Bussiness ethics - Research Paper Example

a type of moral relativism. Likewise, a further level of distance will be sought from the point of view that morality is ultimately immutable and constant; i.e. a type of moral absolutism. In this way, a type of combination approach in which some aspects of ethics and morality are unchanging and others are informed as a result of the situation and the times; i.e. a type of moral objectivism. For purposes of this response, normative morality will be considered as the ethical action and descriptive morality will be defined as the way in which morality and ethics are understood within the constraints of individual beliefs. a. Businesses can have ethical standards, but Businesses are not moral agents.

Do you agree or disagree? With regards to businesses not being moral agents, this is a statement that this author patently disagrees with. A moral agent is merely an entity that through proper application of moral behavior and ethical decisions is able to project these forces onto the environment within which they ultimately interact or operate within. As such, a business has the strong possibility, even perhaps the requirement, of being a moral agent within the community and/or environment within which they operate. b. Is it true that the “bottom line” of business is profit and profit alone?

Likewise, with respect to the statement above, it is the belief of this author, supported by the proof of many unethical businesses that have risen and fallen within the past, that the ultimate bottom line cannot entirely rest upon profitability. The fact of the matter is that the entropy of the business world means that firms must continually fight not only for profits but for market share and customers within the system. As such, seeking to focus upon a bottom line that only cares about profit will necessarily yield to a failed business due to the fact that ethics, morality, and other key human and social concerns will not be considered; thereby ultimately affecting the performance of the firm and/or the way it is viewed within the marketplace. c. In business, are there other less tangible goals that are intrinsic to and just as important as making money?

The intangible goals such as providing humane and ethical conditions of employment as well as the end product or service to the customer is more important if not more than the intrinsic goal of making money. In the short term, such a plan may work to provide a level of business continuation; however, the other aspects of a business model or plan will ultimately make or break the longevity of the firm/enterprise/organization. d. Why should we be moral as individuals? Ultimately, morality as an individual comes down to seeking to maximize the good that exists in the world.

Although making moral decisions can oftentimes be difficult, a moral choice is the one that best upholds the needs of the individual as well as the needs of greater society. In this way, seeking to behave in an ethically responsible manner as well as morally will ensure that the greater good within each and every situation is attempted to be maximized. Rather than merely seeking to further our own ends (i.e. a type of utilitarianism), the ultimate goal should be to further our ow