Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Ethical Issues Case Study Discussions

Introduction We are faced with ethical issues in our interactions as human beings. Ethics can loosely be defined as a system of moral principles by which social conduct is judged as either â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong†. As relates to business, ethics are moral principles which prescribe what is legitimate behaviour in varied business dealings (Chryssides Kaler 1993, p.3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues Case Study Discussions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An interesting concept with regard to ethics is that there is no standardized approach to dealing with ethical dilemmas as they all spring from very unique legal, political, social and economic backgrounds. This makes the task of dealing with ethical dilemmas especially challenging for managers. This paper sets out to review three case studies in which different ethical issues are dealt with. The various ethical theories that they may apply to deal with the situations will be given and the rationale behind the decisions made extrapolated. All this shall be in a bid to elaborate that a good theoretical knowledge in ethics will greatly assist deal with the unique ethical issues The Area Manager’s Dilemma In this particular case, Chris, a regional director with the organization has just discovered that David, one of the other regional managers is unprincipled, devious and a liar. As such David’s actions are not only highly questionable but also ethically unsound. Chris has to take up some solid cause of action and therein lies the ethical dilemma. According to Chris’s reasoning, he can either complaisant and turn a blind eye to David’s behaviour, or, he can take affirmative action and accuse David of dishonesty to the higher ups. A view of this particular scenario with Kohlberg’s theory of moral development in mind might better shed light as to the actions that Chris might pos sibly take as well as shedding light on the principles to be applied in dealing with David. Kohlberg’s developmental theory is concerned with the manner in which people judge what is right and wrong. According to the theory, one’s reasoning becomes more ethical as one advances through the stages (Frederick 2002, p.221). This being the case, we can clearly articulate that David is at a lower level in Kohlberg’s scale. To be specific, he is in Level one which is also known as the Preconventional Morality level. Furthermore, it can be contended that he is in the stage I of this level since he is primarily concerned with getting caught in his wrongdoings. In this level, the behaviour of an individual is controlled by external rewards and/or punishments. David is not oblivious of punishment which is why he â€Å"tells barefaced lies to account for difficulties or shortfalls†. Neither is he without a concept of rewards which is why he is â€Å"always aiming to please the director.†Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Chris on the other hand is way higher up in the Kohlberg’s scale. The very fact that he considers David’s behaviour as intolerable and views sinking to David’s level as unacceptable reinforces the statement that Chris is indeed on a higher level. Chris is Level Three of Kohlberg’s as can be deduced from his ethical perspective. A person at this level has public interest as his primary concern and will go to great extents to see that social order is maintained. Chris’s level on Kohlberg’s scale dictates that he will do everything possible to stop David who is evidently acting not in the public interest but for his own good. Chris will therefore report David to the higher ups. However, Kohlberg’s theory dictates that one can only perceive and understand the moral actions that occur one step above his particular level (Sims 2002, p.135). This being the case, it would be more logical for David to act as dictated by the second level. In the second level, actions which are approved by the other people are judged to be the right ones. As such, David’s actions such as running his area on a patronage basis are approved by his colleagues and therefore can be viewed as ethical. Whistle blowing on the other hand is not approved of and might actually alienate Chris from his staff and the other managers. This being the case, the best action for Chris would be to seek a compromise with David and try to make him act in a manner that is acceptable to all. The HR manager’s dilemma In this scenario, the Human Resource manager finds himself faced with two different cases, both bearing a similar theme, employee privacy and criminal records. In the first case, the manager finds out that one of his staff has acquired a criminal record due to tax evasion. In the seco nd case, an aspirant applicant admits to having a criminal record during an interview. Inevitably, the tax conviction will have some bearing as to the member’s continued stay in the organization. At the bare minimal, the fact that the member was convicted by a court of law on evasion charges highlights the fact that he must be dishonest. While it might be argued that the moral standing of an individual does not have any implications as to his capability in the work setting, the organization stands being a victim of the employee’s misdeeds in the face of the public. This is especially a reality in this particular case since the employee in question is in contact with the organizations customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues Case Study Discussions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The employee is the organizations ambassador to the outside world and as such his actions are seen to be a reflection of the organization. According to the newspaper, the total tax avoided amounted