BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS.

Running head: BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 1
Business and professional ethics
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BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 2
Question 1
Suppose that an American corporation is conducting business in a developing country in Africa
where it is normal for employees to work 50 hours per week. The American corporation pays its
employees in Africa the same wages that workers in the country receive for similar work, but
doesn’t pay overtime for employees working more than 40 hours per week that American workers
typically receive. According to the guidelines that de George outlines for multinational
corporations, do you think he would judge the American corporation’s actions to be immoral? Why
or why not? Support your answer with direct references to his article. (recommended length: two
paragraphs; 15 points) (text, pp. 553-557)
It is immoral for a country like the America failing to pay the overtime for its employees in
Africa. Failing to pay overtime is immoral because the community has allowed the corporation
to work within specific parameters stated by the society. According to de George on
multinational enterprises, it's the responsibility of business organizations to take care of the needs
of its stakeholders in a reasonably long period. Business ethics has the procedure of
distinguishing the wrong and the good deeds and indicates that it is a moral role in pursuing the
right and good. What is regarded as unacceptable in one country could be acceptable in other
countries. The foreign companies should not harm the host country as per de George guidelines,
and the multinational corporations must benefit the host nation. In the case of the American
corporation, the employees are not treated fairly, other than causing harm to them through the
hard work with less pay.
Respecting the rights of the workers is another guideline provided in multinational organizations.
For example, many developed countries like the America tend to humiliate the less developed
nations by violating their cultures because they are poor and have low job opportunities. They
also tend to overwork them since they lack protection from their local legislation. In this case,
the American company are not respecting the local culture but working against it. Lastly,
multinational corporation requires the companies to pay their employees their fair share of taxes
which is not the case with American company operating in developed nations of Africa.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 3
Question 2
Velasquez states that, “No one can be morally required to take on major risks of harm to oneself.”
(p. 561) Is this true under each of the three principal moral theories? Provide examples to support
your answer. (two to three paragraphs; 16 points) (text, pp. 557-567)
The statement by Velasquez "no one can be morally required to take on major risks of harm to
oneself." According to deontological moral theory, individuals should stick to their duties and
roles while making decisions. That means a person should follow his or her obligation to society
because adhering to one's purposes is what is ethically right. For example, under this theory, an
individual will keep his word and follow the stipulated law. The deontology has both flaws and
positive aspects. One of the flaws is about the basis of making certain decisions on personal
duties. For example, a person may choose to appear in every meeting on time. The person has,
therefore, the right to make a decision which he or she thinks cannot bring harm. This theory
allows an individual to choose what applies to his or her life.
The utilitarianism theory is the next theory disagree with the Velasquez statement because it
designed with a capability of predicting a consequence. Choices that yield high rewards to the
most significant number of people are the ethically right ones. The rule utilitarianism seems to
benefit persons, but justice and fairness must be made available. Act utilitarianism i focuses on
achieving the maximum good outcome. The excellent result means the right of one individual
can be infringed for the sake of benefiting a higher number of individuals. Utilitarianism is not
mostly concerned with fairness, justice, autonomy or beneficence when the oppression of a
single individual could yield a solution to a more significant part of the organization. For
example, in some cases, the business person might be a CEO who is not expected to get to the
meeting late because that considered an ethically incorrect.