Universalism and Utilitarianism: An Evaluation of Two Applying this principle is related to a quick test before acting or making a decision by asking, What would my best self do in this situation? Others ask the question inserting someone they know or honor highly. grramire. According to the Union Internationale des Avocats, an international, nongovernmental association of legal professionals, corruption corrodes the democratic principles of accountability, equality, and transparency. 132 0 obj Organizational responsibility is fairly straightforward: Comply with applicable local, state, national, and international regulations. v a l p o . By definition, ethics in a business setup are norms that a given business organization has to adhere to in its daily business transactions. <>/Border[0 0 0]/Contents( \n h t t p s : / / s c h o l a r . Web(SEM III) THEORY EXAMINATION 2021-UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES & PROFESSIONAL ETHICS. In the case of LIBOR, the United Kingdoms Serious Fraud Office determined there were inadequate systems of oversight in the setting of rates and that individual executives encouraged rate fixing, which led to the conviction of several traders, at least one of whom still maintains his innocence.33 Followers of this principle can become absolutists and true believersmany times believing and following their own ideology and beliefs. Universalism vs. Relativism and you must attribute OpenStax. This is especially the case when facts are not available and there is no objective external jurisdiction of the state or federal government. then you must include on every physical page the following attribution: If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, It is not only a method to make a decision; it is a way of incorporating a humane consideration of and for individuals and groups when deciding a course of action.
Universality (2) Is it right? Dec 12, 2022 OpenStax. For example, although what constitutes ethical behavior in Islamic society is strongly linked to religious values, secular philosophers can endorse a highly developed commitment to commercial ethics, too. For example, the following precautionary actions might have prevented the disaster: updating the equipment and machinery that failed in the BP and the Exxon Valdez oil crises and investment banks and lending institutions following rules not to sell subprime mortgages that could not and would not be paid, actions that led to the near collapse of the global economy. 2 The principles that we will cover are utilitarianism, universalism, rights/legal, justice, virtue, common good, and ethical relativism approaches. What are major ethical principles that can be used by individuals and organizations? citation tool such as, Authors: David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes. For those dedicated to the case method, novels, short stories, and plays offer an inexhaustible storehouse of riches, more detailed, subtle, and complete than most cases written up for courses.37, In DeGeorges humanities model, business ethics would not prepare students to do certain things, for which they likely will be trained by their employers, but to be certain persons. Business WebUniversalism in ethics may be identified with claims about the form, scope or content of ethical principles, or with the very idea that ethical judgment appeals to principles, rather than to particular cases. This principle is related to universalism. But employees are human beings first, which means any attempt to improve their welfare must begin by thinking of them as human beings rather than as employees. Dec 12, 2022 OpenStax. Alani_Parra. It also involves religion mandates and existing moral codes. and you must attribute OpenStax. 0000003514 00000 n
As the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) scandal, in which banks were manipulating rates to profit from trades, showed, ethical breakdowns often occur because systems fail or people make bad decisions, and sometimes both. Many people question the place of love in a business setting. A major limitation when using this principle is, Who determines what the common good is in situations where two or more parties differ over whose interests are violated? In individualistic and capitalist societies, it is difficult in many cases for individuals to give up their interests and tangible goods for what may not benefit them or may even deprive them. Page 1 of 1. Practical wisdom, however, is often required to be virtuous. List the four dimensions of a human being. 2 (2015), Universalism and Utilitarianism: An Evaluation of Two Popular Moral Theories in Business Decision Making. Those documents revealed that there were doubts the war could be won while thousands of young Americans continued to die fighting. endobj After all, we cannot make a commitment to serve customers, develop leaders, and improve life for all stakeholders unless there is freedom and moral agency, the necessary ingredients in establishing an attitude of concern, that is, respect for oneself and for others, including all appropriate stakeholders.
universal 141 0 obj startxref Bias also rewards those who support and nurture the best elements of a culture, whether corporate, social, or political. However, no amount of rationalization of the fear of job loss, financial pressure, desire to please a supervisor, and the rest, can justify such behavior, because it diminishes moral agency, the self-awareness, freedom, and ability to make choices based on our perception of right and wrong. <>/Border[0 0 0]/Contents()/Rect[499.416 612.5547 540.0 625.4453]/StructParent 4/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>> Those documents revealed that there were doubts the war could be won while thousands of young Americans continued to die fighting. At the organizational and societal levels, laws, regulations, and oversight can go a long way toward curtailing illegal activity. Sexual Identification and Orientation, 31. Yet it remains controversial.
