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Understanding Utalitarian, Deontological and Virtue Ethics

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I need help and guidance in developing a critical analysis of business ethics and virtue ethics. in reference to this case.

Background:
Find and read the following journal article in the Library:
Sethi, S., Veral, E., Shapiro, H., & Emelianova, O.. (2011). Mattel, Inc.: Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) - A Life-Cycle Analysis of a Company-Based Code of Conduct in the Toy Industry. Journal of Business Ethics, 99(4), 483-517. Retrieved from ProQuest on June 1, 2012.

Locate and evaluate the most salient business ethics issues and critically analyze them within the context of virtue ethics using the questions below.
The following link may be helpful to you in your evaluation of this Case:

1) What I would like for you to do is to choose three (3) "virtues" and then provide a clear definition of each. For example, you might choose such virtues as temperance, justice, honesty, fairness, generosity, or kindness. Be sure that you define each virtue using a quality and objective secondary source.

2) Next, apply each of the three virtues you have chosen to the case. Tell me how each of the virtues you've chosen might have been used to appropriately guide the actions and policies of the company. You may discuss how each relates to such matters as the company's working conditions, worker safety, fairness, organizational attitudes towards the environment, etc.

3) Which of the three normative ethics - deontological, utilitarian, or virtue - do you believe is most useful in evaluating the Mattel case?

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Solution Summary

The solution provides guidance on Mattel Inc. case from the point of virtues ethics and also evaluate and identify the normative ethics depicting the situation and how this normative ethics can be applied to the case.

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Dear Student,

Key Ethical Issues in the Case

The major ethical issues in the case are as follows:

1. Mattel Inc. is facing a situation wherein even if the company is complying with the Global Manufacturing Principles, they are not deriving any economic benefit while the competitors are not at a disadvantage by not complying with the code. This raises an ethical issue wherein the company would have a dilemma where non-compliance is hurting the employees and working conditions, on the other hand if the company complies with the code, there is no utility in economic sense for the organization.

2. Another major ethical issue was the public disclosure which the company is making of all the audits conducted on a regular basis wherein on the one hand, if there is full public disclosure in places where there is discrepancy in compliance with Global Manufacturing principles, it is hurting the company's image. This situation is further aggravated by the product recalls for its 17.4 million toys due to loose magnets which the children could swallow and another recall of 2.2 million toys due to impermissible level of lead found in the toys. On the other hand, if the company does not go for disclosure then it is a situation of being dishonest to the general public.

Virtues

The following virtues may relate to the facts of the case and have been defined as follows

1. Generosity - Christian Bible describes the virtue of generosity as a characteristic in which it is blessed to give more than receive (McDowell, 2007: n.d). McDowell (2007) described generosity as "the refuge from self-centeredness." Aristotle describes the virtue of generosity as a characteristic trait in which a generous person gives to the right person, the right amounts at the right time and this generosity does not depend on the quantity of giving but the habit of the giver, which takes into account the amount which the giver himself has and is able to give away (Aristotle, 2002).

2. Justice - Aristotle identified two perspectives of justice - in one sense, a just or morally right person is the one who is morally right and obeying the law and is called universal justice and in the other sense, justice is particular justice which is concerned with specific situations which include Distributive Justice concerned with equal distribution of benefits and burdens, Compensatory Justice which is concerned with compensating those who are the victims of the wrong doing, and Retributive Justice which is concerned with punishment of wrong doers (Boatright, 2007: 86). According to Aquinas, Justice means providing each person or creature its due or what it needs to live a full life (Warner & DeCosse, 2009: n.d).

3. Honesty - Honesty is the character virtue which is about telling the truth as a general practice and not an occasional ...

Solution provided by:
Himanshu Mahobia, MBA
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  • MBA, M.D.S University, Ajmer
  • PhD, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur
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