ETH 301 : Business Ethics

There are conflicting expectations of the nature of a company’s responsibilities to society. However, those companies that undertake what may be termed ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ must decide; what are the actual social responsibilities of these companies? I will present a possible paradigm. Also, I will look at the benefit to the business that employs proper management as compared the business with poor management. This research paper describes my view of corporate social responsibility and compares the social responsibilities of Delta Air Lines and Spirit

The ethical issues presented in this case are the different views that each individual has on how the idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This dispute is between Mr. Milton Friedman, John Mackey, and T.J. Rodgers; all of which has a different outlook on CSR. The definition of CSR refers to the responsibilities that business has to the society in which it operates and to those actions that a business can be held accountable. Most philosophers have come up with three different types of responsibilities that corporations can be held accountable for. The first and most important of the three is a corporation’s duty to not cause harm. If a corporation can

Many believe that business entities should have an ethical duty to be socially responsible, to work towards increasing its positive effects on society while decreasing its negative effects. Many organizations look for opportunities to be socially responsible while also creating shareholder wealth.

When pressed for time, in many cases, we tend to press the boundaries as well. This is where ethical decision making may become difficult. Under a strict timeline to get a task completed, sometimes the finished product is more important than the safety of workers. As I read the scenario, it is obviously a difficult decision to make; one choice will have the problem fixed in thirty minutes, while the other choice would take closer to seven hours. This attitude of pushing the limits effectively clouds our own moral limits and, as a result, increases the chances that we eventually will cross the boundaries (De Cremer, 2013, p.65).

It finally has been acknowledged that simply taking an ethics class does not provide the same level of experience as providing a more integrated approach to ethics within the learning process of a student within graduate business school. Gaining the ability and competence to understand ethics is only first step to what awaits the new leaders who will be required to live an ethical life but also sustain and encourage a corporate ethical environment from which staff can also make ethical decisions. The recent financial scandals along with the younger generation’s concerns for the environment has elevated and renewed the importance of corporate leadership in providing more transparent and straightforward accounting reports as well as addressing other issues that do not encourage a culture of ethics within their organization. Wrongdoing should be addressed and ethical decisions need to be encouraged and supported instead. CEOs and board members are just beginning to present themselves and their organizations as ethical decision-makers who are responsibly provide good and wise solutions for stakeholders of the company. In the Journal of Business Ethics, “Business Ethics in North America: Trends and Challenges” the authors reviewed and

Business ethics since the beginning of this decade has been slowly eroding; if we are to believe what we see and hear in the media. Several times a day, one can view some derogatory piece of information concerning a business. However, it must also be considered that these companies are contributing to that stigma. There have been a variety of companies and individuals who have figured prominently in the media concerning their unethical behavior.

Once a business realizes that it has gotten wrapped up in maximizing profit that it neglect ethics of care, the next step is to readjust and realign its core values internally and be more responsible to the environment in which they operate by showing societal care. Therefore, the aim of this report is to address the importance of realigning the business with ethics of care through involving in CSR activities, and as well as showing how these actions can impact on a company’s performance even if it may be demoralized in the society.

In business, ethics is categorized by a business’s ability to follow moral standards and regulations. Often businesses or CEO’s make moves that are considered unethical like stealing money from the company expenses or saying something in public that is inappropriate, resulting in backlash. An example of an unethical CEO is Dov Charney of American Apparel. Its CEO is extremely unethical, unlike the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, who is considered a very ethical CEO to a very ethical company. Being an ethical CEO has to do with who you employ and how you treat your employees. It also has to do with how you have your goods made and how the people that make them are treated. This directly affects the image of the whole company, which can create

This course emphasizes the theories and practices of the ethical, social, environmental, political, and legal aspects of business decision-making and leadership practices. These areas reflect the mutual impacts of profit, non-profit and government organizations in the U.S. and globally on business stakeholders. Course activities will hone your critical analysis and interpersonal verbal,

One of the key concepts of Commanding Heights is that capitalism needs to include ethical restraint (Scott). It is very clear that the lead players in the 2008 crisis did not display ethics or restraint. Many individuals displayed a lack of ethics because they were willing to engage in conflicts of interest. For example, academic leaders often served as consultants

Everyday buzzwords like sustainability, biodiversity and go green became favorite words used by those who like to bring attention to the potential consequences we may face. I believe that business ethics and corporate social accountability is very vital in our society, and every business or corporations should practice and be a model for everyone. Moral compass or social conscience has always been a part of most big business or corporations, affecting daily business choices and actions. These choices made will be influenced by the practices of the company and ethical decision making a business to choose a course of action, and if a moral compasses are to be upheld, corporations may have to rethink their long term benefit ahead of any short

As the turn of the 21st Century evolved, it appeared as if Adelphia Communications Corporation was on a direct path of success; unbeknownst to their investors and the public, they were in reality on a direct path of destruction instead. Unfortunately, Adelphia is not the first major company in the history of the United States’ business world to lose the trust of the American public, but it is certainly one of the most notable ones to do so. As the events surrounding the Adelphia scandal unfolded in full view of the public eye, a multitude of media outlets were there to broadcast the destruction and distrust to the masses leaving many wondering if the term “business ethics” was actually nothing more than just an oxymoron. Throughout this

Corporate social responsibility has been one the key business buzz words of the 21st century. Consumers' discontent with the corporation has forced it to try and rectify its negative image by associating its name with good deeds. Social responsibility has become one of the corporation's most pressing issues, each company striving to outdo the next with its philanthropic image. People feel that the corporation has done great harm to both the environment and to society and that with all of its wealth and power, it should be leading the fight to save the Earth, to combat poverty and illness and etc. "Corporations are now expected to deliver the good, not just the goods; to pursue

Business Industry has witnessed the outcomes of bad moral decisions taken by business leaders. Enron’s story is only one example of corporate scandals and cases of bad moral decisions, which has not only shaken the public trust in corporations, but also affected the bank accounts of investors and employees. Before the bankruptcy of Enron; it was included in one of the fortune 500 companies after its fraudulent accounting case the share went down to $1 (Enron scandal, 2010; PBS, 2002; Godwin, 2006; Godwin, 2008).

Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2010) ‘Corporate social responsibility’, (3rd edition) Business Ethics. Oxford: Oxford university press, pp.51-60