Business Ethics Research and Analysis

Business Ethics

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1................................................................................................................................................3
1.2................................................................................................................................................4
1.3................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1................................................................................................................................................6
2.2................................................................................................................................................7
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................8
3.1................................................................................................................................................8
3.2................................................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
4.1..............................................................................................................................................10
4.2..............................................................................................................................................11
4.3..............................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Business ethics is a form of moral principles or ethics with professional which examines
the actions of different individuals that are applied to the business. This applies to the aspects of
conducting a business and so that it is relevant to conduct the entire organisation and every
individual as well. It also includes the study of principles and practice regarding the business
such as insider trading, corporate governance and controversial issues of the company. Present
report is based on the Superdrug Stores, that is UK based health and beauty retailers. In this
report, it covers the explanation of development and background of the theoretical ethical
perspective in context of Superdrug(Audi, 2012). Further, it covers the analysis of various
business objectives from ethical perspective at the cited enterprise. It also includes the impact of
various ethical issues which arise at the time of functioning of Superdrug. It also provide the
information about the ethical codes to overcome the issues at organisation. At last, this report
consists of various aspects of ethical that can impact the operations of the Superdrug that is
essential to recognize them for achieving the goals and objectives of the company.
TASK 1
1.1
Ethics theories help in providing a framework for judging the right and wrong in an
organization. On the other hand ethic in business is known as value of society and value for other
and treat other as fairly within organization. There are different type of business ethics that are as
follows
 Moral objectivism : In this it can describe anything morally wrong or right in term of
behavioural attitude of a person. Anything that can be feel and assume is morally fact. It
is easy to express morally. It is either good or bad moral objectivism can be express and it
is stated as non consequentially.
In order to amend the ethical business practice there are various number of ethical
approaches which can be used by the Superdrug. On the basis of the background and
development of the organisation there is the classification of the theories which are identified
such as deontological, metaethics and normative that are described below: Deontological- This approach of the ethical perspective helps to identify the various
issues and problems which are occurring at organisation and that have affect the

functioning and which create issues in the success of the business operations. Further, to
justifiably amend the operations so that it also providing the knowledge regarding the
organisational activities which are diversified and practices for the stated
organisation(Ciulla, 2013). To reduce the impact of negative activities and solving the
problems related to it so that it is necessary for the retail industry as they have to consider
all the aspects so that it does not create any issues. The theory of deontological express
that result of any action is not so much important. But it is important to that action taken
was justified morally or not. At Superdrug Stores it is important that the time of taking
decision that duty is followed properly. All the action taken by firm need to take decision
by considering the ethically and morally correct. Metaethics- It is a branch of ethics which helps to understand the properties of ethics,
judgements, attitudes and statements. To effectively concentrate on the moral behaviour
of the workers, this is considered as an ethical approaches for different actions in the
organisation. Thus, with the help of this approach activities of the Superdrug can properly
maintain the focus on interest of the employees to changes ethical conditions of
work(Giacalone and Promislo, 2013).
 Normative- This technique of ethics helps to focus on the ethical actions of the
employees. It also provides the proper investigation of work that it is ethically right or
wrong in context of Superdrug. In order to amend the identification of skills, the
management gives the proper guidelines to their employees and so that it gives optimistic
results which overall beneficial for the organisation.
In order to manage all the approaches by implementing all of them on the particular time
and as per the proper aspects of the organisation so that they can easily achieve the goals and
objectives of the organisation.
This theory state that the outcomes or consequences of actions are not important, Morally
justified are actually matter. For example drunken driving is wrong, now if a person argues that
he safely navigated his way back home and for that reason he/she should not be held accountable
by law, they are wrong because their action was wrong in the first place and was breaking the
basic principle for morally correct behaviour that a person should not drive while being drunk.
The contribution of Immanuel Kant towards development of Deontological theory
Immanuel Kant proposes that in taking a decision “Duty” carries the foremost importance. Kant

is of the view that a person’s actions will only be regarded as morally and ethically correct when
they are taken keeping in mind the sense of duty and responsibility in mind.
The teleological ethical theory put the primary focus on the “Consequences” i.e. “What are those
actions that convert the best possible results”? Teleological theory along with attaching
importance to the consequences also suggests that the decisions framework that is developed for
reaching the desired consequences should also be managed with care.
1.2
In order to compare and contrast of absolute and relative theory which relates to
Superdrug, the relative theory is depend on the facts that there is only one standard moral which
is applied to all people. Further, the relation with the other necessary factor and judgement
according to the managerial factors based on this theory. The management of the Superdrug and
their actions and decisions are as per the situations at the time of considering the relative ethics.
On the other side, the absolute ethics is the factor which is used to facilitate the
management of the Superdrug so that it helps in identifying and analysing the different activities
which are performed in the organisation(Hoffman, Frederick and Schwartz, 2014). This theory
manages the concerns that the actions performed in appropriate manner or not. By focusing on
the components of absolutism there are number of strengths that can be attained by the buisness.
The factors which are evaluated at Superdrug as the absolutism that are never judged those
actions on the proper time. As the application of some of the factors of absolutism is more easy
and preferable as compared to the relative ethics. Thus, with the help of relative theory it is easy
for the organisation to determine the different unethical factors which affects the success of the
business.
At the time of considering the relativism there are some technical issues that has an
impact on the operational activities of the business which is inferred as unethical. In order to
make the effective outcome of the various activities of the business as the relative ethical work
indicates that the culture focus on the situations and aspects of the organisation(Jennings, 2014).
Moreover, in absolutism factor it considers the number of other elements which have a direct
effect on the culture of work as this approach provides a business formation which is flexible in
nature.
In context of above statements, it can be said that with the help of this theories
management of Superdrug can easily emphasizes on the concept of the employees. The

management of Superdrug reduces the prices of beauty products as its works to increase in the
large number of customers so that perception of the employees on reducing prices by using
relative ans absolutism theory. Further, the factors of absolutism does not give information
regarding the conflicts and result as per the actions which are performed in the organisation.
Different between relative and absolute ethics
absolute ethics is that a general belief that their should by universal moral standard while relative
ethics stated that there is no universal moral standard belief. On the other hand in absolute belief
there is difference between right and wrong. While in relative ethic said that there is no different
between right and wrong.
There is one universal moral code which is applies and final equally to all men and women
of all ages, and that changing views or changing situations make no difference whatsoever to this
absolute moral code hold by Absolute ethics. The moral standard floated with different
circumstances. In this world there are many cultural and religious differences and in some, it
may be ethically correct to do certain things but in other situations it might be completely
immoral holds by Relative or relativistic ethics. For example it is right for Muslim people to
have four wives but for a Christian man this would be considered immoral. Ethics are almost
always relative and certainly dependent on our level of knowledge and capability, but there are
likely ties to not-well-understood fundamentals that may not be relative but aren't absolute.
1.3
There are number of issues face by Superdrug as they are operating their business in
different area so that it impacts the operational activities of the organisation. There are some of
the ethical issues which are mentioned below:
Governance issues- To maintain the ethical practices every organisation follow the various rules
and regulation of the government(Nica, 2013). In order to avoid conflicts and issues the
management of the Superdrug plc must make sure that the operation takes into account by the
regulations of the business which are developed by the government. As it is essential for the
employees of organisation to do work according to the law, company values and policies so that
it does not create any issue in future. Further, the management of the business is looking for the