this is a very useful PP

1. Week 1
Slides linked to Mellahi, Morrell & Wood
Book p.3-13

2. Introduction

 What is the difference between Ethics, Values &
Morals?
 Ethics: Doing what is good & what is bad.
 Values: knowing what is good & what is bad.
 Morals: Judgment of the goodness or badness of a
human action or character.

3. Introduction

 Business Ethics: right/wrong, good/bad & desirable
non-desirable in business world.
 It’s the study of Business from an ethical point of
view.
 Question: profitable companies from non-ethical
businesses (e.g. counterfeit, smuggling, trafficking,
tobacco, arms) they do pay back to the society, but
how ethical does that make them?

4. Ethical Theories
Moral Relativism

 It says there are no universal: Moral principles.
Morality: is a matter of customs, opinions, habits,
emotions, culture, tradition. Relativism: says that we
don’t really know what is good or bad.
 Morality is a matter of culture or social norm or it
even depend on the situation.
 If someone is torturing me for a long time is it ok to
kill him?
 Are you Anti-Relativist?
 Does what is good and bad vary from society to
society, organization to organization or there is
certain global relevance?

5. Altruism

 The principle or practice of unselfish concern for or
devotion to the welfare of others.
 It is also looked at as an Ethical Conduct.. putting
someone else first.. Acting for other’s sake
 Like: letting someone cross the road in-front of your
car, holding the door for someone, donating blood or
organ.
 Opposed to Egoism!

6. Egoism:

 In Ethical Egoism it is necessary for an action to be
morally right if it maximizes one’s self interest.
 Ethical Egoism differ in context from standard
morality.
 What will “I” gain out of my actions or sacrifice?
 Its said: “There are Altruistic actions, but there are
always egoistic explanation for those actions”.
 A bank is being ethical for refusing to lend money to
a tobacco company then the bank advertise an ethical
lending policy to attract more customers. How
ethical is that?

7. Legalism:

 Law Code is written and made public.
 The fact that an action is legally acceptable does not
make it moral.
 Example of that Hurwitz took over Pacific Lumper
doubled the rate of tree cutting in redwood forest to
pay off the debts, his action was branded immoral :
 but was legally perfect.

8. Why is Ethics Important?

 valuable/ critical/ crucial in todays turbulent: and
fast changing environment?
 Without a sense of community and cooperation there
would simply be no firms. Without individual and
corporate virtue : to benefit society all success would
be empty.
 Society has a reaction against unethical business
practices. For example, in marketing, towards
environment, working conditions, accounting,
employee treatments,

9. Practice & Theory

 There is a danger that Business Ethics is looked at as
Whitewash without real changes in conduct!
 Example: There is little doubts that environmental claims
for good conduct can help to sell products like wood from
sustainably managed plantation which can cause thirsty
trees that can disturb rainfall areas.
 Business Ethics is an oxymoron: (contradiction)
Why? What does it mean to you?
(Firms exist to make profits, so do they really care about the
society?!)

10. 
 How to monitor & control managers & employees
behavior so they act ethically?
Your views (perspectives/opinions) will be culturally
biased: Why? How do we deal with this knowledge?

11. 
 There are 3 basic approaches to studying Business
Ethics:
 1) Prescriptive “formulate & defend basic moral
norms” : authoritarian???
 2) Descriptive “describe practices, moral codes &
beliefs”
 3) Conceptual “analyzing ethical terms such as: right,
good, justice & virtue to distinguish between moral
(fair) and immoral (unfair) managers/ employees/
customers/ suppliers / etc.

12. What is Ethics Practice?

Increase happiness and decrease suffering!

13. 
 The business may only be acting ethically for selfish
reasons.
e.g. What are your impressions/ thoughts of Unilever
and their lifebuoy antibacterial soap (visit their web
site)
 Who are they helping?
 Why? Who benefits?
(Take 10 minutes to come out with answers with your group)

14. Home Work

 For the next lesson:
 In teams of 4 students
 Make a 4 slide Prezi power point presentation
summarizing pages 3–13 by using pictures or 1
minute video clips.
 This should take no more than 4 minutes to present
to your peers, in the first lesson of next week’s class

15. Vocabulary list
Be sure to know these words

 Ethics/ Moral norms/
 Absolute right, Ethical implications
 Justice, Fairness, Virtue
 Oxymoron
 Culturally biased/ Cultural imperialism
 Altruistic
 Psychological egoism
 Utilitarianism