- Published: September 28, 2022
- Updated: September 28, 2022
- University / College: University of South Carolina
- Level: Undergraduate
- Language: English
- Downloads: 48
Dilemma Analysis Ethical issues Jared has been offered a job as a manager for a company in a foreign land. Although this has been due to his performance in his previous position, he has one problem. What he believes is the ethical practice is not followed. He believes that a reputable company must observe clean and transparent wastes disposal even when authorities do not monitor. He is shocked to realize that the company has been discharging chemical wastes that are potentially harmful to the environment in the river which is used by people for drinking water and fishing. Further, he faces opposition from the local management and his supervisor when he tries to make things right. The ethical issue to be addressed, therefore, is non-maleficence and beneficence.
2. The ethical dilemma
Jared decides that to make things right, he and the company must start clean-up exercise in the river and notify the authorities. This, from his perspective, will help in making the company better positioned to move ahead with a clear conscious and also be part of the corporate social responsibility. The decision is also based on the fact that reports have shown that the chemical has negative effects on the people’s health, although in large amounts, and also on the fish which the people consume. However, the dilemma comes in when the authority has been unaware for a long time and the fact that clean up exercise may not be successful since other factories continue to dispose of their chemicals into the same river. The exercise is also repulsively expensive for the company. In addition, notifying authorities will attract hefty fines to the company since it is a foreign entity.
3. The alternatives
Doing the right thing does not have to involve the authority or expose the company to fines and unnecessary expenses. On realizing the existing problems, the management can decide to start engaging on doing the right thing from that point onwards. This implies that the company should adopt the right processes for chemical disposal and engage more on social responsibility to enhance their reputation.
4. Applying Moral philosophies
Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy which is based on analyzing the consequences. This means that first, the managers have to analyze the situation, the existing problems and seek for the alternative actions regarding the situation. In this case, we compare working to do what is right from that day on with exercising the clean-up. The second step involves estimating the costs of the actions and the benefits and later selecting the best alternative. Clean-up and reporting are costly and dangerous to the reputation of the company. On the other hand, starting to do the right thing is beneficial to the company and the people as well. This means that adopting the second alternative is better for the company.
5. Biblical Principle on utilitarianism
In the Bible, the Supreme Being, God does not look at the past of the person but rather on their realization of their mistake and their desires to do the right thing. It is from this principle that unconditional forgiveness arises. This applies to this situation in that the previous wrongs do not matter as long as intentions to start and continue doing the right thing exist.