Centre for Advanced Management: Business Moral Dilemmas Essay

This essay delves into the multifaceted realm of moral dilemmas within contemporary business practices. It begins by defining ethical dilemmas and their significance in a business context, emphasizing the responsibilities businesses hold towards society. The essay explores the interplay of ethical considerations, environmental responsibilities, and the socio-political environment, highlighting how these factors contribute to modern business challenges. It references key scholars and their perspectives on business ethics, social responsibility, and the impact of ethical dilemmas on employees and organizations. The essay examines various scenarios that give rise to ethical dilemmas, including profit maximization, employee discrimination, misleading financial analysis, and issues related to human resource management and mass media usage. It discusses the importance of ethical decision-making, emphasizing the need for businesses to ensure their practices do not harm society and to provide training to employees to make the right decisions in challenging situations. The essay concludes by underscoring the importance of ethical conduct for long-term business sustainability and the role of ethical judgment in resolving moral dilemmas.

Moral Dilemmas in
Contemporary Business
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Moral dilemma in Contemporary business
Dilemma is a situation in which an individual has to select one option from the two
alternatives, neither of which is unambiguously desirable or preferable. In business, there are
lots of situations arises which forced parties to select one course of actions out of which both are
equally undesirable. Present assignment will focus on modern dilemma in contemporary business
era. Every business organization is the part of society as they work in the society and offer
services to the public. Henceforth, they have certain responsibilities towards society which they
need to comply strictly. The essay will demonstrates the role of ethical dilemma, environmental
responsibilities and social and political environment which give rises to arise contemporary
issues in business practices.
According to Lindy and Schaefer (2010) business ethics means the principles and values
that companies must be follow while conducting their operations and activities. This principles
govern business practices and pay focus to take right decisions. It applies to all the business
actions and highly related to the individual conducts and entire corporation. Looking at the
present era, every business organizations has certain social responsibilities which can be apply to
the moral dilemmas as struggle for profit maximization. Similary, Natale and Doran (2012) said
that business ethics refers to behaviour which firms adheres in its daily dealings or functions in
the market. It is the manner that reflects that how business interact with the other corporations,
their personnel and customers. In such respect, they should treat their employees in fair manner,
promote them fairly, handle conflicts situations between business personnel etc are some of the
situations that are of great concern.
According to Toren and Wagner (2010) theory of business ethics clearly reflects that all
the enterprises should achieve their objectives and earn profits by taking into account the
objectives of community welfare. It states that business managers and employees should always
do right things which does not create negative impact to the community. In contrary to this, Lee
and Yoo (2011) argued that ethical dilemmas are situations or conditions where a person has to
make difficult choice between a moral and immoral act. In the present global world, ethical
dilemmas are general occurrences in the workplaces as many times, employees has to select an
option between two alternatives available to him. Garmon (2010) keep focus on emerging
relationship between business ethics and economic incentive in the form of business profit. Each
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and every firm has different culture and code of conduct to operate in the present competitive
business environment. He said that some of the corporations keep focus to maximize their
profitability without considering its impact on related parties. It lead to arise breach of business
ethics. Similarly, Anderson and Anderson (2014) said that maximizing of economic incentive is
a legitimate corporative goal provides results in form of greater economic efficiency and
productivity as well.
In contrast to this, Van Auken (2016), explained the relationship of ethical principles,
rules and standards such as prudence ethics, self development and interdependence. Henceforth,
organizations who attain more and more profit by varied profiteering activities usually do not
contributes towards welfare of the society. So that, consider immoral and irresponsible business.
The theory has been critically evaluated by Murray (2015) as he believed that profitability
objectives and moral behaviour are adversely related to each other. It is because organizations
often behave unethically to accumulate high profitability so as to increase their net earnings.
However, Toren and Wagner (2010) argued that good ethics is the essential and crucial elements
for the long-run survival and business sustainability. He claimed that organizations who are
involved in immoral conducts and behaviour than it will be punished by suffering their
consumers and employees as well. This in turn, net profit margin of the companies will be shrink
over time. Thus, it becomes essential for the corporations to assure that management and
employees are not only efficient and experienced in their work but also behave in socially
responsible way.
According to the Mann (2013), if an employees feel high pressure from the higher
management authority to do some immoral conduct than such situation will give rises to arise
ethical dilemma. Moreover, if the workers feel that they can not point out the bad conduct of
their co-workers and other superiors than it is also a situation of ethical dilemma. Moreover, in
accordance with Khan (2010) ambition and discrimination is also a reason for moral dilemma in
business world. In such case, when a employee is under pressure due to some financial
constraints, than he or she might be involved in some unethical conducts, known as ethical
dilemma. Likewise, as per the view point of Del Chiaro, Rangelova and Maeurer (2016)
diversifying also lead to enhance moral dilemmas. For instance, when a personnel does not want
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to do diversified work and do not feel comfortable to work with people who have different
background than they will be reluctant to behave in fair manner.
In accordance with views of Muhammad, Ahamd and Shah, (2015) misleading financial
analysis, forex scandals, excessive payments to few personnel, bribery, payment for the facilities
and kickbacks are some of the situations of ethical dilemma. This practices are offence towards
society value. With reference to management of human resource, employee discrimination,
representation, privacy of the employer and employees and their power and duties arise moral
dilemmas in contemporary business. Similarly, Qureshi and et.al., (2015) said that price fixing
strategies, price skim, anti-competitive practices, greenwash marketing strategy, harmful and
wrong content of advertisement, black and grey markets are also the ethical issues with the use
of mass media.
