Business Ethics

Business Ethics

1. Ceteris Paribus

   • all person deserve a minimal degree of respect
   • Categorical Imperative
     • 1. the Universal Principle/C.I Procedure
       • Always act such that your actions can be made to accord with a universal rule, and/or principle
     • 2. the means/end formulation
       • always treat others as ends in and of themselves, and NOT merely as means. 
       • Intrinsic Value
         • in and of itself.  "values"
       • Instrumental Value
         • someone you can put a price on.  base value on its worth.
     • 3. the Kingdom of Ends formulation
       • every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.
   • Autonomy
     • free will
       • self-governance
         • dignity
           • respect
     • the right to be informed
     • Employees are person
       • they have the right to know about the presence of health and safety hazards in the workplace
       • Fiduciary Relationships
         • relationship based on trust.first party ( has vulnerability ) vest in second party to protect the interest of the first.
         • Moral Obligations
           • certain parties have moral obligation to keep other parties satisfied and other do not,
           • Honesty
             • Business
               • in business to keep business going white lies are told
             • Doctors
               • we tell doctors everything.  the patient doctor relationship is the truest fiduciary relationship
   • Impedes Autonomy
     • Not being informed

2. Doctrine of Double-Effect Downsizing

   • Immoral
     • If the mechanism for the desired effect DOES undermine the autonomy of a person. People should have have to face hardships for reasons that have nothing to do with their choice.
   • Moral
     • if the desired person's autonomy  is not undermined Morally speaking a person should not experience hardship for reasons that are irrelevant to their autonomy. people should not face hardships for reason that have nothing to do with their choice.
   • Rawls Veil of Ignorance
     • one must know nothing about their position in the matter in order to make a decision without favoritism.
     • Self Interest
       • Rawls take on justice. Society everyone acts mostly on their self interest and thus in any situation justice cannot be served morally.
   • Business or Poker
     • Similarities
       • Lying
         • both require some degree of lying
     • differences
       • expectation
         • in poker you already expect to be lied to. In business you want to trust the person you're doing business with.
     • Competition or Combat
       • Healthy
         • healthy competition is perfect competition when the market competes with each other to insure the consumer gets a good deal.
       • Not Healthy
         • when the competition gets caught up in the mechanism and destroys his oppenent.

3. Kant

4. Carneigie

   • Capitalism Economic Model
     • Muck
       • the point of capitalism is to lift us out of the muck

5. Hobbes

   • System of Government
     • Social Contract
       • business needs to be run like a government. Enter into a social contract.  
     • State of War

6. Aristotle

   • Flourishing
     • Eudaemonian Ethics
       • good spirit. we must live in a flourishing society if we are to develop out nature successfully.
     • Work for Profit
       • he believed things should be traded for their true value instead of trying to trade for profit.

7. Friedman

   • Profit
     • Social Good
       • increase
         • you can donate more money
       • decrease
         • all the step to make a product. ex Starbuck- growing of beans, transport, water, electricity to make the coffer ect.

8. Freeman

   • StakeHolder
     • everyone that has a stake in the company ie hand. 
     • Tragedy of the Commons
       • ex deforestation a company will continue to do it even though they know it's wrong, because they know if they don't do it someone else will.

9. Singer

   • Utilitarianism
     • value can only be function of utility.  Everything must be divided equally

10. Smith

    • division of labor
      • specialization
        • make things faster, creating surplus.
      • expertise
        • increase quality