international ethics

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Assignment 1 Instructions

Case Analysis of 'Blood for Sale' (Case 2.1 in MIB textbook)

BUSS 3053 IMEV

Purpose

This assignment (A1) is designed to assess your ability to identify the key ethical aspects of a situation. It addresses the first course objective—recount concrete examples of issues dealing with ethics and values—and the graduate qualities related to body of knowledge, problem-solving, ethical action, and effective communication.

Description of the assignment

Read Case 2.1 'Blood for sale' in your MIB textbook (pp. 99-101).

Then answer the following questions:

1. Tell me whether each of the following statements is descriptive or normative, and briefly explain your answer:

a. 'Business went smoothly and profitably...'

b. 'A commercialised system discourages voluntary donors.'

c. 'No commercialised system of blood donation should exist.'

d. 'Selling body parts, such as blood or kidneys, raises a number of ethical concerns.'

2. Assess the morality of a commercialised market in blood from the point of view of:

a. egoism

b. utilitarianism (act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism)

c. deontology (Kant's ethics)

3. In your view, which system of the distribution of blood is better—the US system or the non-commercial systems in Australia, New Zealand, or the British NHS? Explain in some detail why you consider your preferred system to be morally superior. How did you arrive at this moral judgment? You can—but do not have to—refer back to Q2 in your answer.

4. Briefly comment on the suggestion that context matters in all ethical decision making, including your moral reasoning process in this case. What specific context, for example, may be important in this case? Is the acknowledgement that 'context matters' equivalent to a belief in ethical relativism?

Note: Please make sure you answer the questions above—not the ones in the MIB textbook.

Format

This is an individual assignment. Write about 1200 words total, addressing the questions above. The length of the assignment is limited to a maximum of 1200 words, but you certainly need not write as much as that to answer the questions effectively. Instead, be concise.

Answer each question separately. Try to explain your answer to each question, and bear in mind that the reasons you give for your answer are just as important as the answer itself. The answers must show that you have some idea why the answer you have given is appropriate.

Please use Times New Roman or Calibri size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing or double spacing in your assignment. Number all pages of your paper.

You are expected to draw on the course material in answering the questions. At the end of your essay, please alphabetically list all your sources correctly and completely on a separate last page with the heading ‘References’. The minimum expectation is that you cite the MIB textbook correctly. Beyond that, cite only those sources that helped you answer the questions. Use this assignment to demonstrate your understanding of the IMEV material of the first few weeks rather than as a research paper exercise. All works cited, including all Internet references, should be fully referenced using the Harvard (<author>, <date>) style or the APA style. Include page numbers for printed works. The referencing style to be used in this assignment is actually the UniSA variant of the Harvard style (or APA, if you prefer). Details about referencing can be accessed at the University’s referencing website at:

http://roadmap.unisa.edu.au/ .

Assessment

Assessment of Assignment 1 will take into account the following criteria:

1. Extent to which your answers indicate an understanding of the course material so far (weight 30%)

2. Extent to which your answers are correct and in response to the specific question(s) asked (20%)

3. Clarity of expression (20%)

4. Proper acknowledgement of external sources (5%)

5. Overall presentation, including correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. (20%)

6. Whether your A1 paper was submitted on time (by the A1 due date and time stated in the Course Calendar) or not. This is a grading criterion because, in management, deadlines are not optional. On-time submission will mean a perfect score for this grading criterion. (5%)

Re-marking can be accommodated in line with p. 21 of UniSA's Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual (2015).  Rule 5.1.2 states that "the second mark stands, whether it is higher or lower. No further re-marking will be permitted."  The other guidelines in the APPM may also be worth considering before requesting a re-mark.  You must provide, in writing, a specific reason (related to your A1 feedback from the marker) for the request.

Resources and activities

Class activity will assist you in the preparation of this assignment.

Also, several guidelines are available online:

https://lo.unisa.edu.au/course/view.php?id=4074

(e.g., Assignments > Case studies).

Extensions and late submissions

The assignment must be submitted via the designated drop box on LearnOnline . The due date is in the Course Calendar and on LearnOnline.

Extensions will normally not be granted. Rare exceptions will be made for personal illness supported by medical certificates and for significant, unexpected, and unforeseeable personal events. All extensions are at the absolute discretion of the course coordinator (who may also consult with the tutor of the section in which you are enrolled).

There is no obligation to accept late submissions where no prior arrangement has been made. In addition, there is no commitment to return late assignments within two weeks of submission. Late penalties will not apply to assignments for which an official extension has been granted on LearnOnline, provided that the assignment is submitted by the extended submission date. Assignments submitted after the due date, without an authorized extension, will receive a penalty of 10 points (out of 100) a day deducted from the total available mark for the assignment for up to 7 calendar days. After 7 calendar days, the assignment will no longer be accepted and receive a mark of zero.

No resubmission is permitted for this assignment.

Feedback

Feedback on this assessment will be provided on the Feedback form. Please submit a copy of the feedback form in Word format with the LearnOnline submission for the assessor’s use.

This assignment is worth 25% of the total marks for this subject.

Assignment due: At 5 p.m. on 8 April 2015

Your submission must be uploaded on LearnOnline before the deadline.

Good luck!