Applied Business Ethics: Moral Development and Ethical Practices

This assignment delves into the realm of applied business ethics, presenting an analysis of four distinct characters and their individual stances on ethical business practices. Mike Gustavsson, a retired lecturer and Greenpeace member, emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership, contrasting his views with his daughter's involvement in potentially unethical business practices. Deshi Chen, a business ethics student, challenges the relevance of ethics in the business world, prioritizing profit. Mei-Hua Felung, a senior manager, strongly adheres to ethical duties, particularly regarding tax avoidance. Jan Edwards, the CEO of Clean Solutions Inc., champions ethical practices and social responsibility. The assignment explores the characters' moral development, contrasting their perspectives on ethical dilemmas and their adherence to ethical standards. The author also reflects on the importance of incorporating ethical business practices and maintaining high professional standards, emphasizing the responsibility of corporate organizations to invest in social good and contribute to a responsible workforce.

Running Head: APPLIED BUSINESS ETHICS
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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Name

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Answer to question 1:
The four characters that have been asked to refer to depict their individual stands on the
grounds of ethical business practices. Mike Gustavsson who is a retired lecturer and an active
member of Greenpeace since 1992 strongly believes on the fact that business ethics must be
applied by the senior most members of the organization to be seriously followed by all the other
subordinates. A believer in virtue and staunch supporter of ethics. Mike’s post conventional
moral considerations leaves him disillusioned and even seems to challenge his ethical believes
when he sees his own daughter being involved in unethical business practices. Thus his opinions
has seemed to change seeing his own daughter deviate from these ethical lines of business
practice and adopt to the formula of “get-rich quick” as many others in today’s economic
environment (Khan, et al. 2015). Finally Mike’s post conventional level of morality makes him
raise protect against the existing unethical and immoral business practices.
Deshi Chen who is currently pursuing a business ethics course in UK University is
another character and he firmly believes that these ethics do not serve any good in the real world
as what matters is the profit figures. He has developed this experience seeing how the real world
of business operates and thus it is analyzed from the view point of Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
Development. Deshi Chen belongs from a very humble background and finds his pre
conventional level of moral development being challenged by the current business practices
adopted in the real world of business, thus it has affected his moral framing and portrays his
consequentialist and egoistic moral orientation which in turn influences him to break through the
ethical boundaries and go beyond the pre conventional norms of rewards ad punishments as this
is what he finds all the people doing around him

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The third character is Mei-Hua Felung, successful Senior Manager at International
Pharmaceuticals Company and a strong believer and implementer of ethical business practices.
Being an accountant by profession she believes that evading taxes is a grave and unethical
offense. Observation from her surrounding where accountants have incurred a bad name from
press has led to a conventional moral development in her where she believes that tax avoidance
is indeed an ill practice that needs immediate attention and addressed to fight it with it. When her
company was engaged in a tax evasion case and she believes to fight this evil in the society by
addressing them in real time. Thus Mei Hua Felung is seen to stand strong and strongly abide by
the ethical duties of what her profession exactly demands to.
The fourth character is Jan Edwards, the CEO and founder of Clean Solutions Inc. who
strongly advocates the need of maintaining sound and ethical business practices in the society.
Jan is a very religious person who is strongly associated with varied religious and charitable
work and is constantly devoted in improving the social system of doing business. This situational
factor largely impacts her mental orientation as she is constantly worried regarding the
malpractices which are constantly being adapted by the business houses. Her post conventional
moral development makes revolt and protest against these mal practice as well as worry about
these business malpractices which is increasing at an alarming rate..
Answer to question 2:
Desi Chan belongs to a middle class family and dreams to make it really big one day.
Thus according to him the notion of business ethics in unrealistic and completely meaningless.
The experience he has developed from his surrounding has reshaped his pre conventional notions

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of morality and made him revolt on the fact that big business houses or the conglomerates abide
by their ethical considerations. He believes all the business conglomerates the Western
Companies and making t bigger only by being mean and remaining concentrated on their profit
figures (Schminke, et al.2015.) No business has is really interested to ponder over these
philosophical issues. While in case of Mei-hua Felung her strong adherence to ethical business
practice comes from the belief that the right way to success is the only way. Being an accountant
by profession makes it more of a moral obligation on her to abide by ethics this is the very
reason that even when her own company WCP was involved in a tax evasion case se is not afraid
to speak and participate in the debate. Jan Edwards being an active member of the True Vine
Baptist Church is religiously and consciously driven towards the ethical path of business
operation (McDonald & Charles, 2016). According to her the fortunate should always uplift the
lesser fortunate ones to bring in sustainable development and finally Mike Gustavsson who has
been a strongly believer as well as a preacher of business ethics turned disillusioned seeing the
practices of the new age world, especially his own daughter adopt easy steps to climb the
corporate ladder and practically forgetting about the ethics. Though Mike raised several protest
regarding the ill practices of Alfaraft AB where his own daughter was an employee yet the
practical implication of the business ethic seemed to gradually lose its significance in the real life
scenario.
Answer to question 3:
Moral development rather transformation is highly visible in Deshi Chen when he
realized the “cut-and-thrust” culture of the modern business world where ethical concerns are
almost forgotten or largely overlooked (Xu & Ma, 2016). Thus his pre conventional notion of

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moral development was challenged and the result was his opposition to accept these ethical
educational classes of his university. Being completely disgusted with the bookish knowledge of
business ethics which he needs to pursue just to get his degree and feels it to be a complete waste
of time and resources. While on the other hand characters like Mei-Hua-Felung and Jan Edwards
show strong affiliation towards maintaining high ethical standards of business operation. The
character of Mike Gustavsson and his moral development is quite interesting to notice because
he is disturbed with the fact of his o daughter adapting to unethical business operations yet he
remains strong holding to his own moral and even raises a protect against the company where his
own daughter is employed.
Answer to question 4:
Yes I definitely abide by the belief of incorporating ethical business practices and
working in accordance with the highest professional standards. Maintaining ethical business
operation not only helps the firm to uplift its corporate image in the society but also invest for the
social good which is indeed the responsibility of every corporate organization. Ethical business
operations creates a strong and responsible workforce which is very much beneficial in the long
run (Van, 2014).Considering the recent trends of growing malpractices in the business world it is
my prime responsibility to stand strong to the ethical considerations of practicing business. The
knowledge of business ethics needs to implemented in real life practices and being a responsible
citizen of the society I will take every necessary step to ensure the same.

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References:
Khan, K., Abbas, M., Gul, A., & Raja, U. (2015). Organizational justice and job outcomes:
Moderating role of Islamic work ethic. Journal of Business Ethics, 126(2), 235-246.
McDonald, P., & Charles worth, S. (2016). Workplace sexual harassment at the margins. Work,
employment and society, 30(1), 118-134
Schminke, M., Arnaud, A., & Taylor, R. (2015). Ethics, values, and organizational justice:
Individuals, organizations, and beyond. Journal of Business Ethics, 130(3), 727-736.
Van Hooft, S., 2014. Understanding virtue ethics. Routledge
Xu, Z. X., & Ma, H. K. (2016). How can a deontological decision lead to moral behaviour ? The
moderating role of moral identity. Journal of Business Ethics, 137(3), 537-549