to 5000, a sizable amount. If the employee had the audacity to carry out such a scheme, it is not inconceivable that he may also set out to defraud the company. With these considerations in mind, it would no doubt be most prudent for the HR manager to recommend that the organization terminate its engagement with the said employee. In the second case, the initial perception of the manager as to the applicant’s personality is that of a qualified, mature and sociable person. To top it off, the applicant comes clean concerning his previous conviction thereby accentuating his honest nature. However, the HR manager must disregard this personal attributes as he contemplates the effect that employing someone with a criminal record can have on the company. From the testimonials of the applicant’s former employer and his OU tutor, it can be deduced that he is truly reformed and ready to become a credit to the society. Employing such a character can greatly aid the public image of the company since it highlights the organizations faith the county’s rehabilitation systems. There is always the danger of the applicant being stigmatized by his colleagues because of his record. Weiss (2008, p.367) asserts that managers should limit access to private information about employees to avoid such scenarios. Looking at the decisions arrived at in this two cases, it can be seen that preference was given to the participant who exhibited honesty. The employee convicted of tax evasion was discriminated against since he already had a contract with the organization which he violated by his unethical acts. This made him less deserving leading to his unfavourable treatment. The applicant was treated as worth of the support of the organization since not only did he purport to hold ethical attributes such as honesty but employing him would also serve the organizations own interes ts. Fredrick (2002, p.405 )asserts that companies may be held criminally liable for the behaviour of their employees despite the employees having acted on their own volition. As such, it is in the best interest of the company to make sure that its employees are honest and people of integrity. Turner Newall: The Case of the Asbestos Industry This scenario presents a case whereby the needs of the company’s shareholders to make profit are pitted against the safety of the workers and consumers of the company products. Underlying concepts in the case are secrecy whereby the company directors failed to divulge vital information about asbestos since the information would have had unfavourable results for the company’s profitability as elaborated in the case. The concept of distributive justice is also highlighted whereby the rewards should be proportional to the contributions made. In the asbestos case, distributive justice is neglected since the workers were not compensated really as adequate as the nature of their jobs dictated. This case can be reviewed with the social contract theory in mind. The Social Contract theory holds that actions carried out by someone are morally permissible if they increase the benefits of an individual or indeed, the society at large (Fredrick 2002, p.32).Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Notably, the asbestos companies used the bankruptcy law to deal with the liabilities that arose from the numerous court cases. The adequacy of this move can be looked at from two perspectives. In the first case, the companies were pushed to this measure by the litigation against them. As such, this is a protective measure that allows the company to at least fulfill its role to the shareholders and creditors who are the primary concerns of the company. Given the circumstances, it can be argued out that filling for bankruptcy was an adequate measure since it enabled the company to fulfill part of its mission. On the other hand, filling for bankruptcy implies that the company cannot go on with its normal mode of operations hence due to lack of profitability; it cannot settle claims by the various victims of its actions. Having reached an agreement that the company should compensate its workers and consumers to the damage done, the question arises as to how the various costs should be s plit amongst the various stakeholders. The management of the company must have known about the dangers that their products presented to the workers and the consumers. However, the management’s principle responsibility was to ensure the continued profitability of the company. This being the case, the major beneficiaries of the company’s profitability (namely the shareholders) should be forced to make the hugest contribution to the compensation efforts since they benefited the most. In an attempt at redress for the victims, the Goyder Sanction may be implemented. This sanction seeks to force companies to act in a responsible manner by making them socially accountable to all their stakeholders. The rationale behind this move is that most managers will be reluctant to act in the interest of the society at large if these interests are at loggerheads with the goals of the organization as a whole. The Goyder Sanction is therefore not only practicable but as such the most appr opriate mechanism since it obligates the companies to recognize their social contract obligations which dictate that morally permissible actions are those that increase one’s benefit but not at the cost of harming others (Fredrick 2002, p.32). The management of the company is no doubt the major culprit since they made the actual decision operational decisions of the company and sanctioned the secrecy that led to even further damage to workers and consumers. However, it should be taken into consideration that the management was only acting in the interest of the shareholders and company board who were the major benefactors of the