Resolving Ethical Business Challenges: Elaine
Business managers and executives usually face several ethical challenges that require them to demonstrate ethical leadership in resolving. Elaine's situation is an example of some of ethical business challenges that these leaders experience with regards to the advantage and disadvantage of each decision. The first decision relates to Graphic, Inc. loan, which was engaged in litigation about promotion of its products to children (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2012, p.177). The advantage of Elaine's decision in this case is that she did what was morally acceptable while the disadvantage is that she lost a money-making opportunity and had no reason to doubt the firm's ability to repay the loan.
In the second situation involving the Canadian firm that was importing cigars from Cuba, the advantage of her decision is that it was based on clear policy guidance i.e. The 1996 Helms-Burton Act. The disadvantage is that her decision relatively discriminated the Canadian-based company because of its dealings with Cuba. The advantage of her decision in the third scenario is the evidence of illegal and unethical business practices by Electrode International. The demerit...
For the Brazilian firm, the advantage of her decision was the demonstration that UBC was protecting the environment whereas the disadvantage is that it lost a business opportunity to one of its competitors. Elaine's stand in the final is advantageous because of the likelihood of making huge profits through commissions. However, the decision could result in her husband's loss of job, which could hinder the education of their child and loss of their home.
The ethical and legal considerations for Elaine include the need to make a decision on something she considers morally wrong while the company considers it right. For company, the major challenge is related to the best probable decision to make given that Elaine's moral stance continues to have negative impacts on its profits. For Dennis, the ethical and legal consideration relates to the most appropriate course of action to stop further decline of his commissions and impact on the company.
There are two moral philosophies that are relevant to this situation i.e. utilitarian and deontology. Under the…
