Applied Business Ethics Essay

This assignment tackles an applied business ethics case study focusing on an ethical dilemma faced by a healthcare professional. The essay analyzes the situation using various ethical frameworks, including deontology, utilitarianism, and beneficence, exploring the potential solutions and their implications. The student justifies why the scenario constitutes an ethical dilemma within a business context. The assignment also includes a portfolio of evidence, analyzing an ethical leadership debate and examining interpersonal and teamwork skills developed through the assignment. The portfolio section delves into the ethical beliefs and actions of different characters, applying Kohlberg's stages of moral development and ethical theories to their decisions. The student concludes by advocating for the importance of ethical leadership and virtue ethics in a shareholder-focused economy.

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Applied Business Ethics

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Contents
Part A: Ethical Dilemma Essay..................................................................................................3
Introduction:...........................................................................................................................3
Ethical Dilemma Description.............................................................................................3
Discussion:.............................................................................................................................4
Justification why it is an ethical dilemma in a business situation......................................4
Ethical solutions proposed to this dilemma...........................................................................6
Conclusion:............................................................................................................................7
Part B: Portfolio of Evidence Contents......................................................................................8
Appendix A: The Ethical Leadership Debate........................................................................8
Appendix B: The Seminar Case...........................................................................................10
Appendix C: Interpersonal and Team-working skills..........................................................11
References:...............................................................................................................................13

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Part A: Ethical Dilemma Essay
Introduction:
Contained in this essay is a reflection of a case that involves the application of ethical
dilemma. For the situation to be considered as one involving the presence of an ethical
dilemma for a person there needs to be three conditions. The first situation consists of the
scenario when the concerned person, who is referred to as the ‘agent’, is presented with a
number of ethical choices and he must select the most ethical option on his own discretion.
The second condition for ethical dilemma is that there should be more than one choice of
action for the person to opt for. The third predominant condition for ethical dilemma is that
irrespective of the choice of action taken by the person there must be compromising of some
ethical principle as there cannot be a perfect resolution to a satiation involving ethical
dilemma (Allen, 2012). Applying these principles of ethical dilemma a particular case has
been portrayed in this essay.
Ethical Dilemma Description
The case that has been referred to in this essay encompasses a situation of ethical dilemma
that Mark faced in one of the cases during his service as a healthcare professional in one of
the private clinics in the UK. Ethical dilemmas are common incidents in every organization.
However, it has the opportunity for enhanced manifestation in case of some sectors such as
the services sector (Medscape, 2017). One such category of services is the healthcare service
that is one of the most developed sectors in the UK. The healthcare organizations have many
professionals like doctors, paramedics, support staffs, nurses, etc. those have to attend a large
number of patients with diverse cases of medical conditions. Some of the patients appear in
the clinic with some minor illnesses those can be cured without much intensive treatment.

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Many others appear at the clinic for undertaking various forms of diagnosis and then there are
others those are admitted with critical diseases such as terminal illnesses like cancer, AIDS,
etc. where the patients have very slim chances of survival, especially in scenarios when these
diseases are in their last stages (GB, 2009). In one such scenario, Mark, an oncologist was
treating an old man in his sixties, named Mr Johnson, who was admitted to the hospital with
some critical symptoms. He was advised to undergo some tests. After the reports arrived, it
was revealed that the patient was suffering from last stage of liver cancer. At that juncture
Mark faced a situation of ethical dilemma as to whether he should let the patient know about
it or not, though he must disclose it to his family members. The question is whether it is
ethical or unethical for a doctor to disclose to his patient about a terminal disease which the
patient is suffering from (Kreimer, 2010). The probable consequences if he discloses it and if
he does not disclose it is a matter of debate and there can be views for and against such
ethical action.
Discussion:
Justification why it is an ethical dilemma in a business situation
The case that is being discussed in this narrative involved a situation where Mark, one of the
consulting physicians at one of the most reputed private hospitals in UK. He was an
oncologist that is a medical professional with specialization on cancer disease. During his
career in the organization he has faced several situations of ethical dilemmas in profession. It
is a part of any medical profession where the doctor must have come across situations where
he has been in doubts as to the choice of action that he must undertake on various situations.
The situation is termed as an ethical dilemma because at that point of time the person facing
the situation is aware that he must choose one of the available options the outcomes of that

