Business Ethics

Assignment 1
Introduction
This essay is to generally discuss how ethical theories provide guides in valuing human being’s behaviours to be ethically good or bad. We also have a look in different ethical theories to see why they are incompatible. The ethical theories include Utilitarianism, Kantian moral theory, virtue ethics and rights theory. Drawing on two of the theories, we will outline their positions and critically discuss the claim in a business situation. We will also outline and access at criticism level for these two theories.

Purpose of ethical theory
An ethical theory is to provide theory for people to value human beings through their behaviors, to access a person if he/she is ethical
A business abides by law doesn’t mean its action can be considered ethically well. A gambling business operates within the law and also makes contribution to the society. But gambling itself could not be considered as morally well as gambling has created so many problems like criminal, and made many families broken up. Therefore, by law gambling businesses have to sponsor organizations of Gambling Problem Foundation or helpline to help gamblers, their family or others affected by problem gambling free of charge. As the law is set out to protect basic human rights, many other situations require the management of businesses to make right decision with their virtuous character. Some managers take advantage of employees and give them overload of work, pursuing the maximum profit but omitting the safety and healthy requirement of a person. Here how we could think this sort of action is supported by the virtue of caring even the managers’ decision itself doesn’t break any law?

Criticism levelled at two ethical theories
Critics against virtue ethics reason that there is conflict concerning different virtues in a situation. For example, in a book shop, the shopkeeper catches a teenager who steals some books. To be the virtue of honesty, the shopkeeper might call the police. To be kindness, the shopkeeper might just give a warning to the kid and then set him free. Which action is