Ethos Case Study

Ethics Case Study

Katrina M. Robinson

ACC/547

Michelle Scott

April 30, 2012

Ethics is known as a set of moral values or principles that one must abide by. This paper will reference the article “Difference in Business Ethical Values” (A study of differences in business ethical values in mainland China, the U.S. and Jamaica) to explain how ethics play a role in the decision-making for financial, environmental, and cultural issues. It will also discuss how positive and normative economics reflects decisions made by the three countries, and the way market efficiency, economizing, and the market system affect these ethical issues.

Over a 10-year time span China and Jamaica both are trying to determine how they compare to the United States, which is already a developed country. China has shown an emergence in their economy and their collaboration with the World Trade Agreement. As for Jamaica the country has fallen short of development, which in turn has caused obstruction.

With the current pressures in each of the countries ethics plays a role financially because each country tries to produce good or services least cost-effective as possible. As for the environment, Jamaica is the country that has the least concern about air pollutants, which is an unethical decision. Again Jamaica’s government would not make ethical decisions concerning its culture because they are doing what than can to be an independent country.

Positive economics focus is determined by cause-and-effect relationships, although normative focuses on what the economy should be like. In the studies performed by the three countries, five vignettes were used to portray real life dilemmas. The decisions made were based on behavioral choices and the reason for that choice.

The first vignette describes whether or not it will be ethical to bribe a bicycle company to do business in a foreign country. The United States (23.5) and Jamaica (17.9) decided that the bribe to pay a foreign...