PR 662 Lecture 86: Ethical Decision Making

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23 Oct 2020

School

Ball State University

Department

Public Relations

Course

PR 662

Professor

Dr. Lee

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Document Summary

Utilitarian: provide the greatest good for the greatest number, make decisions consistent with fundamental liberties and privileges. Justice impose and enforce rules fairly and impartially so that there is equal distribution of benefits and costs. There are three ethical criteria that influence decisions. The first is utilitarianism where the decisions are based on the outcome of the solution. The outcome is analyzed based on seeking the greatest good for the greatest number of people and is the dominant method for businesspeople. The second criterion is rights where decisions are based on fundamental liberties and privileges in an attempt to protect the basic rights of individuals. The final criterion is justice where the decision imposes rules in a fair and impartial manner and equitably distributes benefits and costs. The ability to produce novel and useful ideas. Problem construction & opportunity recognition in context of ill-defined problems.

Related Questions

1. Whistleblowing in the private employment sector in the United States typically is

Not protected by a uniform federal law

Protected under some state whistleblower protection statutes

Usually protected by the law if the disclosure is made to the media since the disclosure will be widespread and thus do the most good

Never required morally pursuant to Kantian ethics since the consequences for the whistleblowing employees usually are harsh, for example, loss of employment.

2. Advocate Antonio believes that corporations should not only be held accountable for their financial states, but also for some level of charitable and community and civic involvement. Antonio's beliefs would most likely be defined as:

A code of ethics

A social responsibility view

A corporate moral audit

A distributive justice legal theory.

3. What did Kant mean by the "Categorical" part to his Categorical Imperative?

You must act legally, period, because the "law is the law."

You and your company must act in a socially responsible manner if you and your company want to be placed in the "good corporate citizen" category.

You must act morally if the consequences are definitely good for you and your firm.

You must act morally based on what your reason informs you is the supreme ethical principle and the correct moral course of action regardless of consequences.

4. As to why a company should be a socially responsible one and get involved in civic and charitable affairs, Socrates would likely argue:

Justice is the will of the stronger.

Money comes from virtue.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Virtue comes from money.

5. Happy Feet manufactures shoes in Country Y for sale in the United States. Happy Feet's president discovers that the Country Y workers' average age is sixteen and that they work on average of 13.2 hours per day in a 90 degree warehouse with insufficient safety precautions, all of which practices are legal in Country Y. The president of Happy Feet decides to improve the working hours and conditions of the company's workforce, even though these actions will be more expensive for the company. The president's decision is best described as

Lawful profit maximization

Moral profit-making

Illegal since the shareholders of Happy Feet might be harmed

Social Darwinism.

6. Which of the following statements is most accurate?

Morals are legal minimums.

Morals are legal maximums.

Laws are moral minimums.

Laws are moral maximums.

7. International Sales Corporation, like other business, has enforceable duties prescribed by

Ethics and the law

Ethics only

Neither ethics nor the law

The law only

8. Which is an accurate statement about the modern business corporation|

The corporation, once approved by the state and given a corporate charter, is a legal actor and artificial "person" endowed with legal and certain constitutional rights.

According to the traditional, conservative, Milton Friedman, organizational view of the corporation, it is only a legal actor and has no moral or social responsibility and just must obey the law and pay taxes.

A true corporate code of ethics today must have some provisions that go "above and beyond" the law; that is, an ethics code cannot be a mere "restatement" of the law.

All of the above.

9. A problem with the Last Resort principle when applied to business is:

Does business have the capability to help and to aid the community and local charities?

Is business the last real alternative to help and to aid the community and local charities?:

Are there potential legal liability issues for helping, aiding, and rescuing?

All of the above.

10. A spray paint company discovers that its products are being misused by children and young people, who get "high" sniffing the fumes. There are no warning labels on the spray paint cans. The company would be best deemed to have what type(s) of obligation and duty to take steps to protect children and young people?

An ethical obligation but not a legal duty

A legal obligation but not an ethical obligation

Both an ethical obligation and a legal duty

Neither an ethical obligation nor a legal duty.

fuchsiagrasshopper869

1. (TCOs 2, 4, 5, 6) The idea that the assisted suicide of terminally ill patients should be allowed simply at the patient's direction reflects what type of ethics? (Points: 5)

Hobbes' State of Nature
Rand's Objectivism
Aristotle's concept of Virtue
Thomas Aquinas' concept of conscience
Socrates' concept of excellence

Question 2.2. (TCOs 1, 2, 7) What is the moral ideal of compassion? (Points: 5)

