Case Assignment In A Well-Written 4 To 5 Page Paper 135596
Case Assignmentin A Well Written4 To 5 Pagepaper Not Including Cove
Case Assignmentin A Well Written4 To 5 Pagepaper Not Including Cove
Case Assignment In a well-written, 4- to 5-page paper (not including cover and reference pages), apply Duty Ethics to the Mattel case study. Briefly (1-2 paragraphs) describe what is meant by duty ethics. Choose two ethical issues raised by the Mattel case (e.g., Mattel’s treatment of company employees would be a good choice of ethical issues). Apply duty ethics to your two Step 2 choices. How does use of duty ethics as a lens inform the ethical nature of your two choices?
Remember that duty ethics concerns duty and rights , so be sure to address both in your written analysis. Be sure to include at least two sources from the library to support your discussion and analysis. Be sure that you properly cite your sources using proper APA style, and use proper in-text citations. Follow the guidelines in The Student Guide to Writing a High Quality Academic Paper You are expected to demonstrate evidence of critical thinking – as defined in the Module 2 background materials and the grading rubric.
Paper For Above instruction
Duty ethics, also known as deontological ethics, emphasizes the importance of duty and moral rules in ethical decision-making. According to Kantian ethics, duty is derived from universal moral principles that are intrinsically right, regardless of outcomes. Duty ethics posits that individuals have moral obligations to act according to principles such as honesty, fairness, and respect for rights, which must be upheld regardless of the consequences. In practical terms, duty ethics requires individuals and organizations to adhere to moral duties and rights, even in challenging situations, emphasizing integrity and moral consistency (Hooker, 2019).
Applying duty ethics to the Mattel case involves analyzing specific ethical issues through the lens of moral duties and rights. Two significant ethical issues arising from the Mattel case include the treatment of factory workers and the company's response to product safety concerns. Matell faced criticism for its manufacturing practices in developing countries, where factory workers endured poor working conditions, low wages, and inadequate safety measures. The second issue pertains to Mattel's handling of product safety problems, including recalls of unsafe toys contaminated with lead or other hazardous substances.
Regarding the treatment of factory workers, duty ethics underscores the moral obligation of Mattel to respect the inherent dignity and rights of its employees. Ethical principles suggest that the company has a duty to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and respect for workers’ rights regardless of cost considerations. From a deontological perspective, neglecting these duties violates moral imperatives rooted in respect for human dignity. The duty to treat workers ethically aligns with Kantian principles that mandate respecting individuals as ends, not merely as means to profit (Garriga & Melé, 2014). Therefore, Mattel's failure to uphold these duties highlights a breach of moral responsibility, emphasizing the importance of adherence to moral rules that protect workers’ rights.
Concerning product safety, duty ethics emphasizes the company's moral obligation to produce and distribute safe products. Organizations have a duty to ensure their offerings do not cause harm to consumers (Kant, 1785/2014). Mattel's recall of toys contaminated with lead demonstrates a recognition of this duty, yet the initial oversight suggests negligence in adhering to this moral obligation. From a duty-based perspective, the company’s failure to proactively prevent such hazards reflects a violation of its moral duties to consumers. The ethical obligation extends beyond compliance to encompass a moral duty to prioritize consumer safety as an intrinsic right of customers (Shaw, 2017).
In applying duty ethics to these issues, it becomes clear that moral duties and rights are central to evaluating organizational behavior. The failure to respect factory workers' dignity and neglecting consumer safety standards both represent ethical breaches from a deontological perspective. Conversely, a commitment to uphold these duties through ethical practices would demonstrate moral integrity and respect for human rights. Duty ethics thus informs the ethical evaluation by emphasizing the importance of adhering to moral principles and duties, regardless of the consequences or organizational pressures (Crane & Matten, 2016).
In conclusion, duty ethics provides a compelling framework for analyzing the ethical issues in the Mattel case. By focusing on moral duties and respecting individual rights, organizations are guided toward ethical practices that uphold human dignity and safety. The case illustrates the importance of moral obligations over solely outcome-based considerations, reinforcing that ethical business conduct must be rooted in adherence to universal moral principles.
References
- Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
- Garriga, E., & Melé, D. (2014). Corporate social responsibility theories: Mapping the territory. Journal of Business Ethics, 53(1-2), 51-71.
- Hooker, J. (2019). Deontological ethics. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2019 Edition). Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2019/entries/ethics-deontological/
- Kant, I. (2014). Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals (J. W. Ellington, Trans.). Harper & Row. (Original work published 1785)
- Shaw, W. H. (2017). Business ethics: A textbook with cases. Cengage Learning.