Utilitarian Principles of Business Ethics - Essay Example

?2. According to utilitarianism, the morally right action will sometimes be a “terrible” action that results in negative consequences. In some cases,it may be morally right to lie, cheat, steal, and kill depending on the consequences according to this principle. However, something that is bad should never be condoned though it benefits some people. Therefore, it can be argued that utilitarianism has got its own flaws which can affect its credibility in as far as the concept of ethics is concerned. According to the utilitarian principle, “the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the majority of people is ethically correct compared to the choice that benefits only a few people,” (Rainbow, 2002). It can be seen that this concept tries to encourage the people to work towards a certain outcome that is beneficial to the majority of the people who are likely to be affected by a certain course of action. In case of an organization operating in a specific area, it can be observed that its actions should benefit the majority of people such as the stakeholders involved in its operations. The main goal of the above mentioned principle is to satisfy the interests of the majority of people affected by a certain activity and this can be done through lying. Whilst it is a noble idea to satisfy the interests of the majority of people through a certain action, it can be seen that this action can result in terrible consequences on the other part that is regarded as minority in this case. Sometimes it may be morally right to lie as long as it will benefit the majority of the people involved. However, though this action is likely to benefit the majority of people involved, it can be seen that there may be few individuals who may be negatively affected by this course of action that is beneficial to the majority of people. In as far as the concept of ethics is concerned, it can be seen that something that is bad will remain bad even if it benefits other people. The bottom line is that the concept of ethics compels us to make a clear distinction between something that is good from bad. Though some bad actions are beneficial to other people, it should be borne in mind that something wrong will remain wrong no matter what. A good example can be drawn from an organization that thrives on providing sub standard products to the customers. Whilst other people may not be aware of this, the management will be fully aware that their action contravenes the moral principles they should uphold in their operations. They will be just behaving in such a way as a result of the fact that their action is beneficial to the majority of the people involved. To them, this practice is morally right since it benefits the majority of people. For instance, this action means that the company stands better chances of generating more revenue from this malpractice. This in turn benefits the shareholders and other stakeholders who have interests in the company. However, other unsuspecting people are likely to be impacted negatively by this kind of action. It may not be noticeable but these people are likely to be affected in the long run. The organizations in particular should always be guided by their stated values that compel them to act in way that make them different from other companies. The values in this case are basic tenets that shape the culture of the organization and these should not be compromised for financial gain. From this assertion, it can be seen that financial gains should not be given precedence over the interests of other people since this action is likely to result in negative consequences to the affected people. Indeed, the goal of each organization is to generate profits from its operations but care should be taken so as to ensure that the rights of the other people are not violated for the love of money by the organization involved. The moral principles that shape the company’s values should always shape its operations so as to be in a position to create trust among different stakeholders. It can also be seen that the concept of utilitarianism goes hand in hand with the concept of corporate social responsibility. The organizations have a duty to make sure that their activities are beneficial to the members of the community in which they operate. Businesses should not only focus on their profit oriented goals since this can affect their credibility in the eyes of the people. However, transparency and accountability should be upheld in the operations of the organizations so that they are in a position to gain the trust of the stakeholders. All companies should strive to make sure that they uphold ethical principles in their operations so as to be in a position to appeal to the interests of the targeted audiences. The companies that are concerned about their survival should always operate in an ethical fashion. However, to a certain extent, some lies are morally correct if they benefit the majority of people. There are certain consequences where it can be observed that lies can save the lives of the majority of people. For examples, lies can help to save the lives of many people especially in politically tense environments or other areas that are characterised by ethnic volatility. It may help to lie that members of a certain group belongs to a specific ethnic group though this might not be the case. In as far as this action will help to save the lives of the majority of people, it can be seen that it will be correct to do so. From the above discussion, it can be observed that action that is regarded as morally right may have negative consequences though it may benefit the majority of the people involved. Actions that are detrimental to other people should never be condoned though they are beneficial to the majority of people. Ethical principles that try to distinguish between something that is bad from right should always be upheld regardless of the fact that bad action can yield benefits to other people. It should always be noted that something wrong will remain wrong no matter how beneficial it may be to other people who may be involved in such a scenario. Works cited Garret, J. Ethical theories. . 16 January, 2008. Web. 20 March 2013. Rainbow, C. Descriptions of Ethical Theories and Principles. Davidson College. . 2002. Web. 20 March 2013. Read More