Ethical Principles and Design Theories - Essay Example

Ethical Principles and Design theories in Jewelers’ box Name Date Course Ethical Principles and Design theories in Jewelers’ box Introduction The jewelry boxes are usually made of different materials including the animal skins. The use of crocodile and snake skins during the process raises ethical issues. The ethical issues during the manufacture of the jewelry boxes also arise from the working conditions that the workers are usually exposed to during the manufacturing process. The process is usually complex as the jewels stored in the boxes are expensive. The boxes should therefore be of high quality. The current method of production also raises the ethical questions. This is because the chemicals that are usually used to process the skins are highly toxic and they are usually released to the water sources. The release of the toxic substances on the water sources has a negative impact on the lives of the people living in the area. It is also important to note that the workers who are involved in the production process usually encounter health problems due to the exposure to the chemical substances (Carmalt, 2011). The manufactures however, insists on the high quality of the products in order to satisfy the needs of the customers without considering the health issues. The paper discusses the ethical issues in relation to the production of jewelry boxes. Photograph showing Jewelry The Ethical Dilemma The jewelry boxes are on high demand and they are required for storing the high quality jewels. The process that are involved in the manufacture of the jewelry boxes ate usually complex and it requires a lot of procedures. The ethical dilemma lies on the materials used and the processes that are involved during the production. It is also important to note that the use of the crocodile skin means that the animals have to be killed in order to obtain the materials for the manufacturing process. This also raises an ethical question as it endangers the lives of the animals. However the main ethical dilemma is during the manufacturing process. The chemical that are used for treating the crocodile skins are highly toxic (Simlesa, 2002). It has negative impact on the health of the workers and the members of the public. This is because the chemical re usually released in the water bodies which causes environmental pollution. On the other hand, the pollution has negative impacts on the lives of the people using the water source. The chemicals released to the water bodies cause diseases to the people using the water and hence the ethical dilemma. This is an indication that the manufactures do not care about the health of the people using the water. Stakeholders and what at stake for each The sector has several stakeholders who are involved in the process. The manufactures are the first group of stakeholders as they are directly involved in the manufacturing process. The manufacturers of the jewelry boxes are usually involved in the dumping of the chemical substances to the water sources and hence causing a health hazard to the people living around the area. The manufactures usually benefit from the process despite the health hazard that the process cause on the health of the people. This is through selling the jewelry boxes (Caldwell, 2011). The jewelry sellers are also stakeholders in the process. This is because they purchase the finished products from the manufacturers. The jewelry manufactures are not affected by the negative impacts that the manufacturing process causes on the people. On the other hand it is also important to note that the jewelry manufactures contribute to the problem as they require the boxes for the purposes of packaging. The employees who are involved in the manufacturing process are also stakeholders who are involved in the process as they are directly affected. The employees are usually responsible for the production of the finished products. During the process, they are exposed to the chemicals that reused for the treatment process. On the other hand, they are also required to dump the waste products in the water bodies. The people who use the water resources are also stakeholders as they are affected by the chemicals that have been dumped in the water sources. The water users are affected by the chemical that have been duped on the water bodies and hence the negative impacts on their health. The water users do not have the ability of preventing the companies from dumping the chemicals in the water bodies and hence the negative impact that they feel. The authorities are also stakeholders as they are responsible for coming up with the policies that are meant to ensure that the water sources are protected. Policies are supposed to ensure that the water sources are protected in order to safeguard the health of the people using the water. The failure of the authorities to implement the policies therefore has negative impacts on the process. Values at stake and ranking The process of dumping the chemical substances in the water put various ethical values at stake. This is both for the business and the people who use the water. The right of the people to access clean water is affected by the companies that dump the chemicals in the water. On the other hand, it is important to note that the integrity of the companies is at stake. The principle of honesty and fiduciary is also affected by the actions of the company. This is because the companies benefit from process that has negative impacts on the health of the people. The companies also make profit at the expense of the other employees. The philosophical values are also affected by during the process by the company. This is through the operations that the companies manufacturing the jewelry boxes engage in. The ethical values at stake have negative impacts on the public image of the companies as well as the people who are directly affected by the processes of the company (Hayry, 2013). The business ethics of the companies that engages in the production of the jewelry boxes is thus questionable due to the negative impacts that the processes have on the people. Trustworthiness is also an