BUSINESS ETHICS NOTES DOC

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1.How cultural affect the ethics?

One of the most significant issues 21st century businesses will face is the differences that exist in

multicultural societies. Each culture has its own understanding of ethical behavior, and different

cultural standards may apply in the marketplace. Successful businesses have traditionally focused

their energy on marketing strategy, product development and pricing. The new realities of the 21st

century marketplace will force businesses to make allowance in all their operations for both a diverse

workforce, and a diverse customer base

Business In Japan

Companies contemplating operations in Japan should take some time to gain an understanding of

how culture affects business in Japan. For example, a Western business executive may use and

understand the phrase, "Let's not lose our heads," but her Japanese counterpart may be very

confused and bewildered by the use of such a phrase. Other expectations include removing your

shoes when expected by your host, not raising your voice or simply understanding that you should

accept a gift with two hands. Practical expectations include printing business cards with Japanese

on one side and English on the other, and displaying respect for the practice of consensus building

when making important decisions

Business in China

When doing business in China, it is wise to remember that ancient cultural practices are still

important to the Chinese business executive of the 21st century. The Chinese expect that each

person understands and complies with their proper place in society. The Chinese value the idea of

"saving face," which means that in any transaction you will do nothing that diminishes a person's

position or authority. The Chinese also follow the practice of granting favors to people with which

they have a relationship. If a Chinese businessperson grants you favored status in a business deal,

they will expect that at some future date you will return the favor.

Business in the Middle East

Specific Middle Eastern cultural expectations are sometimes difficult to identify because of the large

number of nations in this region. The number one rule you must learn to follow is not to offend the

religion of the person you are dealing with. This will require that you do your homework before

entering into any negotiation or business transactions. There are different political, tribal and

religious systems that you must understand. In all social and business transactions that include

eating a meal, it is essential that you follow the customs of the people with whom you are eating.

Violation of the rules of etiquette will adversely affect any business deal you are contemplating.

Business Responses

Western countries such as the United States, Britain and Germany are experiencing a large influx of

people from all parts of the world. These people bring their own cultural identity to the country they

are migrating to, and over time have significant influence on the culture of their new home. The

liberty people enjoy in the United States has allowed immigrants to maintain and strengthen cultural

values they brought from their country of origin. Businesses react to cultural differences by printing

instructions in more than one language, by allowing employees time off to celebrate their traditional

holidays and by allowing people to wear clothing items that allow them to identify publicly with their

cultural background.



Ethics relativism

Ethical relativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture.

That is, whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which

it is practiced. The same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in

another.

Ethical relativism represents the position that there are no moral absolutes, no moral

right or wrong. This position would assert that our morals evolve and change with social norms over

a period of time. This philosophy allows people to mutate ethically as the culture, knowledge, and

technology change in society. Slavery is a good example of ethical relativism. Repeatedly the value

of a human being is determined by a combination of social preferences and patterns, experience,

emotions, and “rules” that seemed to bring about the most benefit

Virtue ethics

Virtue ethics is person rather than action based: it looks at the virtue or moral character of

the person carrying out an action, rather than at ethical duties and rules, or the

consequences of particular actions.

Virtue ethics not only deals with the rightness or wrongness of individual actions, it provides

guidance as to the sort of characteristics and behaviours a good person will seek to achieve.

In that way, virtue ethics is concerned with the whole of a person's life, rather than

particular episodes or actions

It's a useful theory since human beings are often more interested in assessing the character

of another person than they are in assessing the goodness or badness of a particular action.

This suggests that the way to build a good society is to help its members to be good people,

rather than to use laws and punishments to prevent or deter bad actions.

But it wouldn't be helpful if a person had to be a saint to count as virtuous. For virtue theory

to be really useful it needs to suggest only a minimum set of characteristics that a person

needs to possess in order to be regarded as virtuous

Principles

Virtue ethics teaches:

 An action is only right if it is an action that a virtuous person would carry out in the same

circumstances.

