Posted: April 8th, 2015

Contemporary and International Issues in Business Ethics

Contemporary and International Issues in Business Ethics

“Identify, investigate and critically analyse TWO contemporary cases/scenarios of Business Ethical Concern. With regard to the social and political role of business in society, critique each case/scenario from a maximum of two of the following theoretical perspectives: Utilitarianism, Kantian theory, An Ethic of Care, Virtue, and Postmodern Ethics.”

Identifying and Investigating:
Step 1: Business ethics issues are reported upon regularly in the media. Conduct an ongoing and thorough investigation of the incidents that have been reported on in the web/ newspapers/ television/ radio, since the start of the module.
You may use material from the Blackboard News File folder but remember you have been encouraged to do your own searches from the start.

Step 2:  Choose 2 Areas of Business Ethical Concern to investigate and analyse. They may be concerning one company or more than one. Write a very brief outline of the topics and what interests you about them.
NB. In the allocated tutorial time you must t negotiate with me to ensure that they are suitable – to be evidenced by my signature. Non-negotiated work may not be marked.

Writing your coursework – suggestions:

Step 1
Describe – Identify the facts:
Briefly outline the case
How did the situation come about?
What are the key Issues?
Who are the stakeholders?
Whose rights are involved if any?
Identify any duties – who has them?
Identify any virtues, or precedents

Step 2
Discern – identify the ethical issues:
What are the most significant issues (where there are more than one give no more than two)
Are there conflicting interests, if so, which are the most important?
Are there conflicting rights? Which carry the most weight?
Are there any conflicts of duty, which should take precedence?

Step 3
Critique your case /scenario from a theoretical perspective (s)
Consider the social and political role of business in society
How does your chosen ethical theoretical perspective (s) apply to the case/scenario?
What light do they shine upon potential outcomes/principles/duties/actions etc might their application entail/ suggest?

If you are using 2 ethical theoretical perspectives for one case, do they suggest conflicting or similar outcomes/principles/duties/actions etc, might their application entail/ suggest?

(Suggestions based upon a modified version of
K. Goodpaster’s (2002) framework for case study analysis*)