important ethical value that is at stake during the manufacturing of the jewelry boxes. This value can be ranked first due to the negative impacts that is has on the people using the water. The companies are supposed to be trustworthy and ensure that all its processes do not compromise the health of the people (Hinman, 2011). Caring is also an important ethical value that is at stake and it can be ranked second. According to this value, the company is supposed to care about the needs of the people who use the water. However, this does not happen as the company dumps the chemical sin the water sources and hence affecting the health of the people. On the other hand, the company does not care about the heath of its employees. This is because it exposes them to health risks during the manufacturing process. The ethical value of responsibility is also at stake as the action of the company is not responsible. The company is not responsible for its actions as it discharges chemicals in the water sources instead of ensuring that the waste products are treated and properly disposed. The irresponsible actions of the company cause the negative health impacts on the people. Ethical principals The ethical principals are mainly the universal standards of rights or wrongs. The principle of ethical integrity is not being upheld by the company. The company is not supposed to sacrifice the ethical principle for expediency. This is has taken place in the company through the activities that it has been engaged in. Respect for others is also an ethical principle that is stake. The actions of the company does not show any respect for the people who use the water sources. This is because it discharges the hazardous chemicals on the water sources that are supposed to be used by the people. Law abiding principal is also important for an organization. An organization is supposed to be law abiding in order to ensure that its actions do not affect the people. However, the actions of the companies involved in the production of jewelry boxes indicate that they are not law abiding. The law in most cases demands that the companies should ensure that the waste products are well treated and disposed in the correct manner in order to avoid any health hazard. On the other hand, it is also important to note that being law abiding enables the organization to respect the rights o the other people. The principle of reputation and morale is also important for an organization (O'neill, 2010). This is important in ensuring that the organization is able to maintain a good public image. However the production process of the company impacts negatively on the morale of the employees and the public image of the companies is also affected. Course of Action and Test Criteria The concepts of utilitarianism plays an essential role in highlighting what is good for everyone. According to the concepts of utilitarianism, the consequences of an action determine whether the action is good or bad (Reidenbach, 2013). The concept insists that the common good of the people should be considered when performing a certain action. The actions of the company are not good as it has negative consequences on the lives of the people using the water. The company should therefore ensure that the process of disposing the chemical substances does not affect the lives of the people. This is by ensuring that the common good of the people is considered during the process. According to the concepts of consequentilism, what is right for a particular group or individual is dependant in the consequences that the actions has on the others people. This means that the consequences of the actions of individuals or groups determine whether the action is good or bad (Smart, 2012). The consequences of the actions of the company involved in the manufacturing of the jewelry boxes are bad as it affects the health if the people using the water sources. The company should ensure that the consequences of its actions are not bad and does not affect the lives of the people using the water sources. The company should therefore ensure that it observes high standards in its operations. The ethical standards should be used by the company to ensue that all its operations are carried out in a manner that does not breach the ethical principles and values. On the other hand, it is also important to note that the concepts of ethics are important in enhancing the public image of the company (Williamson, 2012). Abiding by the laws that have been set out to prevent the pollution of the water sources will also ensure that the company is responsible. The ability of the company to maintain a good relationship with the stakeholders will also play an essential role in ensuring that the stakeholders are not impacted negatively. On the other hand, the company should ensure that it is accountable for its actions through analyzing the effects that its processes have on the people using the water sources. The ethical principles will enable the company to achieve its goals and objectives without affecting the other stakeholders. This is regardless of the cost that it may be forced to incur during the process. List of References Carmalt, J, 2011, Human rights, care ethics and situated universal norms, Antipode, 43(2), 296-325. Hinman, L, 2011, Ethics: A Pluralistic Approach to Moral Theory: A Pluralistic Approach to Moral Theory, Cengage Learning. Hayry, M, 2013, Liberal utilitarianism and applied ethics, Routledge. O'neill, O, 2010, The Idea of Justice, The Journal of Philosophy, 107(7), 384-388. Reidenbach, R, 2013, Toward the Development of a Multidimensional Scale for Improving Evaluations of Business Ethics, In Citation Classics from the Journal of Business Ethics (pp. 45-67). Springer Netherlands. Smart, J, 2012, Extreme and restricted utilitarianism, Ethical Theory: An Anthology, 423. Williamson, T, 2012, Property-owning Democracy: Rawls and beyond, John Wiley & Sons. Simlesa, V, 2002, Crocodile Products - NT Export and Import Requirements, Northern Territory Government, J72. Caldwell , J, 2011, World trade in crocodilian skins 2007-2009. Cambridge: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Read More

