Managing Business Ethics MA 50000

Professor: Dr. Jesus Lemus PHD

Student: Jorge Yeshayahu Gonzales-Lara
 Managing Business Ethics MA 50000
Discussion Questions II

by: Jorge Yeshayahu Gonzales-Lara

1. If you had to choose just one of the philosophical approaches discussed in this chapter
to guide your decision making, which would be you choose? Why? Or, if you had to
rank them from most to least helpful, how would you rank them?

Prescriptive Approaches to Ethical Decision Making in Business

A. Focus on Consequences (Consequentialist Theories)
B. Focus on Duties, Obligations, and Principles (Deontological Theories)
C. Focus on Integrity (Virtue Ethics)
I would choose A, Focus on Consequences. It is best known as consequentialist theory.
Consequentialist Theories identify alternative actions and consequences to stakeholders. It is also
the best decision yields greatest net benefits to society. The advantages of focusing on
consequences is practical. In business practical act as an important role and it underlies business
thinking. It is very important that business thinking applies to business as there are so many
changes throughout the whole business structure. However, every steps or decision you’ve made
must be careful and be ready for any difficulties. So, the challenging part of it is difficult to evaluate
all the consequences as there are too many changes or outcomes might occur. In conclusion,
focusing on consequences is the best option for me, although it has some difficulties, but
sometimes, the difficulties may become your experience and you will need to make more decisions
that suits your organization throughout the whole journey. The most helpful approach is the
implementation of the creative thinking while the least can be the focus on the consequence of the
decision.
2. Some of the steps in the eight-step model might suggest very different courses of
action for resolving your dilemma. How would you choose among these distinct
courses of action? Why?
I would base on the simplest course of action to take. The confusion by the dilemma does
not grant time for the application of the whole process. Therefore, I would take the approach that

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is adequate and easy to apply. The most straightforward approach would be defining the ethical
issue because this might give me ample time to compose myself.

3. Think about situations where your values have been in conflict. How have you
resolved those conflicts? Now that you have studied the ethical decision-making
frameworks in this chapter, what should you have done?
When I was in situations that exposed my values into conflict like I compromised my integrity
at the place of work. I did not involve critical thinking thus made the hasty decision concerning
the issue. Now that I have learned the ethical decision-making framework, I have realized that I
was required to be patient and analyze the case, find more information concerning it, apply
different methods of the approach like creative thinks before finally making the necessary decision.
I was required to make the sound decision by basing on the evidence available.

4. Think about an ethical dilemma situation that you’ve faced. Apply the three approaches
and the eight steps recommended in this chapter. Does it change your thinking about the
situation? Would it change your action?

If I am found under a situation involving making a choice on the best method to use in the
production process, I can be able to make the sound decision if I apply the three approaches. The
strategies would enable me to make the best the best decision due to the provision of substantive
evidence concerning the consequences of the decision.

5. Some corporations and other organizations have designed ethical decision-making tests
that incorporate some of the principles and systems described in this chapter. For example,
Carl Skoglund, former Vice President and Ethics Director at Texas Instruments (recently
retired), outlines the Ethics Quick Test recommended for use by Texas Instrument
employees:

Is the action legal?

Does it comply with your best understanding of our values and principles?
If you do it, will you feel bad?

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 How will it look in the newspaper?
If you know it's wrong, don't do it, Period!
If you're not sure, ask.
Keep asking until you get an answer.

Think about this list in terms of the decision-making guides discussed in the chapter.

Which ones are being used here? Which are not?

What recommendations, if any, would you make to alter this list?
If you had to make up a list for your company, what would be on it? Why?

The one that being used in this example is virtue ethics while the deontological theories are not
being used. To me, I would recommend the managers or corporations should have faith because
any types of decision you’ve made will always have its causes and you should not give up ever
since there is difficulties.

The decision making is not 100% true but it is always the best way to move forward and find out
the answer. If you move forward, you will get to know what you want and be satisfied of what
decision you’ve made.

Also, it doesn’t matter it will look bad or not, the thing is the best way to survive for a corporation
is the matter and it is much more important than any others. Next, I would choose partners as one
of the major in my list. This is because today’s business environment involves in many laws
content and its majority need a good and safe decision making throughout the process.

Do the same with the Rotary International Four-Way Test.

Is it the truth? (deontological) Yes

Is it fair to all concerned? (deontological) Yes
Will it build good will and better relationships? (consequentialist) Yes
Will it be beneficial to all concerned? (consequentialist) Yes

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The Seneca (one of the tribes of the Iroquois Nation) people's guidelines for self-discipline also
include these questions:

The Seneca which is people’s guidelines for self-discipline are based on the personal satisfaction
but not business ethical decision making. For some reason there might have some relationship,
however not all of it can be related. For example, some people just focusing on making money but
doing unethical things while some does not. It depends on how you think, and will you be satisfied
after you’ve made this choice, and will you feel regret after you’ve done this or no. Therefore,
there is no exact answer, but it just based on personal feels and taught.

Am I happy in what I'm doing? (consequentialist, but limited

focus only on consequences for me - consequentialism requires one to
think about consequences for society)
Is what I'm doing adding to the confusion? (consequentialist)

What am I doing to bring about peace and contentment?