Ethics Behind TOMS' Business Model WebUniversalism is a principle that considers the welfare and risks of all parties when considering policy decisions and outcomes. Transparency, whistleblower programs, ethics training, and modeling of appropriate behavior by upper management can create the conditions for employees to act ethically, but conscience is a personal phenomenon. The second major meaning behind How are they related? Freeman's stakeholder theory, on the other hand, is seen as being on the other end of the continuum, arguing for selflessnessanother misinterpretation, as I argue with Ed Freeman's help. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Personal responsibility is a different matter. Moral (and human) rights, on the other hand, are universal and based on norms in every society, for example, the right not to be enslaved and the right to work. Cooper, Santora, and Sarros wrote, Universalism is the outward expression of leadership character and is made manifest by respectfulness for others, fairness, cooperativeness, compassion, spiritual respect, and humility. Corporate leaders in the Worlds Most Ethical Companies strive to set a tone at the top to exemplify and embody universal principles in their business practices.19 Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks; cofounder Jim Sinegal at Costco; Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook; and Ursula M. Burns, previous chairperson and CEO of Xerox have demonstrated setting effective ethical tones at the top of organizations.
Online Guide to Ethics and Moral Philosophy - Carnegie Mellon WebBased on the expressed preferences of 163 undergraduate and graduate students of business ethics, this article briefly examines the two most popular theories, Universalism (Kantian) and Utilitarianism (consequentialist), and presents a SWOT analysis of both. (2015) This, as with all these principles and approaches, is broad in nature and seemingly rather abstract. At the individual level, then, principles and values offer a source of stability and self-control while also affecting job satisfaction and performance. 0000001486 00000 n
These different cohorts of normative theories are often termed as rival ethical WebWe believe that compliance and ethical behavior are everyones responsibility. Business ethics motivates managers to (1) meet legal and industry governing and reporting requirements and (2) shape corporate culture so that corrupt practices such as bribery, embezzlement, and fraud have no place in the organization. Accommodating Different Abilities and Faiths, 29. Compliance is important, but business managers must attempt to go above and beyond to clearly model and enforce the highest standards of ethical behavior. There are programs that do this, such as Giving Voice to Values at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.35
Countries and cultures that follow this orientation can result in dictatorships and absolutist regimes that practice different forms of slavery and abuse to large numbers of people. Use of this principle generally applies when resources are scarce, there is a conflict in priorities, and no clear choice meets everyones needsthat is, a zero-sum decision is imminent, Universalism is a principle that considers the welfare and risks of all parties when considering policy decisions and outcomes. This principle involves taking human beings, their needs, and their values seriously. citation tool such as, Authors: Stephen M. Byars, Kurt Stanberry. At the organizational and societal levels, laws, regulations, and oversight can go a long way Obvious limitations of relativism include following ones blind spots or self-interests that can interfere with facts and reality. Applying the common good principle can also be asked by a simple question: How will this decision or action affect the broader physical, cultural, and social environment in which I, my family, my friends, and others have to live, breathe, and thrive in now, next week, and beyond?. Limitations when using this principle involve the question of who decides who is right and wrong and who has been harmed in complex situations. Legal rights are entitlements that are limited to a particular legal system and jurisdiction. Some limitations of this principle suggest that it does not consider individuals, and there is no agreement on the definition of good for all concerned. In addition, it is difficult to measure costs and benefits. This is one of the most widely used principles by corporations, institutions, nations, and individuals, given the limitations that accompany it. The Supreme Court upheld her and her staffs decision. Finally, if normative business ethics is to recognize and, ultimately, be based on the individual, it must address another human trait: bias.
Universalism theory in business ethics. Utilitarianism, Universal If you need friends or relationships in the government bureaucracy in order to get your imports cleared or your license extended, then that means particularism. CONCEPTS & THEORIES OF BUSINESS ETHICS VALUES Basic convictions that a specific mode of (Classical) Maximalism: A right action produces the greatest good consequences and the least bad. DeGeorge suggests that a course in the philosophy of business would enable students to think about the foundations of businessits values, ends, purpose, and justification . 0 This principle is grounded in both legal and moral rights. 131 0 obj 148 0 obj grramire. In addition, using this principle can require sacrifice of human lifethat is, giving ones life to help or save otherswhich may seem contrary to the principle.
Kantian Ethics - Overview, Categorical Imperatives, Morality President Johnson was pressured to resign, Secretary of State McNamara later apologized, and the war eventually ended with U.S. troops withdrawing. 0000002159 00000 n
Universalist, Relativist, and Constructivist Approaches Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, calls the Recent Governance Reforms: An Executive Summary, 13. The classified documents contained information proving that generals and other top-level government administrators were lying to the public about the actual status of the United States in the Vietnam War. are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written Business ethics exists on three levels: the individual, the organizational, and the societal.