Business Ethics in Weapon Industry - Essay Example

Running Head: Lord of War: Business Ethics in Weapon Industry Business Ethics in Weapon Industry Name Course Lecturer Date Business ethics Introduction In the present business world, all business enterprises are expected o meet the standards of responsible business conduct which does go beyond the traditional expectations. The weapon industry is no expectation of this. It is obvious that people speak more often of business in terms of jobs, profits and production including Yuri in the presented case; it is universally understood that any business enterprise does remain a member of its community. Therefore, the pursuit of economic and profits progress should be a license to ignore the community values, norms and standard of quality, integrity and respect. Indeed, improved business profits, economic and performance progress come to those businesses that efficiently and effectively meet and foster the expectations their main stakeholders- employees, suppliers, investors, clients and the environment. Success of a business is basically measured in losses and profits and the socially responsible business generates the revenue and capital required to run the business over the long haul. In the presented case, Yuri runs or operates a business of selling illegal weapons to the public and leaders in areas that are in war. Various questions are raised concerning the ethical and conduct of this business. As such, questions concerning the existence of some business are also raised. Does culture shape the ethical expectations of the activities of a business? Various critiques have analyzed these issues and each has introduced different opinion on the same. Discussion Indeed, not every business model may be matched to ethical and responsible conduct. As business model describes or refers to the plan that a business implement in order to generate revenue and make money, some of the implementation that are carried out by some companies do not follow the ethical models as viewed by the society and the business world. However, some business or companies may justify that their way of operating is characterized by a want in the society, which is a demand for the services or products, a critique may argue that demand of service or a product doesn’t guarantee that a company has followed the ethical code in its activities. Sadly, most weapons businesses tend to think that ethic is a question of a confident matter between an individual and the conscience. Still, they feel that ethics got nothing to do with management. Contrary, ethic has everything associated with management. Typically, any unethical business practice involves explicit, if not tacit, cooperation of others reflecting the behavior, language, attitude that defines the business operating culture (Falkenberg, 2004). In his dealing, Yuri is seems to have a different approach towards ethical issues in business. Apart from him being an evangelical of his products, he perceive selling of guns illegally as evil but necessary as he is indeed going o make money out of selling them. Of interesting is the fact that he doesn’t consider whether his business model can be matched with ethical and responsible conduct. Provided he makes profits and meet the demand in the market, the ethical flows of a business are insignificant. His unethical dealing and lack of responsible conduct may be argued form the point interest of human beings. As Kant observes, there is a need to evaluate ethical decisions in terms of universal maxim. In the case presented the immediate question is whether the selling of illegal arms to countries that are at war upholds human rights. Definitely, there are weapon and other businesses that should exist in the world of business. Majority of these businesses do fall in the category of illegal business. Such businesses are not recognized by various authorities that do regulate the rules and regulation in business. Still, businesses that do not observe the interest of all stakeholders should be allowed to exist. Looking at the stakeholder theory of modern corporation, a company or business should operate in the interest of all the stakeholders, a stakeholder in this case being an individual who is directly being affected by the operations of a given company or organization. One of the main stakeholders in the presented case is the general public (Freeman, 2002). Given the fact illegal businesses have direct effect on the public interests, their existence should be outlawed in order to protect the majority and most affected stakeholders. In addition, businesses that do not abide by their ethical guidelines should be allowed to operate. Most importantly is the fact that the presented case does not respect law and order leading chaos in many regions where war could have been prevented. In the case presented, Yuri’s business should not exist. Apart from the operations being unlawful, they do not served for the best interest of the stakeholders. However, Yuri’s has a different approach towards this type of business. His main interest is that every individual should gain access to a gun. In fact, he sees business opportunities in regions that are highly characterized by war. Therefore, according to Yuri there is a need for such business go exist in order to provide the much needed products in order to ensure that respectable wars are carried out. As noted above, similarly, there are business partnerships that should not be developed. As one author argued business partnership is similar to marriage and care should be taken as one is entering. Indeed, basic issues need to be considered as one is on the verge of forming a partnership business. Some partnership businesses that follow the rules and regulation in the initial stage need to be development. Such businesses are likely to excel in their operation in the business field. In the presented case, Yuri understands the benefits of partnership in his operations. Indeed, he is observed t involve various powerful figures in various regions in order to have his business run successful. His desires o make profit drives him to treaty with various government officials making penetration into the market easy. Therefore, according partnership in this dealing is significant in maximizing profits. However, one may ask whether the type of partnership that exists between Yuri and his partners is legal. It is obvious that such a partnership should be developed. Indeed, this business lacks the need ethical guidelines and procedures that are necessary in the running of such a business. Still, the business does not take into account the interests of the stakeholders (Gopalkrishnan, 2001). It is obvious that not every tactic to make profit is ethically permissible. There are various business tactics that businesses apply in order to maximize on their profits. Some of these activities are unethical such as grocers selling some grocery which are of low quality while creating a high quality expectation. One of the tactics that is not ethically permissible is the use of blustering in a business deal. This type negotiation raises a conversation from a rational to an emotional level. As such, if a buyer lacks experience in such cases, there is a likelihood that the business will miss out of the bargain while the sellers maximize of his or her profits. Exercise of power, threats, intimidation and opportunistic are other unethical ways of maximizing profits in a business deal. Some ethics such as customary ethics may be culturally acceptable but violate contemporary ethical reasoning (Pedigo & Marshall, 2004). However, in this case harm is not intentional. For instance, a supermarket may sell vegetable that seems fresh but in the real case they are of inferior quality. In the presented case it is obvious that Yuri believes that the use of some ethical unacceptable ways to maximize profit is the way to go in his business operations. Given the fact that his business is illegal, he is expected to apply some tactics mentioned above in order to carry out sales. A business is not expected to alter its ethical perspectives based on the ethics of the culture in which the partnerships develop or maintain the ethic of its culture origin. However, such situations create dilemma to various business and organization. Indeed, in such a situation a choice need to be made to avoid or gain two equally urgent and yet a sly incompatible alternatives. Business operating in regions that for instance corruption is the order of the day, it is expected that the business partner may advocate for the utilization of the same in the business operations (Bowie, 2002). As such, any of the partners who are not ready alter his or her ethical perspective finds him or herself in a dilemma. In the weapon industry, there are high expectations that a business should not alter its ethical perspectives based on the culture. Being a sensitive industry, issues such as bribes and corruption should be used as a tip to obtain business deal. However, in the case provided, Yuri, apparently alters the ethical perspectives in his business operations. Corruption and bribery litters his business operations. Nevertheless, a business is expected to uphold high integrity in its operations irrespective of its operation culture and environment. The business manager should maintain and support ethical culture. This will indeed assist in maintaining the ethical issues in a weapon industry. References Bowie, N (2002) "A Kantian Approach to Business Ethics" Ethical Issues in Business. Donaldson, Thomas, Werhane, Patricia, Cording Margaret.  New Jersey: Prentice Hall Falkenberg, A. (2004). When in Rome… moral maturity and ethics for international economic organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 54 No. 1: 17-32. Freeman, E. (2002). "Stakeholder Theory of Modern Corporation" Ethical Issues in Business. Donaldson, Thomas, Werhane, Gopalkrishnan, R. (2001). International exchanges as the basis for conceptualizing ethics in international business. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 31, No. 1: 3-24. Pedigo, K & Marshall, R. (2004). International Ethical Dilemmas Confronting Australian Managers: Implications for the Training and Development of Employees Working Overseas. Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 28, No.2: 183-198. Read More