Transcript Chapter 3

Chapter 6
Individual Factors: Moral
Philosophies and Values
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6-1
Moral Philosophy
Refers to principles or rules that people use to decide
what is right or wrong
Presents guidelines for determining how to settle conflicts
in human interests
Guides businesspeople in formulating strategies and
resolving specific ethical issues
No one moral philosophy accepted by everyone
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6-2
Moral Philosophy Perspectives
Teleology
– Egoism personal benefits
– Utilitarianism benefits for all
Deontology :focuses on the presentation of individual rights and on the intentions
associated with a particular behavior than on its consequences
The Relativist Perspective evaluate thee thicalness on the individuals and
group experiences
Virtue Ethics assume what is moral in a given status is not conventional
morality requires but also what the mature person with a good moral
character wood deem (see) appropriate
Justice Perspectives evaluate the ethicalness on the basis of fairness
– Distributive
– Procedural
– Interactional
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6-3
Teleology
Considers acts as morally right or acceptable if they
produce some desired result such as pleasure,
knowledge, career growth, the realization of a self
interest, or utility
Assesses moral worth by looking at
the consequences for the individual
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6-4
Categories of Teleology
Egoism
– Right or acceptable behavior defined in terms of consequences to the
individual
– Maximizes personal interests
Utilitarianism
– Concerned with consequences
– Considers a cost/benefit analysis
– Behavior based on principles of rules that promote the greatest utility
rather than on an examination of each situation (greatest good for
greatest number of people)
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6-5
Deontology
Focuses on the rights of the individual, not consequences
(considers intentions)
Believes in equal respect and views certain behaviors as
inherently right
Proposes that individuals have certain inherent freedoms
– Freedoms: conscience, privacy, speech
Rule deontologist
– Conformity to general moral principles
Act deontologists
– Evaluate ethicalness based on the act
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6-6
The Relativist Perspective
Defines ethical behavior subjectively from the
experiences of individuals and groups
– Relativists use themselves or those around them as their
basis for defining ethical standards
– A positive group consensus indicates that an action is
considered ethical by the group
Acknowledges that we live in a society in which people
have different views
– There are many different bases from which to justify a
decision as right or wrong
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6-7
Virtues That Support Business
Transactions
Trust
Self-control
Empathy
Fairness
Truthfulness
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Learning
Gratitude
Civility
Moral leadership
6-8
Virtue Ethics
What is moral in a given situation is not only what
conventional wisdom suggests, but also what a
“moral” character would deem appropriate.
Elements include truthfulness, trust, self control,
empathy, and fairness.
Attributes in contrast to virtue include lying, cheating,
fraud, and corruption.
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6-9
Three Types of Justice
Distributive justice
– An evaluation of the outcomes or results of a business relationship
(evaluating benefits derived/equity in rewards)
Procedural justice
– Based on the processes and activities that produce the outcomes or
results (evaluating decision making processes and level of access,
openness and participation)
Interactional justice
– Based on an evaluation of the communication processes used in
business relationships (evaluating accuracy of information and
truthfulness, respect and courtesy in the process)
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6-10
Applying Moral Philosophy to
Ethical Decision Making
Evidence suggests that individuals use different moral
philosophies depending on the context (personal versus
work decisions).
– Pressures at work are different from personal
pressures.
– Decision making is affected by the corporate culture
at work (rules, work group, etc.).
Moral philosophies should be assessed on a continuum.
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6-11
Cognitive Moral Development
Kohlberg’s model consist of 6 stages:
– Define the right as punishment and
obedience
– Define the right as individual instrumental
purpose and exchange
– Define the right as mutual interpersonal
expectations, relationships, and conformity
– Define the right as social system and
conscience maintenance
– Define the right as Prior rights, social
contract or utility
– Define the right as Universal ethical
principles
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6-12
Importance of Kohlberg’s Theory
Provides encouragement that individuals in a company
can change or improve their moral development
Supports management’s development of employees’
moral principles through applicable strategies
Indicates that the best way to improve employees’
business ethics is to provide training for cognitive
moral development
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6-13
White-Collar Crime
An individual or group committing an illegal act in
relation to his/her employment
Highly educated, in a position of power, trust,
respectability, and responsibility
Abuses the trust and authority normally
associated with the position for personal and/or
organizational gains
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6-14