Reflection And Discussion Forum Week 2: Reflect On The Assig ✓ Solved

Reflection And Discussion Forum Week 2reflect On The Assigned Readings

Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 2 Reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Identify what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding. Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions: 1. Marco Manager supervises three employees at a bank. Several times over the last three months, money has been missing from a specific employee’s till at the end of the shift. Marco Manager has worked with this employee for five years and considers this employee a friend. What ethical dilemmas does this present for Marco Manager? 2. Cash Right Now, LLC provides very high interest loans to people with poor credit scores that have a high probability of defaulting on the loan. Many people do in fact default on these loans; however, Cash Right Now, LLC does make a substantial profit overall, even considering these defaults. The people that borrow from Cash Right Now, LLC are unlikely to obtain credit elsewhere. Discuss if Cash Right Now, LLC’s business practices are ethical considering it charges much higher interest rates than traditional banks. [should be at least 450+ words and in APA format (including Times New Roman with font size 12 and double spaced). Post the actual body of your paper in the discussion thread then attach a Word version of the paper for APA review]

Sample Paper For Above instruction

In examining ethical decision-making within organizational contexts, it is crucial to consider the various dilemmas that managers and business entities encounter. This discussion focuses on two critical scenarios: one involving an internal ethical dilemma faced by a bank manager and another analyzing the ethical implications of lending practices by a high-interest loan company. Both cases highlight the importance of moral reasoning, stakeholder consideration, and broader societal impacts in business ethics.

Firstly, the case of Marco Manager presents a complex ethical dilemma rooted in personal relationships versus professional responsibilities. Marco supervises three employees, and recurrent instances of missing money from an employee’s till raise serious concerns about dishonesty and trust. Given his longstanding relationship of five years with the employee and perceiving him as a friend, Marco faces a conflict between loyalty and integrity. On the one hand, loyalty might compel Marco to avoid confrontation or suspicion, perhaps out of concern for damaging personal rapport. On the other hand, his professional obligation mandates accurate record-keeping and fraud prevention, which necessitates investigating the missing funds. This dilemma is further complicated by the emotional component—friendship can cloud judgment, leading to potential bias or leniency, thereby risking overlooking misconduct. Ethically, Marco must balance his duty of care to the organization and its stakeholders with personal loyalty. According to Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, a higher moral reasoning capacity would guide Marco to prioritize honesty and adherence to organizational policies over personal sentiments, even if it risks damaging a friendship. Moreover, ethical decision-making models, such as Rest’s four-component model, suggest that moral awareness, moral judgment, moral intention, and moral behavior should guide Marco toward a fair resolution—possibly involving discreet investigation and maintaining confidentiality to uphold fairness and integrity (Rest et al., 1999). Ultimately, addressing the issue transparently and ethically embodies professional integrity, which is fundamental in management practices.

Secondly, the ethics of Cash Right Now, LLC’s lending practices raises questions about exploitation and social responsibility. By offering high-interest loans to individuals with poor credit, the company targets a vulnerable population that has limited access to traditional banking services. While the company profits substantially, even with high default rates, its practices pose ethical concerns. From a utilitarian perspective, if the benefits—such as providing access to credit for underserved populations—outweigh harms like financial hardship resulting from high-interest rates, some might argue the practices are justifiable. However, regarding deontological ethics, charging exorbitant interest rates risks exploiting borrowers’ vulnerability, especially when they lack better alternatives. This situation echoes the concerns raised by critics of predatory lending practices, which often lead to a cycle of debt and financial instability. A key consideration is whether the company practices transparency and informed consent, or if borrowers are unaware of the true costs involved, thus making the lending process ethically questionable. According to the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), businesses should aim to balance profit-making with societal good. Financial institutions have an obligation to adhere to ethical standards that prevent exploitation and promote fairness. Therefore, even though Cash Right Now, LLC's business model may be profitable and fill a market niche, it arguably falls short ethically if it knowingly takes advantage of borrowers’ limited options without providing adequate safeguards or incentives for responsible lending (Garriga & Melé, 2004). Conclusively, in the context of business ethics, practices that prioritize profits over the well-being of vulnerable clients challenge fundamental moral principles and societal expectations for responsible corporate behavior.

References

• Garriga, E., & Melé, D. (2004). Corporate Social Responsibility theories: Mapping the territory. Journal of Business Ethics, 53(1-2), 51-71.
• Kohlberg, L. (1981). Essays on moral development: Vol. I. The philosophy of moral development. Harper & Row.
• Rest, J. R., Narvaez, D., Bebeau, M. J., & Thoma, S. J. (1999). Postconventional moral thinking: A Neo-Kohlbergian approach. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
• Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Pitman.
• Boatright, J. R. (2009). ethics and the conduct of business. Pearson Education.
• Schwepker Jr, C. H., & Good, D. J. (2010). Ethical climate and ethical decision making of salespeople. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 30(3), 255-270.
• Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
• Jones, T. M. (1991). Ethical decision making by individuals in organizations. Organizational Dynamics, 19(4), 39-54.
• Bowen, H. R. (1953). Social responsibilities of the businessman. Harper & Brothers.
• Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate social responsibility: Evolution of a definitional construct. Business & Society, 38(3), 268-295.