting your position not only for this
discussion, but also for this week’s assignment and the Final Project.
To prepare for your selection of the
current problem in business, look at the list of required articles and
multimedia which are divided in the six case-categories as follows:
- Banking (Lehman Brothers)
- Environment (BP)
- GMOs (Monsanto)
- Pharmaceuticals (Merck)
- Gender Discrimination (Goodyear)
- Factory Farms (Perdue)
Choose the
case-category that you find the most interesting and note that each category
also corresponds to one particular case. Please choose carefully because your
choice for this discussion will establish the case that will be central to your
argumentative essay this week as well as your Final Project in Week Five. It is
recommended that you leaf through all the required resources indicated for the
possible case-categories that you identify as possible contenders before making
your final choice.
Reflect: Once you have selected your ethical theory and your case
category, articulate the characteristics of the economic system (or combination
of both systems) that serves as the setting for the case presented in the case
category sources. Given this context, examine how the nation’s laws affect the
operations of the business.
Next,
identify the characteristics of your chosen ethical theory and its notion of the
moral good. For the latter, you will need to review again the PowerPoint that
was introduced in Week One, which is also listed in this week’s Required
Resources and it is titled The Moral Good in Three Traditional Ethical
Theories. Then, think how you would apply the ethical theory to the specific
problem presented in the case category sources.
Write: Start your post by (a) identifying the issue or problem
that you want to address in the case that you have selected and providing an
impartial presentation of the controversy, (b) articulating briefly the
characteristics of the economic system that serves as the setting, and (c)
examining the laws that affect the operations of the business.
The following illustration should
help. Consider, for example, the case of Uber that we examined in Week Two. If
the California decision establishes a precedent for similar claims, then Uber
would have to do business as an employer and not merely as a service that pairs
consumers with ride sharing services by means of a unique phone app.
Accordingly, the law would require Uber to reimburse its drivers for certain
costs and perhaps offer benefits. Take in consideration, then, the legal
setting for the case that you have chosen. Does the case take place in the
United States or another country? What are the laws that are relevant to the
problem under examination? Keep in mind that all laws are constraints on our
actions, whether those by individuals or corporations. The relevant laws, then,
will be (a) any laws that present not only a constraint on the company’s
operations, (b) any laws that are being violated by the corporation, or (c) any
laws that unfairly limit the goods and services that can be offered to and are
demanded by consumers.
In a second paragraph, formulate a
sentence that presents the moral position that you want to defend in regard to
the issue or problem introduced in the previous paragraph.
In the same
paragraph, present the ethical theory that you choose to employ. Your choices
are utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, and the necessary material
is included in the required readings and media. Make sure to identify the
characteristics of the ethical theory, and include in-text citations and full
references in APA form at the end of the post. Once you have done this, apply
the ethical theory to your selected case by explaining how it lends itself to the
moral position that you are defending.
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Requirements for Your Initial
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