profits obtained from the business dealings. It would therefore be unjust to personally hold the management responsible since they were only protecting the interests of the company. A better means of seeking justice would be to collectively punish all the stakeholders. This would most suitably be implemented by transferring the ownership of the compan y as in the Johns-Manville case. In this way, all the involved parties (stockholders, management and directors) are punished and wronged parties get redress for the wrongs done. The governments and company’s that import asbestos have a responsibility to the importing countries. They should ensure that the importing countries are aware of the risks that the products contain. This will lead to informed consent since the importers will acknowledge the risks involved and it they feel that the risks outweigh the benefits, they can always opt out of such business dealings. In addition to this, the importers will be empowered to take actions to safeguard their workers and consumers from the adverse effects of asbestos. Conclusion This paper set out to outline three case studies that showcase ethical issues that may be faced. Applications of various theories has been seen to assist in coming up with solutions to each of the independent cases. From the discussions presented, it can au thoritatively be stated that the business environment is faced with multiple ethical issues and a graceful resolution of the issues is imperative for the business interests as well as the interest of the society at large. References Chryssides, D G Kaler, H J 1993, An Introduction to Business Ethics, Cengage Learning EMEA. Frederick, R 2002, A Companion to Business Ethics, Wiley-Blackwell. Sims R R, 2002, Teaching Business Ethics for Effective Learning, Greenwood Publishing Group. Weiss, W J 2008, Business Ethics: A Stakeholder and Issues Management Approach, Cengage Learning. This essay on Ethical Issues Case Study Discussions was written and submitted by user Kallie Wilkinson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Abortion and Virtue Ethics

Abortion and Virtue Ethics Abortion is one of those issues that force a person to take sides. There is no middle ground in this issue. The bone of contention centers on the meaning of human life because once it has been established, one can determine whether abortion is murder or another medical procedure.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Abortion and Virtue Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a procedure that a woman can avail because she owns her body, so the argument goes. Therefore, she has the right to terminate her pregnancy. This paper will examine the underlying issues regarding abortion and then, use virtue ethics to determine the best course of action. The Problem with Abortion At the most basic level abortion is the termination of pregnancy (Haney, p.10). This termination procedure can be performed in different ways but the end goal is the death of the fetus or embryo. It must be pointed out that abortion after the third tr imester of pregnancy is illegal. However, abortion prior to the third trimester is legal in many areas in the United States of America. The legal justification is based on a Supreme Court ruling in 1973 – Roe vs. Wade – wherein the Supreme Court Justices agreed that women have a choice regarding their pregnancy and if they want to terminate it or not. The opinion of the Supreme Court justices was based on the idea that pregnancy can be divided into trimesters (Payment, 44). They decided that a woman can chose to terminate the pregnancy and in effect kill the fetus or embryo as long as it is still within the first trimester. After the second trimester a woman can still choose to abort the fetus but the State has the right to impose restrictions. The State also has the option to make the procedure illegal in the final trimester. The main reason given can be summarized in the following statement: â€Å"The mother’s right to privacy becomes less important than the fetus’s right to life only when the fetus could possibly survive without the mother – at around six months† (Payment, p.44).Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, the main reason why a woman can choose to end pregnancy is that she has full control of her body and the fetus. But in the third trimester the baby can live without the mother’s support and therefore it is considered murder. Those who support the right of a woman to an abortion even after the final trimester makes the assertion that the Constitution does not provide any legal rights for a child that is still within the mother’s womb. In other words a child has to be born first before he or she can enjoy the same rights as others. The logical explanation of legal experts in Roe vs. Wade is full of glaring weaknesses. For instance, legal experts are unable to prove beyond reasonabl e doubt that a three month old fetus does not have the capability to feel and hear the various biological stimuli that occurs outside the womb. In other words they have no way to determine if a three month old fetus is already a living being and should be treated the same way as a baby. Pro-life groups even insisted that a week old fetus must be considered â€Å"alive† and it is difficult to prove them wrong when technology enables people to hear the heartbeat of a fetus even when it is still a few weeks old. In other words there are so many things that are not yet known, now, what if the legal experts made a mistake? If legal experts made decisions based on incomplete information then members of pro-life groups are correct when they say that abortion is tantamount to murder. This is a serious charge. Murder must not be taken lightly especially when viewed from the perspective of a hapless human being trapped in the womb of a woman who can decide that this unborn child is an inconvenience that must be discarded. However, pro-choice groups made the counter-argument that a woman has control of her own body.