Business Ethics
Part 1: Can one belief system fit all situations?
Mostly, not all leaders attain the desired results when they come across scenarios that
need a variety of decisions to be made. Usually, managers depend on common leadership
techniques that operate well in a certain set of circumstances but fail when used in others.
According to the organizational theory and practice, a particular level of order and predictability
exists in the world. Therefore, circumstances keep changing, and as they become more
sophisticated, the usual simplifications may fail. For this reason, good leadership does not
entertain a one-size-fits-all proposition.
If I were to choose one belief system to live by all situations I would choose
utilitarianism. This is because utilitarianism offers a straightforward method for deciding the
moral right course of an action in any scenario I may find myself in.
ETHICS
However, this belief system can fail me at certain times. For instance, the computers and
laptops in the first floor of WEGA Technologies Company can be stolen. During the incidence
Gerald, a senior computer technologist in WEGA Technologies Company, could be in his office
located in the third floor of the premises carrying out finishing touches on a software he has been
developing. Therefore, he may be linked to the theft. As the manager who believes in
utilitarianism, I am expected to choose what is best for the company such as firing Gerald.
However, this could be a grave injustice especially if Gerald is innocent.
Part 2:
For me, giving employees priority before profits is an ethical thing to do. During the
1995 burn, Aaron Feuerstein would have cashed in his fire insurance payment and enjoy his
luxury in Florida. Also, he could have moved his business to a market with cheap labour as most
textiles industries had done. However, Feuerstein found it right to care for his workers who had
always been loyal to him. I do not think he was doing a wrong thing. Caring for people instead of
net worth and personal interests is a virtue that most managers in the world have tried to embrace
but with little success (Sellnow, Seeger & Ulmer, 2011, Pg. 216). As a reward for his exceptional
ethical virtue, the sales and the productivity of a company increased. I do not think currently the
world has Feuerstein-like leaders. Most of our leaders are corrupt. They readily cease each
corruption opportunity that comes their way and benefit themselves.
ETHICS
References
Sellnow, T. L., Seeger, M. W., & Ulmer, R. R. (2011). Effective crisis communication: Moving
from crisis to opportunity. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
