Exploring Ethics in Decision Making Processes

An Issue of Ethics

Ethics is a topic that is highly considered and viewed as a vital part of every decision making process for all companies, organizations and individuals. Ethics can be defined as a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is good for individuals and society (Ethics Guide, N.D.). If a company were to decide to show support for a controversial topic such as gay rights or not show support for women employment then they would increase their chance for public boycotting and rage towards their decisions not including how individual employees would feel. Furthermore, if a retail chain hired a vast higher percentage of one ethnicity then society could view this as a racism and further damage the

Target allowing a third part to use sales data and consumer information, gives them the opportunity to create a strong marketing strategy and increase revenue at a minimum cost. While Global consumer marketing and consulting firm could create a long term relationship with Target Corporation if this partnership yielded positive results. Furthermore, showing other high level organizations to see the impact they have on Target Corporation and see a need for that same plan for themselves creating revenue growth thought positive credibility and results. However, the use of consumer personal information from consumer view, could lead to identity theft, breach of privacy and other security concerns. Possible causing consumers to shift their loyalty and business elsewhere. In conclusion shareholders and other partners to Target could suffer a loss in profit and reputation due to the tainted view in consumers, especially with not holding their promise not to sell or share personal data, the loss of consumers becomes a high risk (Hooker J, 2008).

Analyzing the Situation Using Hooker’s Rational Analysis of Ethical

Thus action should be ethical when no other action generates greater net utility (Hooker J, 2008). Analysis; opposed to any moral obligation, an organization must think about its revenue growth and stability in the future. Thus, ethics is only feasible if it creates a win for all involved within the organization and the impact of the decision at hand. For Target to sell its consumer personal information to the third party, Target will be able to predict future trends, create a strong marketing strategy and allow for increase consumer loyalty and relationships. The shareholders will gain from the increase in sales, while the third party would be able to gain attention from other organizations and if successful in the analysis create a long term relationship with Target for future analysis. According to the Utilitarianism principle Target would not be ethically violating its privacy policy if they took out all personal details and aggregated it then gave it to global consumer marketing and consulting firm.

2. Virtue Ethics

Also according to Hooker (Hooker J, 2008) mentioned that any organization or individual should make a decision that is consistent with the virtues and qualities that are necessary for humanity. Which is trust, honesty, truthfulness and transparence that companies and individuals want to adhere to (Hooker J, 2008).