Ethical Dilemmas and Normative Theories

1361 Words3 Pages

Essay Questions:

How does the situation facing John constitute an ethical dilemma?
Using two normative theories of ethics comment on the ethical aspects of the situation.

Business is an organisation or economic system where products and services are traded for money, a product or services. Businesses need investment or customers to make a profit and survive. In business, ethical issues may arise for example false advertising, misleading the public, exaggerations and disclaimers. In this case study the ethical issue identified is an exaggeration of how much the company makes and falsifying of documents by signing off on an order that has not yet been finalised. Business ethics is the study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are evaluated. “Business ethics, ultimately, is just business in its larger human context” (Solomon, 2009, p.37). Ethical dilemmas such as financial management, corporate social management, corporate governance, shareholder relations, insider trading, and discrimination are examined by business ethics. Ethical dilemmas arise in situations where there is no right or wrong answers, usually a complex moral issue that needs to be resolved, a choice needs to be made between ‘right’ and ‘right’; choosing the best of the worst. It is not normally easy to reach an outcome but the dilemma can be solved in different ways depending on each person’s situation, background, personality, beliefs, life experiences as well as taking factors of law, morals and society norms into account when analysing, processing and making a fully informed morally ethical decision. The process of solving such complex issues involves analysing the issue itself, looking at possible consequ...

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...and take other parties into account, ask himself what is best for their investors and company as a whole, what is best for him now and in the future, what is best for the customers, how will the company’s reputation be affected and then the consequences if he commits fraud and the order is not finalised. Do the good things out weigh the bad in this situation. After analysing the case study and doing my research on ethical normative theories and morals in business, my opinion would be for John not to take the risk and do what is 'right' and wait until the deal goes through before signing off on the order. Yes the company may not make it through but John will still be able to find another job where as if he commits fraud things may be a lot worse for him in the long run. In the end he will have made the right decision not breaking the company’s laws and regulations.

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