In the film Wall Street , Sir Lawrence Wildman (note his name) agrees to a \"fri

Question

In the film Wall Street, Sir Lawrence Wildman (note his name) agrees to a "friendly" takeover of Bluestar Airlines. He agrees that he will buy a majority of the corporation's stock after Gekko dumps it and that he will continue the business, not liquidate it as Gekko had planned to do. In corporate jargon, he is known as a "white knight," someone who recues a corporation from a hostile takeover such as Gekko's.

Wildman may not be a white knight in ethics, though. Here's the question:

A. Would utilitarian theory consider his actions ethical? Why or why not?

B. Would Kantian theory consider his actions ethical? Why or why not?

C. Would Virtue Ethics consider him a hero? Why or why not? Do you consider him a hero? Why or why not?

Explanation / Answer

Answer –

“Friendly takeover of a Blue star airline” it means the Sir Lawrence Wildman is agrees to purchase the shares of this airline and would like to continue its operations. He does not want to liquidate the airline business. His is willing to run the business without liquidating it, as Gekko’s plan was to liquidate this airline business. So in corporate, Sir Lawrence Wildman is known as “White Knight”, by rescuing a corporation from hostile takeover. So Sir Wildman is known as white Knight in ethics, though he may not be in general.

Answer(A). Yes, utilitarian theory consider his actions as ethical action

Utilitarian Theory – The utilitarian theory stats that a action which has a maximum utilization impact or which helps to utilize for various people (maximum) is known as an ethical action. So basically the ethical tag on a action can be put based on the outcome of the action. Thus an action which results maximum use, then the action is known as ethical action.

Yes, it is an ethical action - In the above case, Sir Lawrence Wildman, is agreeing to an action of purchase an airline and would like to continue its operations instead of stopping it, means this action helps to utilize the airline business and this business will maximize the its use by various people. Hence many people who are dependent on this business will be directly benefit and many people who are going to join this business in future will get benefit indirectly. Hence this action results in maximize use for the people, hence by Utilitarian theory, this action is an ethical action.

Answer (B) – Yes, Kantian theory consider his actions ethical, if the action is moral in nature and do not utilize people for business and it will maintain the human rights.

Kantian Theory – Kantian theory states that an action is ethical if the action is performed with meeting the moral, means it should be right action, without considering whether it has maximum utilization/ benefit or happiness among the people. It purely depends upon the nature of the action and it should be morally correct. The action should meet rights of human being and should not utilize any person for business purposes.

Answer ( C) - Yes, Virtue Ethics consider him a hero, as Virtue ethics consider a person as a hero based on the ethical thinking nature of a person. If the person’s action is in nature of ethical thinking, then the person comes under the category of ethical hero. Here Sir Lawrence Wildman’s thinking looks ethical in nature by continuing the business which is going to stop, and hence it will have benefit for people, the action looks ethical in nature.

Answer (D) – Yes, we do consider him as a hero, because he is doing a noble work, by continuing a business which is going to be liquidated by some other person. Hence this business will help lots of people and it will add the value to nation also. So this action is a noble action which helps the people and nation both.

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