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would not offer the perfect solution to the situation, yet he has to make a choice based on his
own discretion and morality.
In case of the sixty year old patient who was diagnosed with liver cancer, Mark the physician
in charge of treating him at the hospital was presented with a situation of ethical dilemma.
The scenario can be termed as one involving ethical dilemma because the doctor was unsure
about the choices he should make in that situation. The concerning issue of discussion in this
essay is the choice that Mark has to make in that situation. There could be two alternatives,
either he should reveal the truth to the patient that he was suffering from last stage of liver
cancer and his chances of recovery were uncertain, or he should not reveal the truth to the
patient directly as that could have a disastrous effect on his emotional stability and can even
lead to unpredictable emotional stimuli that might worsen his condition further due to stress
and despair. Therefore, the case clearly falls under the purview of ethical dilemma in medical
practices.
Ethical Theories applicable to the case:
This particular ethical scenario can be analysed with the application of various ethical
theories. Some of the most popular ethical theories on decision-making in such scenarios
have been discussed herein.
 Beneficence- The principle of this ethical theory lies on doing what is right and good
in that particular situation. The concept highlights that such an ethical choice should
be made for generating the largest possible ration of good over that of evil so that the
most possible amount of good can be achieved in the situation. It can be associated
with the Utilitarian Ethical Theory (Chonko, 2017).
 Deontology- The deontological ethics deals with ethical choices those must be based
on the duties and obligations of a person towards his organization or society to which

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he belongs. In this ethical principle the adherence to duty is considered to be an
ethically justifiable decision. But, deontological ethical choices often involve no logic
or rationalism, only decisions made out of duty that might seem unjustified on many
occasions (BBC, 2014).
 Utilitarianism- This ethical theory is based on the ability of the person to predict the
outcomes of a particular action. The principle is to undertake a decision that will
result in the greatest possible good for most of the people. Then such a decision will
be considered as the ethically correct one in this branch of ethics.
Ethical solutions proposed to this dilemma
The ethical theories discussed earlier can form the basis of ethical decision-making in case of
this particular case study of Mark and his elderly patient. The choices of ethical approach lie
at the sole discretion of the person in a given situation. The actions taken might be ethical
from the perspective of the person making the decision and unethical from the perspective of
some of the others. However, the decision made should be on the basis of an ethical approach
that is accepted universally. In case of the given scenario, Mark might have chosen any of the
ethical approaches out of Beneficence, Deontology or Utilitarianism. It was learnt from Mark
that at the time when the reports of the patient were revealed to him, he called up the family
members of the patient immediately and asked them to visit the hospital in the evening citing
that he wanted to discuss the diagnosis and the feasible prognosis.
When the family members arrived at the hospital in the evening, Mark revealed the truth to
Johnson’s son and his wife that the reports were not good and that Johnson has very few
months to survive in his present condition which was last stage of liver cancer. The family
was distressed after hearing the news but Mark had to tell them anyway as they were the
family members of the patient. Most importantly, Mark had to take one crucial decision

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involving his ethical dilemma that whether he should reveal the situation to Mr Johnson or
not. At first, he discussed the issue with the family members and asked for their opinion as to
whether Mr Johnson could be conveyed about the reality or not. The family members did not
consider it to be a prudent decision to make the disclosure to Mr Johnson as they feared that
could have disastrous impacts on his mind and health.
This was the opportune moment for Mark to apply his ethical sense and choose the path of
action according to his own ethical observations and principles. It was known from him that
Mark decided against the wish of Johnson’s family and he met personally with Mr Johnson in
the same night in his cabin at the hospital and disclosed the medical condition to him. He also
sought for Johnson’s decision as to whether he would like to undergo further treatment like
chemotherapy or not as there was no certainty that the treatment would yield success. He left
it on the patient to decide whether he was in favour of continuing treatment or wanted to opt
out of it and just keep on taking oral medicines. Therefore, Mark’s choice of action reflects
the application of Deontological Ethics because he put precedence to his duty and went
against the wish of Mr Johnson’s family in disclosing the true condition of the patient to the
patient himself. It was learnt from Mark that his decision was welcomed by Mr Johnson and
he thanked him for disclosing the truth to him. He said that he would like to take oral
medicines only and refused chemotherapy as it would be too painful for him. Thus, the
choice of ethical action was justified as the patient was satisfied with the truth and thereby it
can be said that Mark’s choice of action was deontological.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, to the said case study, it can be said that ethical dilemmas are common issues
in medical practices and other professions. The person facing the situation must observe one
of the established ethical approaches to justify his choice of action. These decisions cannot be

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termed as perfectly logical or rational on many grounds but are to be taken based on the
situation and morality of the individual.

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Part B: Portfolio of Evidence Contents
Appendix A: The Ethical Leadership Debate
The analysis of the Ethical Leadership Debate has revealed some of the key ethical beliefs
and approaches of the characters involved. As for example, it has been revealed from the
debate that the character named Mike is a Consequentialist. Apart from this his beliefs and
actions also indicate elements of Utilitarianism. Mike has been a member of the Greenpeace
association and thereby it is normal for him to have that form of ethical judgment. He works
as a teacher in a business school and there he exhibits deep love for his profession. He was
observed to have disagreed with the question that has been proposed. His firm belief was that
her daughter’s company was to be blamed for her changed behaviour that depicted elements
of irrationalism. Mike had major altercations with Deshi where Mike clearly revealed his
feelings of disappointment about the kind of ambience that the modern business schools have.
So, Mike can be placed in the 6th Level of Kohlberg’s Moral Development Model. This is in
line with the respect and dignity that Mike has showcased as a basic quality of a human being
(NOTES, 2016).
The debate then unfolds to the scenario of Jan who is a staunch believer of Non-
consequentialism. She believes in Virtue Ethics. This can be comprehended from her
behaviour that always depicts belief in activities of charity and benevolence for other people
when they are in real need of help and support (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2017).
Jan has devoted around 1, 020 days of her career in undertaking several works of charity and
she has also been involved in imparting educational services in different schools in
Guatemala. The investors are also happy with her role in the company as she has taken proper
steps to ensure that the investors are adequately rewarded. This will entail that she will not

