Business and Professional Ethics: Positive Discrimination in Workplace

This essay explores the contentious issue of positive discrimination in the workplace, using the example of female firefighters in Australia. It examines arguments for and against the practice, referencing a news article discussing the concerns of experienced firefighters about potential compromises in recruitment standards for the sake of gender diversity. The essay applies both utilitarianism, which focuses on maximizing good for the greatest number, and Kant's deontological theory, emphasizing moral duty, to analyze the ethical dimensions of the debate. Arguments in favor of the decision highlight equal opportunity and the prevention of discrimination, while arguments against raise concerns about compromising skills and potentially endangering lives. The essay concludes by evaluating the ethical implications of positive discrimination, considering both its potential benefits and its risks.

Running head: BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

1BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
Title – “Should positive discrimination be allowed in the workplace ?”
Davey, M. (2018). 'We don’t want positive discrimination,' say female firefighters. the Guardian.
Retrieved 12 March 2018, from
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/29/we-dont-want-positive-
discrimination-say-female-firefighters
This news article discusses whether positive discrimination should be allowed in the
workplace. Particularly female firefighters in Australia have stated that they are not in favor of
positive discrimination in the workplace. Rachel Cowling, an experienced firefighter is afraid
that the new recruitment procedure as introduced by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade would not
involve the stringent physical training firefighters are require to go through to combat difficult
situations. She fears that for the purpose of promoting gender diversity the fire brigade would
make the recruitment fast paced. However the MFB denied the claims of Cowling and argued
that they had been encountering claims of positive discrimination as put forward by the unions
for decades (Barrow, 2015). The Fire brigade department has been warned that they are not
compromise their standards for the purpose of propagating any underlying political agenda.
However in reply the Jim Higgins, the CEO of the MFB has stated that they have not lowered the
standards to make it favorable for the applicants to get recruited. The CEO further stated that the
Fire Brigade puts every applicant equal opportunity and puts ever applicant through the same
selection process to promote gender diversity in the workplace without compromising the
standards.
Arguments in favor of the decision

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According to the philosophy of Utilitarianism it can be stated that the actions of
individuals should aim to promote the greatest good for most number of people. Thus to
determine whether actions of the Fire Brigade is in compliance with the theory of Utilitarianism
it is important to assess whether it creates the greatest good for the most number of people. It can
be analyzed that providing equal opportunity to all applicants prevents discrimination of any sort
and thus creates the greatest good for the most number of people.
According to the Deontological theory of KANT as opposed to the theory of
Utilitarianism, it can be said that the actions of individuals should be based on what is morally
good (Chen & Schonger, 2017). It focuses on the duty or obligations to promote what is morally
good. Thus by applying the deontological theory to this scenario it can be said that the act of
promoting gender diversity is the moral duty in order to prevent gender discrimination (Zamir &
Medina, 2017)
Arguments against the decision
However, as opposed by Cowling the act of recruiting more female fire fighters without
putting them through the intense and stringent training program just to promote gender diversity
will compromise the skill and ability of the fire fighters. If these skills are not developed
combating fire in difficult situations will become a challenge to fire fighters and the same is
likely to adversely affect the lives of the fire fighters as well as the members of the society
(Davey, 2018).
It can be said that if female fire fighters are recruited more just to promote gender
diversity without putting them through proper selection process as alleged by Cowling, it will
create positive discrimination. It can be argued that one has the moral duty to prevent positive

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discrimination. Moreover jeopardizing the lives of the fire fighters and the people of the society
at large can be considered to be unethical and immoral.
Bibliography
Barrow, R. (2015). Utilitarianism: A contemporary statement. Routledge.
Chen, D. L., & Schonger, M. (2017). Social preferences or sacred values? theory and evidence
of deontological motivations.
Davey, M. (2018, March 12). We don’t want positive discrimination,' say female firefighters. the
Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/29/we-
dont-want-positive-discrimination-say-female-firefighter
Zamir, E., & Medina, B. (2017). Deontological Morality and Economic Analysis of Law. .