Acts of unmerited kindness
Sentiment in response to the suffering of others
Acknowledging the sufferings of others
Acts of altruism
Acts contrary to Objectivism

Question 3.3. (TCOs 1, 2) One of the common errors in Ethics is that of the double standard. The double standard consists of what? (Points: 5)

Discriminating in the application of ethical criteria based on our own preferences
Setting aside ethical criteria in special cases
Taking steps to avoid condemnation of others
Using one set of criteria for judging cases concerning ourselves and another for all others
Suspending judgment when concerned that the consequences would be too severe

Question 4.4. (TCO 2) Prescriptive language is commonly used in ethics for what reason? (Points: 5)

To indicate what is prohibited or impossible
To indicate that one choice is better than others
To show what actions are legal
To convey requirements and obligations
To indicate that there are really no choices available

Question 5.5. (TCOs 7, 8) Each person ought to do whatever will best promote his or her own interests. (Points: 5)

Utilitarianism
Kant's Categorical Imperative
Social Contract Theory
Ethical Egoism
Gilligan

Question 6.6. (TCOs 2, 4, 9) Free people are motivated toward forming social structures according to a social contract in order to overcome what problem identified by Thomas Hobbes? (Points: 5)

The need to overcome disagreements
A perpetual state of warfare
The establishment of a monarchy
Taxation to support the costs of government
Organized ways to select leaders

Question 7.7. (TCOs 3, 6) Agricultural biofuels are not properly a renewable source of energy in the environmental ethics debate. Which of the following also is not a renewable source of energy? (Points: 5)

Windmill turbines
Hydroelectric power
Tidal flow generators
Biomass waste systems
Solar cells

Question 8.8. (TCOs 3, 6, 7) Where in our course does the following phrase apply: 'The only thing good without qualification is a good will'? (Points: 5)

Personal habits of excellence according to Plato
The social contract according to Locke
Deontological ethics according to Mill
Natural law ethics according to Aquinas
Deontological ethics according to Kant

Question 9.9. (TCOs 8, 9) John Stuart Mill's theory of Utilitarianism is the most common form of ethics in use today. It is used so commonly because it belongs to which of the Primary Schools of Ethics? (Points: 5)

Care-based
Ends-based
Economy-based
Law-based
Efficiency-based

Question 10.10. (TCOs 3, 6, 7) What is the purpose of proving whether a syllogism of formal logic is 'valid'? (Points: 5)

To identify the connecting phrase 'therefore' or a synonym of it before proceeding further
To determine whether the situation described is accurate
To determine whether the premises are true before continuing
To determine whether the conclusion proceeds from the premises
To determine that there are only two premise statements in the syllogism

Question 11.11. (TCOs 1, 2) Solving a dilemma involves realizing what aspect of it? (Points: 5)

You will never be satisfied that the right choice was made
Some choices of action are more realistic than others
In deciding to choose one action, the other possible choices will be lost
Not everybody involved will be happy with the choice
There may be significant personal costs to choosing

Question 12.12. (TCOs 1, 2, 7) According to Thomas Aquinas, what ethical capacity do people of every culture naturally possess? (Points: 5)

Logical thinking
Personal virtues
Self-interest
Ability to learn lessons
Conscience

Question 13.13. (TCOs 2, 8) The single criterion for making decisions in utilitarian ethics is what? (Points: 5)

The experience of pleasure
Accounting for unintended consequences
Fiduciary interests to be honored
The amount of happiness produced
The principle to be honored

Question 14.14. (TCOs 1, 2, 5) The world view of ruthless and unending competition for property and wealth was spelled out in which of these concepts? (Points: 5)

Locke's notion of the natural state of man
Rawls' notion of the veil of ignorance
Aristotle's notion of the doctrine of the mean
Hammurabi's code of law
Hobbes' state of nature

Question 15.15. (TCOs 3, 6, 7) Which school of ethics is primarily applied as a practical matter through rights and duties? (Points: 5)

Objectivism
Normative ethics
Consequentialist ethics
Deontological ethics
Interdisciplinary ethics

Question 16.16. (TCOs 2, 7, 8) Personal development and discovery through the repetition of good acts and study of virtue characterize what ethicist? (Points: 5)

Plato
Aristotle
Luther
Augustine
Socrates

Question 17.17. (TCOs 2, 8) Professional societies with codes of ethics and conduct enforce what standard on members beyond the paying of dues? (Points: 5)

Not to engage in other businesses for profit outside of the profession
Personal standards of behavior for family members
Pricing structures for services
Non-competition among members
Meeting ethical and competency standards in order to practice within a jurisdiction

Question 18.18. (TCOs 2, 7) Aristotle's Ethical Doctrine of the Mean measured personal virtues on a scale that included the virtue itself, the excess of it, and the deficiency of it.

