Unlike utilitarianism, which forms the philosophical foundation for most cost-benefit analysis in business, Kantian ethics is not so easily applied. KW - Business practice A Kantian approach to business ethics The importance of purity of motive • Kant argued that the highest good was the good will. Unlike utilitarianism this theory is not based on social utility. It distinguishes between doing what we must, whether we like it or not; and doing what we like, whether we should or not. Positive freedom is the freedom to develop one’s human capacities. Kant and Business Ethics . So, could a HR manager be reasonable to assume that the same rules can be applied consistently in different circumstances? Some Thus, Kantian managers need to create a certain kind of organization. Therefore, human beings are often called emotional beings. Kant and Applied Ethics makes an important contribution to Kant scholarship, illuminating the vital moral parameters of key ethical debates. Negative freedom is freedom from coercion and deception. These requirements, if implemented, would change the nature of business practice. • Kant’s distinction between negative freedom and positive freedom is important. The philosopher’s work provides a compelling account of a single set of moral principles that can be used to design just institutions for governing society perfectly. Having been influenced by Pufendorf, Kant agrees that each individual has the obligation to perform moral duties to oneself as well as to other people (Bowie, 1999). Publicly held corporations have an obligation to make a profit based on their charters of incorporation, legal obligations to shareholders, and an implied contract with the public. (4), When applied to business, the categorical imperative theorized by Kant as: “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that is should become a universal law”, poses concerns and contradictions. Each member of the organization stands in a moral relationship to all the others. Kant would dispute Friedman's view that business is only responsible to its shareholders- people should not be used as means to an end. It could not. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Due to the cause-and-effect relationship, it seems unavoidable that intentions are only a slice of the pie in Kantian ethics. On one hand, it offers a unique opportunity for the development of individual morality through the categorical imperative to … For a Kantian, meaningful work: o Is freely chosen and allows the exercise of autonomy on the jobo Supports the rationality of human beings; work that undermines rationality is immoralo Provides a salary sufficient to exercise independenceo Does not interfere with a worker’s moral development. • One example Kant used to illustrate this was a business one. Suppose you desperately needed money. It then offers suggestions on how to improve the nature of business ethics in modern society. In interacting with others, we must not do anything to diminish or inhibit these uniquely human capacities. It allows for a definition of meaningful work consistent with Kant’s views. Despite the fact that Kant’s name is often invoked in business ethics, as of 1997 there was no published book that systematically applied Kantian theory to business. Whistle-blowing- Kant would see this as your duty. In recent years applied ethics issues have been subdivided into convenient groups such as medical ethics, business ethics, environmental ethics etc. An example of this is an employee who resorted to stealing as a way of getting even to his or her supervisor who has unjustly treated him or her. It would not be stretching a point too far to say that the managers of a publicly held corporation have promised to strive for profits. Kantian Ethics has one fundamental belief which protects both employees and consumers and that is that profit is not an end in itself. It is more important than ever that a business must be both ethical and profitable. For Kant, national boundaries have, at most, derivative significance. This makes Kantian ethics rigid because the consequence of an action is not necessarily separated from the action itself (DeGeorge, 2010). A Kantian approach to the organizational design of a business firm as a ‘kingdom of ends’ would endorse these principles: o The firm should consider the interests of all the affected stakeholders in any decision it makes.o The firm should have those affected by the firm’s rules and policies participate in the setting of those rules and policies before they are implemented.o The interests of one stakeholder should never automatically take priority.o No business rule or practice can be adopted which is inconsistent with the first two formulations of the categorical imperative.o Every profit-making firm has a limited, but genuine, duty to do good.o Every business firm must establish procedures designed to ensure that relations among stakeholders are governed by rules of justice. If a maxim that permitted contract breaking were universalized, there could be no contracts (and contracts would cease to exist). • An action is only truly moral if it is morally motivated. Employees at Springfield Manufacturing Company use Kantian “respect for persons” language when describing the impact of open book management on working conditions. The United Nations, formed centuries after Kant’s first book was published, is largely based on his vision of an international government that binds nation … It examines the moral justification for these codes and analyses the underlying ethical theory particularly in relation to Kantian ethics. Susie (Student), "We have found your website and the people we have contacted to be incredibly helpful and it is very much appreciated." Today, justice systems in democracies are fundamentally based on Kant’s writings. Kant is one of the most sought after names when it comes to business ethics. In 1997 Freeman and Evan published an article proposing a Kantian stakeholder theory of corporate responsibility, which was (from 1998) included in “Ethical Theory and Business”, the Cambridge University Press reference work in this area. Sam (Student), “This is a functional book that explains all the concepts very clearly without any waffle. Virtue Ethics does not include absolute rules, it focuses on character (although Aristotle did think it was wrong to be in business just to make money). The paper refers to recent definitions of codes of ethics and considers reasons for the proliferation of such codes. Kant answers with a resounding no. In this paper I will present the charge of speciesism contended by many animal right’s activists. In this video I explore how Kantian ethics can be applied to business and consumers; employees and employers; business and globalisation; and business and the … Kant’s Ethics of Metaphysics: A Response To the Charge of Speciesism I. Also read utilitarianism and business ethics essay, Haven’t found the relevant content? These companies were then able to attract investors and have done well. 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