Business Ethics

— First essay assignment — due end of week 3 (by October 16)
The philosophic spirit is to approach a problem thoughtfully, looking at evidence before making a decision; you try to bring some order to what you are looking at; you are trying to see what is really there. The first step is to define a problem to look into. You state a thesis, defend a thesis, then offer counterarguments that critique your thesis, to see if it can withstand scrutiny. You try to create powerful counterarguments and make a strong case against your thesis, so that you are not just attacking a straw man (a weak argument). If you overcome strong objections, your thesis is tested, proves itself and becomes more plausible. The concluding summary of the essay restates your discussion and your result of your argument.
3-5 pages, double-spaced
You are free to explore whatever topics seem to emerge from the readings for our class, but here are a few sample questions that may help to get things started.
1. In class we have explored a number of arguments that recommend doing away with business ethics as a topic of study, as well as objections to such arguments. Pick an argument against business ethics and assess its strengths and weaknesses. How do you see the issue? Is this subject worth studying? Is there and should there be an ethic for business? Is there a different ethical problem in business than in other areas of life?
2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner. Suppose that you are setting up a corporation and are beginning to define a corporate ethic as a guideline for your colleagues and employees. What arguments can you offer in support of a CSR approach (or an approach that appeals to the “triple bottom line,” an accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental and financial — also called the three Ps: people, planet and profit — the “three pillars of sustainability”) — rather than focusing your company exclusively on maximizing total profitability?
3. Is lying ever justified in business? Explain your reasons. Consider cases of lying in negotiations, lying in advertising, and lying to employees. How can we distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable forms of lying — if there are any such distinctions — in cases like these? If there is a duty to tell the truth, how does this work in business?
4. Review some arguments for and against granting corporations the status of legal “persons” — e.g. corporations like people have the right to enter into contracts with one another and to sue or be sued in court — it is thought that corporations are collections of people, and that people should not be deprived of their rights when they act collectively. However, individuals are thought to have the basic right against self- incrimination (as illustrated in the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution), but no person (nor any legal entity) has ever recognized such a right for corporations.