Week 2 discussion responses

Initial Post (C.NORRIS)

As the executive of W.B. Milestone, the ethical dilemma at hand is choosing to market a product that could benefit the company greatly while potentially negatively affecting those who will use the product. To decide whether or not to sell the product, I should weigh the pros and cons of marketing the product, how all parties involved will be affected, and study any existing research pertaining to any side effects of the product. I will be weighing the consequences and outcomes of marketing the product to make my decision, using Consequentialism which focuses on outcome over actual action (Brusseau, 2012, Chapter 3, p. 93). The theory of ethics I chose to apply to the decision will greatly affect my answer as there are three varying types of consequentialist theories: utilitarian, altruist, and egoist (Brusseau, 2012, Chapter 3, p. 93).

Utilitarian theory is a theory of morality that focuses on the consequences and results of our decisions and actions over actual intentions and bases decisions on what will be the best result for all parties involved (CrashCourse, 2016). If I were to use Utilitarian theory in this situation, I would determine whether or not to market the product based on how many people would benefit and how many would suffer and would determine my decision from the greater good of the larger group, myself included. If the product will help more people than those who will be harmed and the good outweighs the bad, the utilitarian theory will tell me to market the product. 

Altruist theory involves making decisions that benefit and favor everyone except the decision-maker, in this case, me (Brusseau, 2012, Chapter 3, p. 110). In applying Altruistic theory to the given situation, I would choose to or not to market the product based on how it will affect everyone but myself. This would include those using the product, those making and distributing the product, and even employees of W.B. Milestone (besides myself). If I find that marketing the product will only positively affect me and my career at the moment, then altruist theory tells me that I should not take the marketing deal. 

Lastly, Egoist theory values the self-interest of the decision-maker and bases decisions on what will give the decision-maker the most pleasure and happiness (Brusseau, 2012, Chapter 3, p. 116). Applying Egoist theory to this scenario would mean I am deciding to or not to market the product based on what will benefit me the most. For example, marketing the product could increase my paycheck and help my position with W.B. Milestone. On the other hand, the product could negatively affect a lot of people which could harm my reputation and lead to me being fired. Using Egoist theory, I would weigh the pros and cons of marketing the product based on what will have the best result for myself. 

Ethical Relativism, or Cultural Relativism, is the notion that morality and values are specific to each culture and that what a specific society believes does not pertain to universal reasoning (Brusseau, 2012, Chapter 4, p. 140). I think the example of basing the production of the product in Malaysia could be considered a case of ethical relativism since the production laws and employee working conditions of Malaysia are more relaxed and the lower wages align with the existing pay expectations and norms. These conditions would never pass on U.S. soil as there are rules and regulations which ensure a higher standard. However, because the company is an American operation being placed in a country with differing production rules and standards, W.B. Milestone would be able to get away with it but would be practicing bad ethics in the process. 

References:

Brusseau, J. (2012). The Business Ethics Workshop: Chapter 3 Theories of Consequence Ethics: Traditional Tools for Making Decisions in Business when the Ends Justify the Means. Saylor Academy. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/547083/viewContent/20377287/View

Brusseau, J. (2012). The Business Ethics Workshop: Chapter 4 Theories Responding to the Challenge of Cultural Relativism. Saylor Academy. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/547083/viewContent/20377287/View

CrashCourse. (2016, November 21). Utilitarianism: Crash Course Philosophy #36. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a739VjqdSI

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