1. Chapter 8 Ethics of Managers and Social Responsibility of Businesses
PowerPoint Slides to Accompany CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS AND ONLINE COMMERCE LAW 6th Edition by Henry R. Cheeseman
Chapter 8
Ethics of Managers and Social Responsibility of Businesses
Copyright © 2009 by Pearson Prentice-Hall. All rights reserved.

2. Introduction
Businesses organized in the United States are subject to its laws.
They are also subject to the laws of other countries in which they operate.
Business persons owe a duty to act ethically in the conduct of their affairs.
Businesses owe a social responsibility not to harm society.
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3. Law and Ethics
Ethics – A set of moral principles or values that governs the conduct of an individual or a group.
What is lawful conduct is not always ethical conduct.
The law may permit something that would be ethically wrong.
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4. Ethical Fundamentalism
Ethical fundamentalism - When a person looks to an outside source for ethical rules or commands.
Critics argue that ethical fundamentalism does not permit people to determine right and wrong for themselves.
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5. Utilitarianism
A moral theory that dictates that people must choose the action or follow the rule that provides the greatest good to society
This does not mean the greatest good for the greatest number of people
Has been criticized because it is difficult to estimate the “good” that will result from different actions
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6. Kantian Ethics (Duty Ethics)
A moral theory that says people owe moral duties that are based on universal rules
Based on the premise that people can use reasoning to reach ethical decisions
This theory would have people behave according to the categorical imperative:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
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7. Rawls’s Social Justice Theory (1 of 3)
Rawls’s Social Contract
A moral theory that says each person is presumed to have entered into a social contract, with all others in society, to obey moral rules that are necessary for people to live in peace and harmony
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8. Rawls’s Social Justice Theory (2 of 3)
Fairness is considered the essence of justice.
The principles of justice should be chosen by persons who do not yet know their station in society.
This “veil of ignorance” would permit the fairest possible principles to be selected.
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9. Rawls’s Social Justice Theory (3 of 3)
There are two major criticisms of this theory:
Establishing the blind “original position” for choosing moral principles is impossible in the real world.
Many persons in society would choose not to maximize the benefit to the least advantaged persons in society.
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10. Ethical Relativism (1 of 2)
A moral theory that holds that individuals must decide what is ethical based on their own feelings as to what is right or wrong
There are no universal ethical rules to guide a person’s conduct.
If a person meets his or her own moral standard in making a decision, no one can criticize him or her for it.
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11. Ethical Relativism (2 of 2)
A criticism of this theory is that an action usually thought to be unethical would not be unethical if the perpetrator thought it was in fact ethical.
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12. Theories of Ethics – Summary (1 of 2)
Theory
Description
Ethical fundamentalism
Persons look to an outside source or central figure for ethical guidelines.
Utilitarianism
Persons choose the alternative that would provide the greatest good to society.
Kantian ethics
A set of universal rules establishes ethical duties. The rules are based on reasoning and require (1) consistency in application and (2) reversibility.
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13. Theories of Ethics – Summary (2 of 2)
Theory
Description
Rawls’s social justice theory
Moral duties are based on an implied social contract. Fairness is justice. Rules are established from an original position.
Ethical relativism
Individuals decide what is ethical based on their own feelings as to what is right or wrong.
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14. Business Ethics: Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Makes certain conduct illegal
Establishes criminal penalties for violations
Prompts companies to encourage senior officers of public companies to act ethically in their dealings with shareholders, employees, and other constituents
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15. United Nations Code of Conduct for Transnational Corporations
Respect for national sovereignty
Adherence to socio-cultural objectives and values
Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
Abstention from corrupt practices
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16. Social Responsibility of Business
Business does not operate in a vacuum
Decisions made by business have far-reaching effects on society.
In the past, many business decisions were made solely on a cost-benefit analysis.
Such decisions may cause negative externalities for others.
Corporations are considered to owe some degree of social responsibility for their actions.
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17. Theories of the Social Responsibility of Business
1. Maximizing Profits
2. Moral Minimum
3. Stakeholder
Interest
4. Corporate
Citizenship
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18. Maximizing Profits
A theory of social responsibility that says a corporation owes a duty to take actions that maximize profits for shareholders
The interests of other constituencies are not important in and of themselves
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19. Moral Minimum (1 of 2)
A theory of social responsibility that says a corporation’s duty is to make a profit while avoiding harm to others
As long as business avoids or corrects the social injury it causes, it has met its duty of social responsibility.
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20. Moral Minimum (2 of 2)
The legislative and judicial branches of government have established laws that enforce the moral minimum of social responsibility on corporations:
e.g., Occupational safety laws
e.g., Consumer protection laws for product safety
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21. Stakeholder Interest
A theory of social responsibility that says a corporation must consider the effects its actions have on persons other than its stockholders
This theory is criticized because it is difficult to harmonize the conflicting interests of stakeholders.
Other stakeholders of business:
Employees
Suppliers
Customers
Creditors
Local community
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22. Corporate Citizenship (1 of 2)
A theory of responsibility that says a business has a responsibility to do good
Business is responsible for helping to solve social problems.
Corporations owe a duty to promote the same social goals as do individual members of society.
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23. Corporate Citizenship (2 of 2)
This theory argues that corporations owe a debt to society to make it a better place
This duty arises because of the social power bestowed on corporations.
A major criticism of this theory is that the duty of a corporation to “do good” cannot be expanded beyond certain limits.
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24. Theories of Social Responsibility – Summary
Theory
Social Responsibility
Maximizing profits
To maximize profits for stockholders.
Moral minimum
To avoid causing harm and to compensate for harm caused.
Stakeholder interest
To consider the interests of all stakeholders, including stockholders, employees, customers, suppliers, creditors, and local community.
Corporate citizenship
To do good and solve social problems
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25. The Corporate Social Audit (1 of 2)
Corporate audits should be extended to include the moral health of the corporation.
Corporations that conduct social audits will be more apt to prevent unethical and illegal conduct by managers, employees, and agents.
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26. The Corporate Social Audit (2 of 2)
The audit would examine how well:
Employees have adhered to the company’s code of ethics; and
The corporation has met its duty of social responsibility
Such audits would focus on the corporation’s efforts to:
Promote employment opportunities for members of protected classes
Worker safety
Environmental protection
Consumer protection
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27. Company Procedures for Conducting a Social Audit (1 of 2)
An independent outside firm should be hired to conduct the audit.
This will ensure autonomy and objectivity.
The company’s personnel should cooperate fully with the auditing firm while the audit is being conducted.
The auditing firm should report its findings directly to the company’s board of directors.
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28. Company Procedures for Conducting a Social Audit (2 of 2)
The results of the audit should be reviewed by the company’s board of directors.
The board of directors should determine how the company can:
Better meet its duty of social responsibility; and
Use the audit to implement a program to correct any deficiencies it finds.
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