Lecture notes
Normative Ethical Theories
- Module
- Business Ethics
- Institution
- The University Of Nottingham (UON)
Lecture notes of 2 pages for the course Business Ethics at UON (Lecture 4)
[Show more]
Seller
FollowContent preview
Lecture 4 – Business EthicsNormative Ethical Theories
Ethical theories are the rules and principles that determine right and wrong for any given situation
Crane and Matten (2010) • Normative ethical theories are those that propose to prescribe the
morally correct way of acting • As opposed to descriptive ethical theories which seek to describe
how ethics decisions are actually made in business
Morality: Relativism, Universalism, and Pluralism
Relativism
… assumes there is no rational, universal basis to determine what is right or wrong • Moral
evaluations are actually just personal opinions or feelings, not “truths” • We can make statements of
personal approval or disapproval, but we cannot claim any inherent standards of right and wrong •
Different people and cultures hold different (morally acceptable) views on what is right and wrong •
What is right is context dependant
Universalism (or absolutism)
Assumes that right and wrong are objectively determined and that the same system of ethical rules
or principles applies to everyone, everywhere. • Rules or principles are drawn from rational reason •
E.g. UN Declaration of human rights • Business ethics thinking is often universalist
Pluralism
Accepts different moral perspectives while suggesting that a consensus on basic principles and rules
in a certain social context can be reached • Rather than a single universal theory, Crane and Matten
present the different theoretical frameworks as complementary resources or conceptual tools to
make practical, systematic assessments of right and wrong
Utilitarianism vs. Deontology
Utilitarianism
‘an action is morally right if it results in the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of
people affected by the action’ Practical and common in business Cost benefit analysis
Criticism
• Subjectivity • Quantification • Distribution of utility
Deontology (Ethics of Duty)
Asserts that some actions are universally right or wrong • Assumes that motives, not just
consequences matter • Most common formulation is the ‘golden rule’ • e.g. responsible downsizing
– Danone: “no employee should be left alone to deal with a job problem and jobs must be created
wherever they are destroyed.”
Two Kantian categorical imperatives
1. ‘act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a
universal law’
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sarahmason. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £4.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53022 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now