B. adopting the ethics of the culture in which a business operates. Utilitarianism is a philosophical approach that is very often applied to ethics. Utilitarianism (Consequence-based Ethics) 2 years ago • Ethical Theories and Frameworks • 0 One of the most influential ethical frameworks , utilitarianism is focused on consequences and results; the sole basis of morality is determined by its usefulness or utility . clients, colleagues, the community. • The utilitarian approach deals with consequences; it tries both to increase the good done and to reduce the harm done. Calculating Consequences: The Utilitarian Approach to Ethics. In this article, I suggest and support a utilitarian approach to business ethics. D. ensuring justified treatment of … By Staff Writer Last Updated Mar 27, 2020 5:43:31 PM ET. Legal Administration Business Administration. Kantian Ethics/ Business Ethics. These just didn't work, as there was no incentive to keep the rules, and lots of reasons to break them. When Oliver North was asked to explain why he lied to congressional committees about his role in the Iran-Contra affair, he replied, "Lying does not come easily to me. Companies will attempt to work out how much something is going to cost them before taking action that should, ideally, result in consequences favourable to everyone. The Utilitarian Approach • The ethical action is the one that produces the greatest good and does the least harm for all stakeholders e.g. The first theory, utilitarianism, we will consider in this lecture. b. the moral worth of actions or practices is determined by their consequences. d. Business ethics theories include the moral principles or codes a company implements to ensure that all individuals working in the company act with acceptable behavior. So, utilitarianism provides a basis for criticizing business behaviours that cause harm to anyone at all. By Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez . A hard-core utilitarian would say that outcomes are all that matter. For Kant emotions/ consequences are not considered; For 18th Century Immanuel Kant duty is all important and must be done through good will. The utilitarian approach to business ethics suggests that: A. people should be treated as ends and never purely as means to the ends of others. That is, the utilitarian approach seems to imply that it would be ethical to inflict pain on one person if that action results in a net increase in happiness. Business owners and managers can use an ethics theory they deem most appropriate for use in their operations. ‘Kantian ethics provides the best approach to business ethics.’ Discuss. Business ethics is the code of principles and values that govern the decisions and actions within an organization. The second theory, called deontology, will be addressed later. When used in a sociopolitical construct, utilitarian ethics aims for the betterment of society as a whole. Utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. Utilitarianism provides a guiding framework of decision making rooted in social benefit which helps direct business toward more ethical behavior. Question added by Atallah Alenizi , Project Manager , Directive Date Posted: 2015/12/12. Thus, it is the intention behind an action rather than its consequences that make that action good. The utilitarian philosophy for business ethics primarily focuses on: A. applying home-country standards of ethics in foreign countries. To act from a good will is to act from duty. Last time, we talked about the Utilitarian Approach to ethical decision-making. The utilitarian approach to business ethics suggests that: a. people should be treated as ends and never purely as means to the ends of others. In applying utilitarian principles to business ethics, the cost-benefit analysis is most often used – it is a good decision making tool. Business & Finance Geography World View Science Pets & Animals Home / World View / Philosophy / Ethics / What Is the Utilitarian Approach? A few different business ethics theories exist, such as the utilitarian, rights, justice, common good and virtue approach. Utilitarianism in business can lead to a bottom-line mentality in which decisions are based on achieving the greatest good for the organization as it pertains to the greatest number of stakeholders, including shareholders and all others affected by the actions of the organization The outcome is the determining factor, not the intent of the actors or whether people are treated humanely. Utilitarianism is already widely used as a business ethic approach, although it is not well developed in the literature. Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different characterizations, the basic idea behind all of them is to in some sense maximize utility, which is often defined in terms of well-being or related concepts. The idea of applying utility to ethics has its roots in 18th century philosophy. Generally speaking, utilitarian philosophy teaches that the consequences of actions are always of great importance and that justice and beneficence should be the guiding principles while making decisions (Hales 1608). More generally, we are reviewing five theories that provide the ethical building blocks you can use in your classroom to debrief any ethical dilemma. Utilitarianism is already widely used as a business ethic approach, although it is … Utilitarianism, in normative ethics, a tradition stemming from the late 18th- and 19th-century English philosophers and economists Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill according to which an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it … In the past, there was a focus on rules within a business. In business contexts, utilitarianism implies an obligation for businesses to do what they can to act in a way that maximizes happiness and minimizes suffering. Mait Juriado photo/Moment/Getty Images. A Kantian approach to business ethics The importance of purity of motive • Kant argued that the highest good was the good will. losing a job) are irrelevant as if an employer is acting unethically, the employee has a duty to report them. As a part of general and practical ethics, business ethics focuses on moral or ethical principles and issues that occur in the business environment, providing judgments as … Utilitarianism provides a guiding framework of decision making rooted in social benefit which helps direct business toward more ethical behavior. What is the utilitarian approach to business ethics and examine its weaknesses? For Kant, the essence of morality is the goodwill, and, reason is at the centre of morality. The utilitarian approach to business ethics. D. human beings have fundamental rights and privileges that transcend national cultures. c. people have dignity and need to be treated as such. As an ethical theory, it was supported by the works of John Stewart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. Kantian ethics is deontological, meaning that the actions rather than the consequences matter in ethical decision making. 63. Business Ethics has in many ways made a move towards an Aristotelian approach. Utilitarianism is already widely used as a business ethic approach, although it is not well developed in the literature. B. the moral worth of actions or practices is determined by their consequences. Of course, every dilemma can be dissected using more than one approach, and thus, the end result or decision may […] C. maximizing business profits by increasing employee productivity. What Is the Utilitarian Approach? BUSINESS ETHICS :: Utilitarianism • Introduction • Jeremy Bentham • Theory of Utility • Types of Utilitarianism • Some Criticisms • Moral Dilemma Introduction Over the course of the next two lectures we will be looking at two of the most politically and philosophically significant … In this article, I suggest and support a utilitarian approach to business ethics. For Kant the consequences of whistleblowing (e.g. C. people have dignity and need to be treated as such. 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