If the virtue is GENEROSITY, and the excess is WASTEFULNESS, what is the deficiency?

(Points: 5)

Carefulness
There is no deficiency
Being broke (having no money)
Stinginess
Moderation

Question 19.19. (TCOs 8, 9) Processes and systems designed to slow down disagreeing behavior and think situations through more deliberately are called (Points: 5)

value clarification processes.
conflict resolution systems.
objectivist tactics.
primary schools of ethics.
care-based ethics.

Question 20.20. (TCOs 1, 2) The Latin term a priori describes the origin of knowledge developed rationally, and the term a posteriori describes knowledge developed through observation and experience. What is produced through a priori rational thought that applies to ethics? (Points: 5)

Analysis systems
Principles of ethics
Concern for outcomes
Emotions
Subjective sense of identity

goldmuskrat363

Apex Art has been requested to prepare a bid on 500 pieces offramed artwork for a new hotel. Winning the bid would be a bigboost for sales representative Jason Grant, who works entirely oncommission. Sonja Gomes, the cost accountant for Apex, prepared thebid and calculated full product Costs of $121,000. Based on thecompany policy of pricing at 125% of full cost, Gomes gives Grant afigure of $151,200 to submit for the job.

Grant is very concerned. He tells Gomes that at that price, Apexhas no chance of winning the job. He confides that he spent $500 ofcompany funds to take the hotelâs purchasing agent to a basketballplayoff game where the purchasing agent disclosed that a bid of$145,000 would win the job. He hadnât planned to tell Gomes becausehe was confident that the bid she developed would be below thatamount. Gomes reasons that the $500 he spent will be wasted if Apexdoesnât capitalize on this valuable information. In any case, thecompany will still make money if it wins the bid at $145,000because it is higher than the full cost of $121,000.

Gomes suggests that if Grant is willing to use cheaper materialsfor the frame, he can achieve a bid of $145,000. The artwork hasalready been selected and cannot be changed, so the entire amountof the reduction in cost will need to come from framingmaterials.

A note regarding the bidding process:

The hotel would announce that it is seeking bids from suppliersinterested in providing the artwork. The hotel would specify theirrequirements and a deadline for submitting bids. All interestedcompanies, such as Apex Art, would submit bids in sealed envelopes.After the deadline has passed, the hotel company would unseal thebids and, assuming that at least one supplier submitted a bidwithin their maximum price (this is the info that Grant obtainedfrom the purchasing agent which is not normally known to thebidders) would award the job. Generally, but not necessarily, thejob is awarded to the company with the lowest bid.

Approaches to Ethical DecisionMaking

There is a large body of workstretching back thousands of years that discusses ethics. The listbelow is not intended to be either comprehensive or exhaustive. Itis intended merely to provide a basic roadmap of the approachesthat are commonly applied to business situations.

Long Term Self-interest(Egoism) - You should never take any action that is not inyour or your organizationâs long-term self-interest.

PersonalVirtue - You should never do anything that is not honest,open, and truthful and that you would not be glad to see in thenewspaper or TV.

Religious Injunction- You should never take an action that is unkind or thatharms a sense of community.

GovernmentRequirements - The law represents the minimal moralstandards of society, so you should never take any action thatviolates the law.

Utilitarian Benefits- You should never take an action that does not result ingreater good for society. (cost vs. benefitanalysis)

Individual Rights âYou should never take an action that infringes on othersâ agreedupon rights.

Justice - You shouldnever take an action that would result in an unfair sharing ofbenefits or obligations.

Stakeholders are persons orgroups with a legitimate interest in a company. Choose one or moreas the most significant (but not all of them).

PrimaryStakeholders

Primary Stakeholders

Secondary Stakeholders

Shareholders

Employees

Customers

Suppliers

Governments

Local communities

Special Interest Groups

Trade Associations

Media

Questions:

1. State and describe the issues, if any, which may potentiallyviolate ethical principles. Whose interests could be jeopardizeddue to the potential unethical behavior that you identified?Provide reasons why these stakeholdersâ interests can bejeopardized.

2. What is Gomesâ rationale after Grant confides in her? Discussthe alternative courses of action that Gomes can take and thepossible outcomes.

3. What should Gomes do, and why? Elaborate.

4. What can you conclude if Grant were to take Gomesâsuggestions, and what could be the consequences? What could be thepossible consequences for taking the suggestion that yourecommend?

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PR 662 Lecture 86: Ethical Decision Making

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