Reading Summary - Book Report/Review Example

1. What is this position/proposition? Andrew Gustafson’s position is businesses can be operated with the utilitarian perspective. This is the position that business can act for the good of the all. If the maximum amount of people are pleased, the company is a success. Gustafson determined good by the less amount of pain. Seven factors, according to Gustafson, to determine pleasure/lack of pain were intensity, duration, certainty, remoteness, repeatability, purity, and extent. Pleasure was defined through higher and lower senses. 2. Do you agree or disagree? Why?I disagree with this position.

All of these propositions would work in the Utopian society, but real world would fail. In a perfect society, business would benefit owners, workers, and the consumer. It is not a perfect world. Companies do not set rules for the good of the worker or consumer. It is all about what makes money or follows the law. For example, companies, like Wal Mart, do not pay their employees minimum wage for the greater good. Lululemon does not sell yoga pants at high prices to help everyone exercise. Business is about making money.

That is how a capitalist system works. If a company helps employees or the consumer, that is a byproduct of the system. Laws are created to make companies treat their employees and the public fair. 3. Note any presuppositions you observe.The presupposition in this opinion was workers, owners, and the public want to work for the betterment of their fellow man. The example of someone embezzling by Gustafson was an example. No everyone that pads their expenses will feel guilty. That is the human factor.

Utilitarian approach to business would work if all had the same goal. The sad truth is not everyone does. Humans are diverse in life and in business.