Global Ethics
Global Ethic (3 pages)
What should you do?
This week, you will put yourself in an imagined workplace scenario, analyze the situation and make some decisions considering two distinct ethical theories – utilitarianism and egoism. Here’s the scenario:
Imagine that you work for Centennial Home Mortgage, Inc. as a manager where you supervise a diverse unit of 5 people. You discover that earlier this year, your company inadvertently exposed the personal details of up to 14 million U.S. customers. Sensitive information such as social security numbers, credit cards numbers, birthdays, addresses, and in some instances, driver’s license numbers were all compromised in the hack.
You tell your immediate supervisor, whose spouse is the Human Resources Officer, and she says she will take care of it. But weeks go by and you hear nothing from corporate leaders.
Unbeknownst to you, some of the company’s top executives sold over $1.8 million worth of shares in the company just days after the breach was discovered. The public was not aware of the breach until more than six weeks later. CCU shares fell more than 30% in seven days after breach was discovered.
Your supervisor finally gets back to you with surprising news – you must give three of your five employees negative, career-damaging appraisals. You are confused – your employees are good employees! Your supervisor shrugs and comments that “certain” employees you supervise are not well-liked by the regional manager, and since someone must be blamed for this security breech and PR disaster, it’s going to be them.
If you refuse, you could face ramifications that include demotion and or loss of job – and you are the primary financial support for your family and an elderly parent What a mess! What to do?!
To complete this comparative essay, answer the following 7 questions, comparing and/or contrasting egoism and utilitarianism.
- First, define egoism and utilitarianism in your own words (yes, define utilitarianism again – you did this earlier in the term).
This is how I define utilitariansm in my earlier paper, just use what I wrote and define it:
“ “Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that differentiates right from wrong and just from unjust by focusing on the outcomes. This theory is also categorised as consequentialist theory. The theory believes that the most ethical choices are the one that will generate the greatest good for the highest number (Mill, 2016). Utilitarianism is the only theory that can be utilised to justify war or military force. It is also the most common framework to moral reasoning utilised in businesses because of how it deals with benefits and costs.””
**Then Add your define for egoism, I haven’t worte about that define in my privouse paper.**
- Next, compare and/or contrast the two frameworks.
- Now, consider the workplace scenario through each lens. Which theory is violated and which is endorsed? Explain your reasoning.
- From an egoist perspective, is anyone’s conduct unethical? Why or why not?
- From a utilitarian perspective is anyone’s conduct unethical? Why or why not?
- Now decide what you should do – from each perspective. From an egoist perspective, what is a morally correct action you can take (or not take?) Why? From a utilitarian perspective what is a morally correct action you can take (or not take?) Why?
- Wrap it up: What would you ACTUALLY do in this situation? With what framework does your decision best align?
Cite sources, especially when referencing back to definitions
**ADD this work cited into the work cited you create, this is the Utilitarism referense.**
Mill, J. S. (2016). Utilitarianism. In Seven masterpieces of philosophy (pp. 337-383). Routledge.