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Abortion and Virtue Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This argument makes sense when a pregnancy threatens the life of a pregnant woman. There are also those who contend that rape victims who got pregnant as a result of the sexual assault must also have the right to abortion. It has been made clear that abortion is a polarizing issue. The pro-life groups have the right to contest the judgment made by the US Supreme Court because this is a nation established on the ideals of freedom and human rights. This is especially true for those who cannot fight for themselves. A fetus has no power over doctors and women who view them as inconveniences rather than human beings. Consider the fact that the United States government sends troops to fight for the op pressed, to break the stronghold of tyrants. It is therefore important to protect hapless fetuses and babies in this country. On the other hand this nation was also established on the principle that the law is based on reason and not emotion. When forced to choose between a woman’s life and a still unborn fetus, a doctor will not hesitate to choose the life of a dying mother. The choice is easier when it comes to the possibility that mother and child cannot survive if an abortion is not performed. But in most instances it seems that abortion is considered for no other reason except unwanted pregnancy. Virtue Ethics In a dilemma like this one it is helpful to have an ethical framework that can be used to determine the right course of action. It can be argued that in the case of abortion the best tool is virtue ethics. It is different from other moral theories because instead of focusing on duty, virtue ethics focuses on character (Darwall, p.1). Its emphasis is on how things s hould be instead of what has to be done (Darwall, p.1). It is about having the â€Å"appropriate inner states† (Athanassoulis, p.1). Instead of focusing on doing the right thing, this ethical framework enables the person to focus on a goal. The rationale of the goal makes the action right.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The goal must be the development of character and the appropriate inner state. These two must go together as one. By eliminating the need to perform a certain duty or to obey a particular set of rules, the anger and frustration felt by women who wanted abortion suddenly dissipates. There is less tension and there is less conflict because no one is forcing another person to adhere to a particular belief system. In the land of the free, human rights and the right to choose are sensitive topics. No matter how convincing the argument is with regards to scientific basis of abortion in the final trimester, there is no way that it can be used against pro-life groups. The same thing can be said for people who force their ideas on those who believe that a woman has the right to choose to end her pregnancy. Now, using virtue ethics, a woman contemplating abortion is asked to determine her life-goals in terms of character and having the right inner state. If the principles of virtue ethics are applied to this situation then the woman has to determine if abortion leads to character or a state of well-being that she will not regret for the rest of her life. In this stage of introspection – using the virtue ethics framework – it is possible that some of the women contemplating on terminating their pregnancy will come to realize that they wanted abortion for no other reason than to get rid of the fetus because it is an obstacle to financial and career success. These women are convinced that an unexpected pregnancy can derail their plans. But through the guidance of virtue ethics they will also realize that the reason why they were struggling with unwanted pregnancy is that they lead a promiscuous lifestyle. This awareness leads to another realization that terminating their pregnancy at this point in their lives does not guarantee that they will not need another abortion in the near future. The goal therefore is for them to alter their lifestyle and not to abort the fetus within their womb. Using the same ethical framework, there are women who will realize that another important thing to consider is not the inconvenience that an unwanted pregnancy brings but the long-term effects of abortion to their mind, body, and spirit. The goal is not just character but a healthy mind and inner-peace and these are more precious than anything else in the world. Consider for instance the phenomenon known as postabortion syndrome. It is a form of posttraumatic stress disorder â€Å"and its symptoms can include: a) anxiety, depression, suicidal feelings, difficulty sleeping, guild, a feeling of numbness and alcohol or drug abuse† (Haney, p.67). A woman can easily discard a fetus or full-term baby but the after effects of abortion can stay with her for the rest of her life. It is easy to understand why there is such a thing as a postabortion syndrome. A woman feels the living thing inside her. It is more dreadful if the fetus has become a baby after entering the final trimester of pregnancy. The woman already is well-acquainted with a full-grown fetus inside of her. Therefore, there is such a profound effect when she could feel the doctor’s tools forcing the fetus out of her body. The feelings are suppressed but the mind has a way of dealing with the stress and manifests itself into different forms of symptoms (Lee, p.25). It is critically important to consider both character and the inner-state of the woman. Discussion Virtue ethics is a perfect tool for analyzing a deeply