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succeed in generating high Return on Investment for the investors of the company. The
attitude of the shareholders in the organization has revealed that the numbers of shareholders
wanting to achieve quick and substantial Return on Investments are very less. So, Jan can be
placed at the 5th Level of Kohlberg’s Theoretical Model (Bailey & Gilligan, 2017). Thus there
was a consensus in the ethical beliefs of Jan and Mike as both of them were against the
debate and she was also a firm believer in the existence of ethical leadership in a shareholder-
targeted economy.
The analysis of the debate revealed that Mei-Hua was also a believer of Non-
consequentialism and as such she is a believer of Deontological Ethics as she has always
believed in doing her duty notwithstanding the final outcomes of such ethical decisions
(Moreland, 2009). At the workplace, Mei-Hua has been criticized by the others on various
occasions because many a time her decisions were considered to breach the code of ethics
although they were legal. Mei-Hua is an observer and believer in the ethical business
operations and conduct. She also supports the teaching of ethical concepts to the students in
different business schools. In spite of voicing in favour of teaching ethics to the students and
promoting the ethical conduct of business activities, she has been accused of tax evasion on
many occasions in her place of work. However, her way of work was able to make the
investors happy as the policies adopted by her though unethical at times, were generating
higher profitability for the shareholders. Observing her activities, she can be placed at the 3rd
Level of Kohlberg’s Theoretical Framework due to the fact that she was able to meet the
expectations of the shareholders. Mei-Hua was observed to argue against the debate because
she believed in ethical business conduct, though she failed to showcase the same in her
workplace in various situations.

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In the debate, the character of Deshi is a person who is strong-willed with clear ambitions of
forming a well-planned career and at the same time become a successful family person. This
type of ethical belief clearly depicts he is Egoism. According to Adam Smith’s Theory of
Motivation, his behaviour reflects Self Interest as he is determined to achieve the things those
give him the most pleasure irrespective of the probable consequences of his choices and
decisions on the others those are closely associated with him (A Sociologist, 2017).
On a concluding note to this debate, I am a staunch believer in the sustainability and
development of ethical leadership in an economy that is focused on the welfare of the
shareholders as its prime concern. Supporting this debate, I can recommend the application of
Virtue Ethics in a professional setting for all the employees so that the organizational is able
to achieve the best outcome for the welfare of the organizational stakeholders.
Appendix B: The Seminar Case
The case study has shed light on the ethical beliefs of Borries that depict him as an observer
of Consequentialism. His activities and approaches to the situation can be linked to the
Theory of Utilitarianism that justifies an act as ethical if it can achieve the best possible
goodness for the biggest number of persons connected to the said issue. This is known as the
principle of achieving the greatest possible happiness for the people as upheld by the theory
of Utilitarianism proposed by Bentham (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2017). The
application of this theory can be observed in the action of Borries where he cancelled his
holiday trip for the purpose of the important product launch in his organization
notwithstanding the fact that he was eligible for the holiday as per the company norms. The
manager might also have approved his leave as he was legitimate to receive it, but it was not
taken by Borries. This places him at the 5th Level of Kohlberg’s Model.

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Regarding the dilemma of work-life balancing in respect of Borries, it might be observed that
he had given precedence to his organization and the benefits of the stakeholders that would
be achieved if the product launch was successful. These stakeholders did not possess
adequate power and authority though they had some ethical and legal claims to make from
the company. The company must have provided more focus on the needs and preferences of
the expectant shareholders as it is essential for the management to showcase and observe
better commitment levels with the expected shareholders as compared to the latent
shareholders. The importance that Borries has attached to his duty is clearly reflective of
Deontological Ethics (Moreland, 2009). Borries cancelled his holiday with Swee Lan at the
cost of ruining his relationship with her which depicts his Egoism. Looking from the
standpoint of Swee Lan it can be said that Borries might seem to have acted as an Egoist as
he thought about his own perspectives and did not consider the needs of Swee.
This behaviour of Borries clearly reflects that he is a believer in doing whatever he feels to be
morally right irrespective of the outcomes for the others. Takings such decisions might seem
to be selfish and that has brought immense criticism from his colleagues such as Marcus as
their level of confidence and belief on Borries has diminished owing to his critical choice of
action.
To conclude the case, it can be said that the right choice of action for Borries had been that he
should have sought for the suggestion of his manager as to whether it was necessary for him
to cancel the holiday or else if there were some other employees those could handle his
position for those days and took decisions on his behalf for the number of days Borries was
on holiday.