David Lemuel E. Garcia                                                                                        

10564721      BS-IM

Business Ethics and Values

By Colin Fisher and Alan Lovell

Chapter 3: Ethical Theories and how to use them

“Principle, is a standard that is to be observed, not because it will advance an economic, political or social situation, but because it is a requirement of fairness or justice or some other dimension of morality”

            - Principles do affect a lot in terms of decision making and other things that consumes every second of our lives. Creating an ethical theory or ethical codes would be greatly affected by principles. Why? Because principles are the things that make us act the way we are and that we view things through it not beside it. “Through” because we create certain decisions and we base them by passing through our principles and choosing the right thing to do based on it.

Summary of the Chapter:

            - It certainly gives us the capability to compare and contrast the four approaches to ethical theory which are the individual processes, policy, institutional structure, and principles. Another thing would be the different implications of the different ethical theories for the businesses, and how to apply the ethical theories and benefit from it through the business you are into.

Chapter 5: Individuals responses to ethical issues

“…people do not adopt a single categorization but debate with themselves and with others about a range of competing possible categorizations.”

            - Ethical issues can be categorized in different manners, a single issue can be vied not just once but in many other ways, and this is where debates and other ethical issues arise as well. Categorization of issues are good but then, no one can argue that a certain ethical issue only lies on a single category and that it cannot be argued because it is what it is. People come up with new knowledge and wisdom by deviating from a certain idea and comes up with his/her own categorization thus giving a new insight about a certain issue and gives the people a different view and makes them think otherwise or gives them another idea on what other views can they make out of it.

Summary of the Chapter:

            - This chapter talked about how you should approach an ethical issue. There are eight stances on how people should respond on these issues. Things about the difference of conscience, ethical reasoning, other persons perception and actions is also part of this chapter and what would be the right stance to take on a certain kind of ethical issue for you to be able to approach it easier and efficiently.

Chapter 6: Whistle Blowing

“…people who display a predominantly deontological orientation towards ethical issues, whose ethical thinking, and possibly action, reflects principled-based responses, are more likely to feel compelled to whistleblow if resolution of an ethical dilemma proves impossible.”

            - Judging the persons movements in certain situations, you know that those people who are more inclined in their ethical ways are likely to make certain decisions in an ethical manner thus giving them the power to strive for what they want to do based on what they believe in. They know that they are backed-up by the principles and codes of ethics that they cling on to.                    

Summary of the Chapter:

            - The act of whistleblowing is being tackled in this chapter wherein the reason behind the act is being discussed. Whistleblowing can also be the revelation of an issue of a certain company from an external party. The role of whistleblowing in an organization, its ups and downs if being done and the reason why a certain individual has done such an act thus creating a very large impact to the whole company.