Now that you have read the assigned chapters and seen how utilitarianism defines
ID: 3196414 • Letter: N
Question
Now that you have read the assigned chapters and seen how utilitarianism defines morality, what do you think? To answer the analysis question effectively, you need to show clear understanding of the moral theory you are applying.
The Question:
You are an employee, who has recently joined as a member of the finance team a company that processes food. The company is effectively run by one director. The other directors are non-executive and all have close personal relationships. As a key member of the finance team you have discovered that some employees are being paid cash in hand and not via the formal payroll. You also have suspicions that some of these people are being employed illegally and you have no records of their formal employment documents or contracts.
Case Analysis
What would you do? How would you approach the situation in a morally sound manner? Which moral theory and why would inform your decision?
Describe your normative recommendation in this case. What moral theory and why is the basis of your recommendation?
Explanation / Answer
In Utilitarianism, there is no absolute right and wrong. Right and wrong is determined by the consequences of action whether the action resulted in good or bad effects to the person doing the action and others who can be effected by it. So utilitarianism can be termed as a Consequential moral theory and the morality here totally depends on the consequences of the actions.
In this case, we can choose to report this to higher authorities or even go for whistle-blowing. If we go for this, the effects could be that all the persons losing jobs and even getting arrested but this can be a beneficial act for the rest of the employees and the organization on a whole. Thus this action has a greater good consequences than bad to the organization. But if you choose not to act on it this may effect the organization financially, which indeed effects the employees. Thus this decision has got more bad consequences. Thus as per the utilitarianism the decision should be to inform about those employees to the higher authorities.
So I think the approach must be first test whether your colleagues know this by randomly ask question related to such incidents indirectly and make sre if they know about these incidents.Then take this to the notice of the concerned authorities in next level. If the response is not favorable try the next level, if you even think that its not working ot then you can directly approach the main director and report about this. If that doesn't work either then we can approach the regulatory body too.
This is also right in accordance to the moral subjectivism theory which is a decision choosen by me, the subject, based on what I feel is moral and right.
My recommendation is based on the utilitarianism, which is taking a decision completely on the expected cnsequence of the act. Because this theory doesn't have any weigtage for a person's interests and prefernces, which can sometime bias decisions. Thus being free from these personal interests and completely dependent on the consequence, I think the choice of decision based on this theory is right most of thetime.
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