Ethics

Suggested Length: 750 to 1000 words

Ethical Theories to Apply for Assignment 2:

Golden Rule and Virtue Ethics You are to consider, discuss, and evaluate both ethical theories and then choose the best one on which to base your recommendations.

Explain why it is the best choice. You may reuse your facts and issues from Assignment 1. 1. (I attached my first essay down below!)

Task You work in the Ethics Department for ABC Company (ABC).

Your department is dedicated to advising its employees about their ethical obligations in the corporate setting. You are an internal consultant who provides advice and most importantly, recommendations for action to employees of the firm. All communications you receive in this capacity are confidential. Luke, an employee of ABC, comes to you with the following scenario and asks for your advice. He wants to fully consider the situation. Your task is to advise and recommend a course of action based on the specified ethical lenses and facts as given. Your recommendation must be based on only one of the two ethical theories – not both or a combination of both. In other words, your reasoning must support your choice.

Below are the facts that Luke provides to you.

*****

Luke has been asked to work on a project that involves developing land recently purchased by ABC to build an adult entertainment retail store. According to the plan, the land is located on the corner of the neighborhood where Owen, Luke’s brother, lives.

Luke knows that as soon as the plans for the store are made public, property values for the surrounding neighborhood will decrease significantly. ABC plans to publicly announce the project one month from today.

Luke is concerned about his obligations of confidentiality to his company. However, Luke is also very close to Owen, who recently told Luke that he received an offer to sell his house at an “okay” price given the current real estate market. Owen is considering selling but hasn’t made any final decision yet. He wonders if he might get a better offer a few years from now when the real estate market improves.

What is the ethical issue, why is this an issue, and what should Luke do about it?

***** For assignment 2, prepare a memo, setting out your analysis and recommendations, that considers ONLY the following two theories: Golden Rule and Virtue Ethics. Choose the best theory on which you base your recommendation and explain why it is the best.

ASSIGNMENT 1 (can reuse facts and issues from this)

Dear Luke,

I acknowledge you reaching out to the Ethics Division for guidance on the ethical dilemmas you

are experiencing concerning the adult entertainment retail store project. Grounded on the

information you offered, I have undertaken an ethical evaluation employing the Utilitarianism

and Universal Ethics lenses to assist you in attaining an intellectual resolution.

ETHICAL ISSUE:

The fundamental ethical concern at hand is the conflict between your role of confidentiality to

ABC Corporation and your association with your brother, Owen, who lives in the neighborhood

impacted by the project. The construction of the adult entertainment retail store is possibly to

result in a notable fall in property values in the surrounding. This condition raises questions

about your responsibilities to your boss, the possible harm to your brother, and the broader

repercussions for the community.

UTILITARIANISM ANALYSIS:

Utilitarianism examines ethical resolutions grounded on the fundamentals of fostering the

greatest overall joy or reducing harm to the majority. In this context:

1. Corporation Obligations: From a utilitarian view, your fundamental obligation is to your boss,

ABC Corporation. Your role of confidentiality is crucial for the corporations success, as it

guarantees that proprietary information is not leaked prematurely. Revealing the project details to

your brother could interfere with the corporations interests, possibly resulting in monetary losses

and negative repercussions for workers, shareholders, and other stakeholders.

2. Community Effect: On the other hand, you must regard the likely harm to the neighborhood

where your brother lives. The construction of an adult entertainment retail store can result in a

notable decline in property values, impacting not only your brother but also other residents in the

section. This could result in discontentment, monetary losses, and a fall in the overall well-being

of the impacted community.

3. Balancing Act: To reach a utilitarian resolution, you must gauge the possible harm caused by

revealing confidential information to your brother against the harm that may occur from the

project's effect on the community. It is important to consider the weight of harm in both cases.

KANT'S CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE ANALYSIS:

Kant's categorical imperative states that actions are ethically permissible only if they can be

universally administered without contradiction. Administering this fundamental to your scenario:

1. Maxim of Confidentiality: ABC Corporation depends on its staff's dedication to

confidentiality to function effectively. If you were to violate this confidentiality by revealing

sensitive project information to your brother, you would be handling your duty to the corporation

as an exception. If everyone were to do the same when encountered with the same dilemmas,

trust within the institution would erode, harming the corporations functions and eventually the

livelihoods of its workers.

2. Universalizable Act: Regard if you can permit the act of revealing confidential information to

be a universal law. If everyone experiencing a similar condition were to prioritize personal

correlations over professional responsibilities, it could result in chaos, mistrust, and possibly the

downfall of institutions, as people would act in their interests rather than those of their bosses.

RECOMMENDATION:

Grounded on the ethical examination using Utilitarianism and Kants categorical imperative, I

suggest the following course of action:

Uphold Confidentiality: Maintain your duty of confidentiality to ABC

Corporation. While you have a personal link to Owen, your fundamental obligation is to

your boss, which is vital for the well-being of the corporation, its talents, and its

stakeholders.

Open Communication with Owen: Engage in clear and honest talk with Owen

about the project without disclosing confidential details. You can convey your concerns

about the possible effect on the neighborhood and advise him to examine his options

concerning his property.

Recommend for Mitigation: If possible, suggest to ABC Corporation to consider

community involvement and mitigation strategies to minimize the negative effect of the

project on the neighborhood. This aligns with the corporations long-term interests and

ethical obligation to the community.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, Utilitarianism and Kants categorical imperative lenses both support the

suggestion to prioritize your duty of confidentiality to ABC Corporation while upholding open

and honest communication with your brother, Owen. This strategy pursues minimizing harm to

both the corporation and the impacted community, aligning with ethical fundamentals that foster

the greatest general well-being.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or need extra assistance in

maneuvering this ethical dilemma.

Sincerely,

________

Ethic Divison Consultant

ABC Corporation