(consequentialist)
How will I be remembered when I am gone? (virtue ethics)

Could they serve as guides for ethical decision making in business? Why or why not?

I would choose A, Focus on Consequences. It is best known as consequentialist theory.

Consequentialist Theories identify alternative actions and consequences to stakeholders. It is also
the best decision yields greatest net benefits to society. The advantages of focusing on
consequences is practical. In business practical act as an important role and it underlies business
thinking. It is very important that business thinking applies to business as there are so many
changes throughout the whole business structure. However, every steps or decision you’ve made
must be careful and be ready for any difficulties. So, the challenging part of it is difficult to evaluate
all the consequences as there are too many changes or outcomes might occur. In conclusion,
focusing on consequences is the best option for me, although it has some difficulties, but

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sometimes, the difficulties may become your experience and you will need to make more decisions
that suits your organization throughout the whole journey

6. The last question leads us to a useful exercise. If you had to write your own
epitaph, what would it say? How would you like to be remembered? What kind of
life do you lead?

The epitaph is an inscription on the tombstone or plaque of the grave of a deceased to

commemorate his life. Epitaph comes from the Greek epitaphian composed of epi which indicates
'on' and typhus which refers to 'grave'. The epitaphs are short phrases that are engraved on the
tombstones of the deceased to commemorate the person's life. The epitaphs are a reflection on life
and death and reflect the achievements, feats or contributions that the person left in the world from
the point of view of the people who accompanied him in life. My life has been accompanied by
diverse social, political, cultural and personal experiences. If I had to choose a Pita I like these
words "We must live and work, in every moment, as if we had eternity before us." I would like to
be remembered for my books and memories

7. Albert Schweitzer (the philosopher and mission doctor) said “Success is not the
key of happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be
successful.” What do you think? How does this relate to the prescriptive
approaches discussed in this chapter?
Life is one and too short for us to hope naively that perfect moment, in which we believe that
happiness will come down from some heaven, and enter our life in the form of money, opportunity,
person, etc. And that simply by embracing that moment, we will gather the strength to: start to be
happy. No. Happiness is a journey much longer than that, deeper, and more comforting, indeed.
"It is a daily decision to be happy, and like any other habit, it requires a constant commitment to
internalize it." This affects us all, because it is a paradigm that is still installed in society. The
cultural and social pressure in this regard has led us to believe that a title, a role, a position in a
company, a giant check at the end of the month, a project that works, is what gives us happiness.
Therefore, the road to success is completely the reverse of what we believe, and even, you can get
a lot, but much more than we imagine, if we go through it this way Happiness is like a beautiful
disease or virus that spreads around us. Being with positive people, grateful, enthusiastic, welfare,
and transmit us that special energy, which allows the day surrounded by them, be more pleasant,

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comforting, and even more productive. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key
to success. If you love what you are doing, then you will be successful "

8. What do you think of the proposed Hippocratic oath for managers?

MBAs who take oaths, the pried MBA could in fact already be recognized as a profession like
medicine, law or accounting. Well defined, a "profession" is an occupation that requires significant
study, preparation and specialization of a field. Like the prominent professions, the MBA requires
a significant study of a broad field of knowledge. The field of "business administration" is
intentionally general, therefore, it is the "general manager".

The MBA is a unique degree that exposes students to the broad scope of all the skills needed to
run an organization: economics, law, accounting, finance, marketing, operations, quantitative
analysis, organizational behavior, strategy and ethics are among the standards.

The programs have evolved over the years to include emphasis on each of the above points, as
well as leadership, entrepreneurship, global issues and a variety of on-demand electives. Once the
master's degree in business administration has been successfully completed, the new MBA is
found, whose academic, occupational and demographic formation is among the most diverse
student bodies in the professional school programs of most universities. It is not uncommon to see
young and old graduates who have little experience in every imaginable field at the beginning of
a traditional MBA.

Professions are also characterized as 'practices', for example, a doctor practices medicine and a
lawyer practices law. The implication is that the profession is more of an "art", never completely
perfected and never fully evolved. To provide greater intellectual diversity to students seeking
business education, many schools over the years recognize that "management" is art and "business"
is science. I suggest a balance of both.

9. What limitations, if any, can you think of to the prescriptions provided in this
chapter? Can you think of reasons why they might not work?

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I think that the limitations of decision making are personal mind-set. There are many hard
decisions to be made and it is very hard to come out a decision that suits everyone. If the managers
do not have wide ideas or clear mind-set that helps decision making it would affect the decision
outcome.

10. If you were to design an ethical fitness for yourself, what would you include?

If I had to develop an ethical fitness program for myself, I would include things that I know would
be achievable and I would also have to think about the possible consequences they might have.
Being a former federal agent of immigration not authorized to take supplements. Some
supplements improve muscle growth. There are many people who think they need them to gain
more muscle mass. Of course, it can be useful, but if there was an accident or confrontation, the
first thing they do is to draw blood from the people involved. If the blood returned positive for
things not authorized by the uncontrolled Substance Control Agency, the consequences may be
diverted. Having a good moral and moral to do the right thing is something that a federal
immigration agent needs to have.

Miami, September 23, 2018

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