The jewelry manufactures are not affected by the negative impacts that the manufacturing process causes on the people. On the other hand it is also important to note that the jewelry manufactures contribute to the problem as they require the boxes for the purposes of packaging. The employees who are involved in the manufacturing process are also stakeholders who are involved in the process as they are directly affected. The employees are usually responsible for the production of the finished products.

During the process, they are exposed to the chemicals that reused for the treatment process. On the other hand, they are also required to dump the waste products in the water bodies. The people who use the water resources are also stakeholders as they are affected by the chemicals that have been dumped in the water sources. The water users are affected by the chemical that have been duped on the water bodies and hence the negative impacts on their health. The water users do not have the ability of preventing the companies from dumping the chemicals in the water bodies and hence the negative impact that they feel.

The authorities are also stakeholders as they are responsible for coming up with the policies that are meant to ensure that the water sources are protected. Policies are supposed to ensure that the water sources are protected in order to safeguard the health of the people using the water. The failure of the authorities to implement the policies therefore has negative impacts on the process. Values at stake and ranking The process of dumping the chemical substances in the water put various ethical values at stake.

This is both for the business and the people who use the water. The right of the people to access clean water is affected by the companies that dump the chemicals in the water. On the other hand, it is important to note that the integrity of the companies is at stake. The principle of honesty and fiduciary is also affected by the actions of the company. This is because the companies benefit from process that has negative impacts on the health of the people. The companies also make profit at the expense of the other employees.

The philosophical values are also affected by during the process by the company. This is through the operations that the companies manufacturing the jewelry boxes engage in. The ethical values at stake have negative impacts on the public image of the companies as well as the people who are directly affected by the processes of the company (Hayry, 2013). The business ethics of the companies that engages in the production of the jewelry boxes is thus questionable due to the negative impacts that the processes have on the people.

Trustworthiness is also an important ethical value that is at stake during the manufacturing of the jewelry boxes. This value can be ranked first due to the negative impacts that is has on the people using the water. The companies are supposed to be trustworthy and ensure that all its processes do not compromise the health of the people (Hinman, 2011). Caring is also an important ethical value that is at stake and it can be ranked second. According to this value, the company is supposed to care about the needs of the people who use the water.

However, this does not happen as the company dumps the chemical sin the water sources and hence affecting the health of the people. On the other hand, the company does not care about the heath of its employees. This is because it exposes them to health risks during the manufacturing process. The ethical value of responsibility is also at stake as the action of the company is not responsible. The company is not responsible for its actions as it discharges chemicals in the water sources instead of ensuring that the waste products are treated and properly disposed.

The irresponsible actions of the company cause the negative health impacts on the people. Ethical principals The ethical principals are mainly the universal standards of rights or wrongs.

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