Assiginment 1 Ethical
Assignment 1 Ethical Dilemmas
Legal and Social 115103
Coordinator Name:
Jackie Loong
Student ID 10189179
Number of words: 1651
Date: 20th August 2013
The definition of an ethical dilemma is a situation that involves conflict between moral imperatives in a way to obey each other. (Shaw,Barry and Sansbury,2009) There is no right or wrong answer when decisions are made. In this situation of the case we have Mike, who is a new accounts payable employee of the soft wear sales company. Brenda is a long time experienced manager with the company, who travels often. She has asked Mike to help her submit her recent related travel expenses. This is when Mike faces an ethical dilemma. Preparing the report he notices a number of the receipts were used for personal items such as a massage and a manicure. Mike is hesitant in what he should do in this situation. Weather or not making the right choice could result in any consequences. Two ethical theories that will be discussed and compared that are relevant to Mike’s situation are Kant’s ethics, the concept of morality acting of good will and duty. Also, the theory of Utilitarianism an ethical philosophy meaning ‘actions is morally right if consequences of the actions lead to happiness’ (Stuart, 2009). These two important theories will be analyzed and discuss in the relevance to Mikes options, for his situation.
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory; by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who were the first to develop this theory in detail. It is a consequentialist theory because ethical decisions should be made on the expected consequences of the action weather its right or wrong. The good: things that are worth pursuing and promoting, eg goals. The right: morals of actions and duties. The main principle for utilitarianism is the actions of happiness, which equals to ‘ pleasure and the absence of pain’ (Stuart, 2009). The actions of unhappiness: equals to the ‘pain, and the absence of
Legal and Social 115103
Coordinator Name:
Jackie Loong
Student ID 10189179
Number of words: 1651
Date: 20th August 2013
The definition of an ethical dilemma is a situation that involves conflict between moral imperatives in a way to obey each other. (Shaw,Barry and Sansbury,2009) There is no right or wrong answer when decisions are made. In this situation of the case we have Mike, who is a new accounts payable employee of the soft wear sales company. Brenda is a long time experienced manager with the company, who travels often. She has asked Mike to help her submit her recent related travel expenses. This is when Mike faces an ethical dilemma. Preparing the report he notices a number of the receipts were used for personal items such as a massage and a manicure. Mike is hesitant in what he should do in this situation. Weather or not making the right choice could result in any consequences. Two ethical theories that will be discussed and compared that are relevant to Mike’s situation are Kant’s ethics, the concept of morality acting of good will and duty. Also, the theory of Utilitarianism an ethical philosophy meaning ‘actions is morally right if consequences of the actions lead to happiness’ (Stuart, 2009). These two important theories will be analyzed and discuss in the relevance to Mikes options, for his situation.
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory; by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who were the first to develop this theory in detail. It is a consequentialist theory because ethical decisions should be made on the expected consequences of the action weather its right or wrong. The good: things that are worth pursuing and promoting, eg goals. The right: morals of actions and duties. The main principle for utilitarianism is the actions of happiness, which equals to ‘ pleasure and the absence of pain’ (Stuart, 2009). The actions of unhappiness: equals to the ‘pain, and the absence of