According to the ethical relativism school of thought,
if the use of underage labor is acceptable in a particular culture/society/country, then it is ethical for a company to use underage labor in conducting its business activities in that culture/society/country.
The three categories of managers that stand out with regard to ethical and moral principles in business affairs are:
moral managers, amoral managers, and immoral managers.
Which one of the following is not an aspect of socially responsible behavior and good corporate citizenship?
Actions to keep the prices the company charges for its products/services low enough to prevent the company's profits from being viewed by the general public as obscenely high or exorbitant
An immoral manager is one who
has few scruples, little or no integrity, is driven by single-minded pursuit of what is in his/her own self-interest, and is willing to do most anything he/she believes they can get away with.
Which one of the following is not among the major drivers of unethical managerial behavior?
Poor economic conditions that make it difficult for companies to earn a fair profit unless they engage in unethical behavior.
Multinational companies
that forbid the payment of bribes and kickbacks in their codes of ethical conduct and that are serious about enforcing this prohibition are acting in accord with the principles of the school of ethical universalism and are rejecting the principles underlying the school of ethical relativism.
The concept of social responsibility and good corporate citizenship concerns
a company's duty to operate in an honorable manner, provide good working conditions for employees, be a good steward of the environment, and actively work to better the quality of life in the local communities where it operates and in society at large.
According to the Corruption Perceptions Index scores in Table 9.1,
perceived corruption is lower in Denmark, Singapore, Australia, and Canada than in the United States, France, South Korea, and Italy.
Which one of the following is NOT among the good business reasons why companies should be public-spirited and devote time and resources to social responsibility initiatives, environmental sustainability, and being good corporate citizens?
A business is obligated to act as a responsible citizen and do its fair share to promote the general welfare; otherwise it is in violation of its implied contract with society and subject to both heavy fines and an excess profits tax.
Which one of the following is not a particularly sound or valid reason why deliberate pursuit of unethical strategies and tolerance of unethical conduct is a risky business practice?
Companies that engage in shady behavior usually suffer big drops in profitability and are unlikely to earn attractive profits for as many as 5 to 10 years after their unethical conduct is exposed in the media
According to the school of ethical universalism,
the most fundamental concepts of what is right and what is wrong are universal and transcend most all cultures, societies, and religions--hence, common ethical standards can be used to judge the conduct of all members of society, including all personnel at all companies worldwide.
According to integrative social contracts theory,
universal ethical principles or norms based on the collective views of multiple cultures and societies combine to form a "social contract" that all individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses in all situations have a duty to observe; however, within the boundaries of this social contract, local cultures or groups have the "moral space" to specify what other actions may or may not be ethically permissible.
When it comes to the practice of some businesses paying bribes and kickbacks to secure government contracts, obtain a license or permit from government agencies, or win/retain the business of customers, it is fair to say that
it is very difficult (and logically inconsistent) for a multinational company to ethically justify such payments when it does business in countries where such payments are illegal and/or when the company's code of ethics forbids such payments.
Business ethics concerns
the application of general ethical principles and standards to the actions and decisions of businesses and the conduct of their personnel.
According to the school of ethical relativism,
differing religious beliefs, historic traditions and customs, core values and beliefs, and behavioral norms across countries and cultures give rise to multiple sets of standards concerning what is ethically right or wrong.