Could someone please provide me with assistance. I need a reply to my classmate

Question

Could someone please provide me with assistance. I need a reply to my classmate reponse to the discussion post.

Learning Activity #1

Here is the question:

One of the most important items that we have discussed over the course of the semester is the concept that ethics are constantly changing and shifting. This week think about some of the material in the readings, and discuss if it is fair for a company to have one set of ethics when you join, and later force you to agree to a different ethics policy later on in your tenure? Taking this concept one step further, should the ethical decisions that one makes 10, 20, or even 30 years ago, which at the time may have been ethical, but now appear to be unethical be used as a way to make that individual (or company) appear to be an unethical actor?

Here is The classmate response: Yes, I do think it is fair for a company to have one set of ethics in the beginning and later force me to agree to a different ethics policy later on in my employment. I would consider this a condition of my employment. As mentioned in the initial learning activity, ethics are constantly changing and shifting therefore it is to be expected and normal for companies to adjust and adapt to these changes. Changing company ethics is necessary to ensure the company has a strong ethical nature and operates according to within laws and regulations. According DePersio, practicing strong ethics keeps a business within the parameters of the law; as well as building goodwill and brand equity, (DePersio, 2017).

Taking this a step further, I do not think unethical decisions that were once ethical 10-30 years ago should be used as a way to make an individual/company appear to be an unethical actor. First reason being society has changed drastically over the last thirty even ten years ago, therefore people’s actions and behaviors have changed as well. What may have been ethical thirty years ago, may no longer be ethical today, and what may be ethical today may not have been ethical thirty years ago. In this regard, changes in society has created social issues that were nonexistent in the past so it is important for businesses to develop ethical standards and decisions accordingly. According to DePersio, popular social issues largely drive business ethics; as different issues come to the forefront, organizations respond by bringing their ethical tenets in line with the new social norms, (DePersio, 2017).

I need a reply to my classmate post.

Explanation / Answer

The answer and discussion depend on the choice of ethical theory. For example, if we believe in utilitarianism, the concept of ethics has really evolved over time because of the varying nature of the cost-benefit impact of the actions. For example, earlier deceptive and exaggerated advertising was accepted as ethical in the society because it used to harm very few and improve the happiness of many. But now, with increased globalization and boundary-less access to advertising, this activity is barred and considered highly unethical.

But if you look from a purely deontological perspective, things cannot change. In this theory, Kant proposes that the morality of the activities will be judged solely based on the intention behind it and not on its outcome. If we talk about good human intention, it is universal (the maxim as named by Kant). For example, depriving human rights in the workplace is always stemming out of unscrupulous human intention and hence is unethical always irrespective of time horizon.

It is also true that the ethical landscape is changing due to the increasing awareness generated from globalization. All the stakeholders and people, in general, are well-informed about the hazards of any activities taken by the corporations nowadays than ever before. This makes them accept or reject any action as moral or immoral and the penalty paid by the firm is also coming very fast and efficient manner. All these contribute to the changing ethical codes that are generally followed across the world.

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