 A virtuous person is a person who acts virtuously

 A person acts virtuously if they "possess and live the virtues"

 A virtue is a moral characteristic that a person needs to live well.

Most virtue theorists would also insist that the virtuous person is one who acts in a virtuous

way as the result of rational thought (rather than, say, instinct).

Dimension of business ethics

Morality and legality are dimension of business ethics

Morality

Morality is the system through which we determine right and wrong

conduct -- i.e., the guide to good or right conduct

Ethics is the philosophical study of Morality

A theory is a structured set of statements used to explain (or predict) a set of facts or

concepts. A moral theory, then, explains why a certain action is wrong -- or why we

ought to act in certain ways. In short, it is a theory of how we determine right and

wrong conduct. Also, moral theories provide the framework upon which we think and

discuss in a reasoned way, and so evaluate, specific moral issues.

Seen in this light, it becomes clear that we cannot draw a sharp divide between moral

theory and applied ethics (e.g., medical or business ethics). For instance, in order to

critically evaluate the moral issue of affirmative action, we must not attempt to

evaluate what actions or policies are right (or wrong) independent of what we take to

determine right and wrong conduct. You will see, as we proceed, that we do not do

ethics without at least some moral theory. When evaluating the merits of some

decision regarding a case, we will always (or at least ought to always) find ourselves

thinking about how right and wrong is determined in general, and then apply that to

the case at hand. Note, though, that sound moral thinking does not simply involve

going one way -- from theory to applied issue. Sometimes a case may suggest that we

need to change or adjust our thinking about what moral theory we think is the best, or

perhaps it might lead us to think that a preferred theory needs modification.

Egoism

Right and wrong is determined by what is in your self-interest. Ethical

Egoism is usually based upon Psychological Egoism  that we, by nature, act selfishly.

In philosophy, egoism is the theory that one’s self is, or should be, the motivation and the goal of

one’s own action. Egoism has two variants, descriptive or normative. The descriptive (or

positive) variant conceives egoism as a factual description of human affairs. That is, people are

motivated by their own interests and desires, and they cannot be described otherwise. The

normative variant proposes that people should be so motivated, regardless of what presently

motivates their behavior. Altruism is the opposite of egoism. The term “egoism” derives from

“ego,” the Latin term for “I” in English. Egoism should be distinguished from egotism, which

means a psychological overvaluation of one’s own importance, or of one’s own activities.

People act for many reasons; but for whom, or what, do or should they act—for themselves,

for God, or for the good of the planet? Can an individual ever act only according to her own

interests without regard for others’ interests. Conversely, can an individual ever truly act for

others in complete disregard for her own interests? The answers will depend on an account

of free will. Some philosophers argue that an individual has no choice in these matters, claiming

that a person’s acts are determined by prior events which make illusory any belief in choice.

Nevertheless, if an element of choice is permitted against the great causal impetus from nature,

or God, it follows that a person possesses some control over her next action, and, that, therefore,

one may inquire as to whether the individual does, or, should choose a self-or- other-oriented

action. Morally speaking, one can ask whether the individual should pursue her own interests,

or, whether she should reject self-interest and pursue others’ interest instead: to what extent are

other-regarding acts morally praiseworthy compared to self-regarding acts?

Utilitarianis theorym

Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on

the outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As

such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests

of others.

Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on

the outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As

such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of

others

Deontologism theory

deontological ethics, in philosophy, ethical theories that place special

emphasis on the relationship between duty and the morality of human actions.

The term deontology is derived from the Greek deon, “duty,” and logos,

“science.” n deontological ethics an action is considered morally good

because of some characteristic of the action itself, not because the product of

the action is good. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are

morally obligatory regardless of their consequences for human welfare.

Deontological ethics or deontology  is the normative ethical position that judges the morality of an

action based on rules. It is sometimes described as "duty-" or "obligation-" or "rule-" based ethics,

because rules "bind you to your duty." Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted

to consequentialism,  virtue ethics, and pragmatic ethics. In this terminology, action is more important

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