Online Exam: Exploring Business Ethics in Philip Morris International

This essay presents an analysis of business ethics through the case study of Philip Morris International, a tobacco manufacturer committed to reducing respiratory diseases while earning 75% of its revenue from cigarettes. The essay examines this ethical dilemma through the lenses of Jeremy Bentham's utilitarianism, which focuses on actions promoting happiness, and Immanuel Kant's deontological ethics, which emphasizes duty and moral values. The analysis reveals a conflict between the company's stated commitments and its actual business practices, questioning the sincerity of its ethical claims. The essay concludes that true business ethics requires not only making commitments but also consistently adhering to them, ensuring fair practices and moral judgments are supported by rationale.

ONLINE EXAM -
EXPLORING BUSINESS
ETHICS

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Question 1....................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Business ethics refers to the set of morals and values that has to be undertaken by the
business in terms of performing their operations. The business must be concerned with the
ethical aspects as it determines the level of dignity and morals that has been possessed by the
business (DeTienne and et.al., 2021). This report will show the case study of the Philip Morris
Internnational which is a tobacco manufacturer. The firm has the made the commitment of
producing the products that reduces the asthma and respiratory diseases. Also, the firm has made
a commitment in relation of creating the smoke-free future. But the biggest irony is that, the
company earns its 75% of revenue from selling the cigarettes. This report will discuss this case
from the perspective that derives from theories of Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham.
MAIN BODY
Question 1
Business ethics allows the organisation to develop their revenues, or to perform in a manner so
that they will follow the path for achieving their goals and objectives. Business ethics allow how
firms need to behave with their customers or with their stakeholders. It helps the businesses to
practice all legal regulation and business policies in order to prevent from any vulnerable
consequences (Nair, 2021). It is analysed that Philip Morris a tobacco manufacturer earns their
75% of revenues by selling the tobacco product and claims that their product decreases the
respiration illness.
Jeremy Bentham’s theory:
Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher and legal reformer who invents the utilitarianism theory
which is the ethical theory, it refer as if the actions are taken for promoting happiness and
satisfaction then these are morally right. Or the action which is hurting others is considered as
the morally wrong action. It is seen in the case study that Phillip Morris has committed to
develop the product which do not harm the customers as their products are mainly tobacco which

causes the several chronic disease, in such they aim to deliver the smoke free future to the
customer. As per the theory, company is just committing with their statement, but in reality it
seems difficult for them because they are generating maximum revenues by selling these
products. Therefore business ethics are those which is performed by the firm, as to follow what
they committed with. As per the theory pleasure and happiness has the intrinsic value, if things
are taken for other’s benefit than it gives the satisfaction (Ciulla, 2020). Regarding this case
study, if Morris’s company is generating their maximum profit by their business, then why they
need to commit with their customer to provide them tobacco free future, Instead they can
proceed to converse with their customer to reduce the amount of tobacco in their product so that
it will not become threat for their life.
Immanuel Kant’s theory:
This theory usually refer as deontological theory of ethics which is invented by the Immanuel
Kant which states that rightness and the wrongness of the action is not completely rely on the
consequences but they are depend on whether they are accomplishing the duty or not. He
believes that all action which are immoral consider as the irrational because they always linked
with the violation. This theory believes that the actions are only right when it represent the moral
values. Therefore regarding the Morris case where the action is not taken by the firm, they only
stated that they will provide the product which will decrease the unhealthy aspect. But they are
not trying to apply this rule because it is clearly seen that their maximum profit is depending on
them, which means that they only trying to make the statement so that customer and board
director will show sympathy in their business (Singer, 2018). it is the good approach for taking
the emotional support from the customer so that they will be able to expand their business
further.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it has been concluded that, business ethics plays the mandatory
role in the business. Only making a commitment is not leads to performing the ethics. Following
the commitment is the mandatory aspect. As discussed in the Philip Morris International’s case
study that, the firm has made the commitment but itself not following that commitment. In such
situation, the ethics in the business has been ignored. The report has highlighted the major theme
and that is the moral judgements must be given the rationale support. So, the ethics can be

ensured in the business. It is the duty of the business that they must ensure the fair practices
within performing the ethical terms.
REFERENCES
Books and journals
Ciulla, J.B., 2020. Business ethics as moral imagination. In The Search for Ethics in Leadership,
Business, and Beyond (pp. 121-129). Springer, Cham.
DeTienne and et.al., 2021. Moral development in business ethics: An examination and
critique. Journal of Business Ethics. 170(3). pp.429-448.
Nair, L.B., 2021. From ‘Whodunit’to ‘How’: Detective Stories and Auditability in Qualitative
Business Ethics Research. Journal of Business Ethics. 172(2). pp.195-209.
Singer, A., 2018. Justice failure: Efficiency and equality in business ethics. Journal of Business
Ethics. 149(1). pp.97-115.