Ethical Theories

MN3481: Business, sustainability and society

The issue of defining ethics becomes problematic when debating whether one’s intentions should be taken into account. Crane and Matten define business ethics as the study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed (Crane & Matten). It is argued by some that business and ethics contradict one another, thus business ethics is an oxymoron. The main purpose of many businesses is to adhere to the needs and demands of their stakeholders, in particular to their shareholders, and this puts a huge emphasis on management to maximise profit which can, as has been the case in the past, force the firm to take unethical actions. There are many other unethical issues which occur in the modern day in age but for the duration of this essay I will be using an extended example of Wal-Mart’s irresponsible dumping of hazardous waste, analysing the firm’s unethical decision using four theories.

Kantianism argues a form of deontological ethics which, as defined by Crook are “ethical systems that teach that some acts are morally obligatory without regard for their consequences" (An Intro to Christian Ethics), focuses on non-consequentialist ethics implying that actions are either ethical or unethical, regardless of the outcome of the action and instead focusing on the motivation. Immanuel Kant holds that duty, firm obedience towards ethical law, disregarding its potential actions, is the standard of morality.

By Kant’s reasoning, we must all abide by the ‘categorical imperative’; stated by Wolff to be, paraphrased, ‘about what one should do regardless of what their aims or goals are’.

Kant’s first maxim, paraphrased, declares one’s duty is only to act in such a manner that can be based on worldwide law; all people, at all times, must be able to apply to ethical principles. Kant’s perspective on morality does not depend on the person as such behaviour would mean that there is no...