polarizing issue like abortion. By using virtue ethics there is no need to force others to follow a certain path. By doing so every woman desiring to terminate pregnancy is given a choice. The ability to choose is not based on her desires but in accordance to the pursuit of character and inner-peace. Thus, there is freedom of choice and there is no room for regrets. In application the woman who wanted to get rid of the child she is carrying in her wo mb would have to think twice before deciding to terminate her pregnancy. But the woman who is fully convinced that her life is in danger can opt for abortion because she believes that the baby cannot survive without her. Thus, after the abortion there is no inner-struggle that can trigger a wave of depression and anxiety. The only weakness of virtue ethics is that it is dependent on the mindset and character of the person. It requires insight to know the value of character and inner-states – an ability absent in many people. Conclusion Virtue ethics is the best tool to use when it comes to dealing with abortion. The underlying issues of abortion are based on freedom of choice. However, this ethical framework reminds everyone that the freedom to choose is useless if the decisions made does not build character and help people become the best that they could be. The importance of virtue ethics is based on the fact that it helps guide women to do what is best for them without the feeling that they are being coerced to do something against their will. Athanassoulis, Nafsika. Virtue Ethics. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 7 July  2010 Web. https://www.iep.utm.edu/virtue/#SH2b. Darwall, Stephen. Virtue Ethics. MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. Haney, Johannah. The Abortion Debate: Understanding the Issues. NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2008. Lee, Ellie. Abortion, Motherhood, and Mental Health: New York:  Walter de Gruyter, Inc., 2003. Payment, Simone. Roe v. Wade: The Right to Choose. New York: Rosen Publishing.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Explore the Testing and Teacher Controversial Evaluation in New York Research Paper

Explore the Testing and Teacher Controversial Evaluation in New York State Show how the Role of Social Science is Shaping Publi - Research Paper Example In what they have referred to as the paradox, liberal social scientists have asserted that ideology and politics are to blame. They have claimed that Americans have solutions but puts every blame in the shoulders of policy makers who are accused of lacking the political will to implement effective policies. According to O’Connor, separation of the working class from the working poor denies the poor their political rights since this denies them access to better wages as result of the organized labour groups of the working class. Since the commencing of war against poverty, which witnessed its offshoot in the1960s, policymakers and intellectuals found in both sides of America’s political spectrum have given working poverty a lot of attention. The perspective of the conservative scholars has been that non-working poverty is a more urgent problem that requires urgent response than the working poverty. They derive this conclusion on the basis that nonworking poverty is a mor al danger, which leads to laziness and dependency. On the other hand, they regard any work, even those that are poorly paid to be beneficial. Solving the problem of the nonworking poor according to them can only be stopped if the governments stop offering benefits to the poor. This in a school situation involves even stopping the educational benefits given to the poor. Contrary to their conservative’s counterparts, liberal policy makers and scholars have fronted the argument that the challenges of the nonworking and working poor are intertwined and similar. The have argued that the only difference between the working and the non working l lies in their ability to overcome basic barriers. They have enlisted factors such as affordable childcare services, transportation to work and accessing houses near jobs stations. These challenges according to them can only be overcome by helping the nonworking enter the labour market. This can be done through providing housing assistance, a ffordable schooling systems and offering other aids to poor families. A charged political system has also seen parties accuse each other for failure to alleviate the working poverty. Policy makers and scholars from the conservative wing have attributed inequality, over taxation and overregulation as the main causes of unceasing working poverty. They are proponents of the view that welfare benefits should be reduced and less stringent lab our laws should be enacted. Liberals on the other hand are of the perspective that reduced or increased governments intervention is the immediate solution to working poverty problem. O’Connor (34-36) asserts that politically charged image, a feature of the nonworking poor as welfare dependant makes reforms in the welfare policies more urgent than the working poor. She is of the conclusion that stipulations in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity act moved most poor parents from welfare roles to workforce. She is of the opinion tha t this eventuality should have happened after first solving the problem of the working poverty. O’Connor expresses the need for change in the argument about poverty knowledge. She cites political obsession with matters of welfare dependency, which overshadows the problems related to wage decline. Comparisons made between children students non poor families and those from poor families in New York schools indicated that; those from poor backgrounds have got a higher likely hood id dismal performances than those from nonpoor families .Their