However, in production, Beutler, (2015) said that defective, addictive and harmful
products and use of new and advanced technology for the production purpose is also the reason
for ethical dilemma. Henceforth, it is necessary for the businesses to ensure that their products
and production process do not cause any harm to the society so that situation of ethical dilemma
can be controlled.
Moral dilemma is referred as the conflict wherein one has to make selection between two
or more course of actions and further possess moral reasons beside making selection of every
action. In other words moral dilemmas is regarded as thought experiments that ask one to make
imagination of the difficult situation and decide on the whether the action is morally correct or
not. In perfect world, business as well as their employees are always striving towards doing
current things. In accordance with the views of Kim, (2016) it has been gained that ethical
dilemmas is regarded as common occurrence at workplace. Dilemmas are regarded as situation
or problem where individual has to make difficult choice. An ethical dilemma is regarded as the
issue wherein person has to choose among moral and immoral act. Employees are required to
deal with pressures in order to perform and assist the organization in attaining success. It has
been examined that employees are likely to face dilemmas in their entire careers thus firm needs
to offer training and information for assisting them in making right decision.
As per the views of Woiceshyn, (2011) it has been examined that modern moral business
operations are based upon the employees. Immoral activities of product manufacturing, selling
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and advertising applies certain specific moral dilemmas to the employees. The solution regarding
moral dilemma is complex area that requires full as well as extremely serious attention as
resolving of the problem is in favor of public imposes new pressure on the organizations. It is
being expected that once serious intent of employees is being faced the voice should be raised
against the firm. This reaction of the personnel can be regarded as decisive stimulation for the
organization that are not avoiding moral guidelines within their operations. In accordance with
the views of Mari and Bolesnikov, (2008) it has been gained that a moral dilemma is regarded as
the process of moral judgment on appropriateness or inappropriateness of certain actions,
activities or decision of an institution or individual with appreciation of basic moral standards
and information regarding the fact that are concerned with actions that are subject of discussion.
The most significant moral standards as well as principles which the personnel are required to
consider present standards of usefulness and standards of justice.
In the contemporary scenario, business entities have been experiencing a few challenges
regarded with moral and ethical values. On generalized basis, these are such values that are
difficult to maintain; yet it provides various benefits to the business entities. As per morale
values, employee discrimination should be avoided and equal opportunities should be provided
to every employee (Lindy and Schaefer, 2010). Regarding this, acts related to employment and
discrimination must be followed. Further, ethical values promotes services of the business;
therefore for such concern, contemporary organizations are managing their business prospects as
per ethical standards. For instance -hospitality organizations are those that have to consider
ethics and moral value because of engaging culturally diversified employees in organizational
work practices.
In in accordance with the views of Qureshi and et.al., (2015) it has been examined that
the process of resolving moral dilemmas does not take place in vacuum. It is important for the
personnel to consider the context in which the dilemma has took place. Moral judgment is
regarded as systematic approach to bring ethical decision and resolving moral dilemmas. Ethical
judgments implies the rights as well as interest of others. Moral judgment is regarded as set of
principles, rules of behavior through which employee s are guided when making decision on
what is right and what is wrong. Further it analyze what is good and what is bad for the
organization.
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It can be concluded from the study that ethical dilemmas includes pressure from the
management that depends on the culture of the organization. It has been gained that individual
can work under financial pressure in the hunger of recognition. In case they do not get reward
through accepted channel then they make efforts towards doing something unethical. Thus it is
significant for the organization. Thus such type of discrimination is not only unethical but illegal
and still remains common. Thus it important for the business to take necessary steps for
resolving the dilemmas.
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REFERENCES
Journals and Books
Anderson, M. and Anderson, S.L., 2014, July. GenEth: A General Ethical Dilemma Analyzer. In
AAAI. pp. 253-261.
Beutler, L.E., 2015. 12 An Ethical Dilemma in Publishing. Ethical Challenges in the Behavioral
and Brain Sciences. p.35.
Campbell, L. and et.al., 2010. APA ethics code commentary and case illustrations.
Del Chiaro, M., Rangelova, E. and Maeurer, M., 2016. The Ethical Dilemma of Compensating
Living Kidney Donors: Alignment Between Science, Legislation, and Ethical Perception in
Society?. JAMA surgery.
Garmon, T.M., 2010. Panic Defense and Model Rules Common Sense: A Practical Solution for a
Twenty-First Century Ethical Dilemma. 45. p.621.
Kim, R.C., 2016. Ethical Decision Making in International Business: A Study of Challenge in
Teaching to Future Global Talents. Business and Management Studies. 2(2). pp.1-13.
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Murray, C.G., 2015. Advanced restorative dentistry–a problem for the elderly? An ethical
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Natale, S.M. and Doran, C., 2012. Marketization of education: An ethical dilemma. Journal of
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Qureshi, Z.P. and et.al., 2015. The Ethical Dilemma Surrounding Prostate Specific Antigen
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Toren, O. and Wagner, N., 2010. Applying an ethical decision-making tool to a nurse
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Van Auken, S., 2016. Assessing the role of business faculty values and background in the
recognition of an ethical dilemma. Journal of Education for Business. pp.1-8.
Woiceshyn, J., 2011. A model for ethical decision making in business: Reasoning, intuition, and
rational moral principles. Journal of business ethics. 104(3). pp.311-323.
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<http://www.slideshare.net/sk_prince/ethical-dilemmas-in-business>. [Accessed on 5th May,
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Mari, R. and Bolesnikov, D., Contemporary business, 2008. [pdf]. Avaible
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