Business Ethics as Rational Choice

by Hooker, John

• ISBN13: 9780136118671
• ISBN10: 0136118674
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-11
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Business Ethics as Rational Choicefocuses on building decision-making skills so that readers can arrive at, and defend, personal or company decisions in an objective, and convincing, manner. Introduction; Conditions for Rational Choice; Distributive Justice and Autonomy; Initial Case Studies; MBA Student Dilemmas; Business Case Studies; Cross-cultural Ethics For those in business or government who desire a conceptual framework and vocabulary, as well as busy managers looking for a concise presentation of basic theory.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
About the Author	p. xi
Introduction	p. 1
Why Business Ethics?	p. 2
Dispelling the Myths	p. 3
How to Use This Book	p. 4
Notes	p. 5
Conditions For Rational Choice	p. 6
Jennifer's Choice	p. 6
The Generalization Test	p. 7
The Basic Argument	p. 7
Corollaries of the Generalization Test	p. 8
Why Acts Must Have Reasons	p. 9
Identifying the Reasons for an Action	p. 10
Jennifer's Choice	p. 10
Judging Generalizability	p. 12
Professional Ethics	p. 12
Fiduciary Duty to Stockholders	p. 13
Exercises	p. 14
The Utilitarian Test	p. 15
Maximizing Utility	p. 15
Expected Utility	p. 17
Jennifer's Choice	p. 17
Does the End Justify the Means?	p. 17
Too Much Altruism?	p. 18
The Role of Self-Interest	p. 19
Predicting the Consequences	p. 19
Exercises	p. 20
Virtue Ethics	p. 20
Teleological Explanation	p. 21
Virtues	p. 21
Integrity	p. 21
Jennifer's Choice	p. 22
Exercises	p. 23
Notes	p. 24
Distributive Justice and Autonomy	p. 25
Measuring Utility	p. 25
Utility Functions	p. 26
Calibrating Utility Functions	p. 26
Exercises	p. 28
Distributive Justice	p. 29
The Veil of Ignorance	p. 29
The Difference Principle	p. 29
Refining the Difference Principle	p. 30
The Liberty Principle	p. 31
Exercises	p. 32
Mathematical Note 1	p. 32
Mathematical Note 2	p. 33
Notes	p. 33
Initial Case Studies	p. 34
Spying on Unilever	p. 34
Exercises	p. 35
A Damaged Car	p. 35
Exercises	p. 36
An insurance Broker's Dilemma	p. 37
Exercises	p. 37
Product Safety	p. 38
Exercises	p. 39
Misleading Numbers	p. 39
Exercises	p. 41
Health and Smoking Bans	p. 42
Exercises	p. 43
Notes	p. 45
MBA Student Dilemmas	p. 46
Being Honest with the Customer	p. 46
Exercises	p. 47
Paying for the Salad Bar	p. 48
Exercises	p. 48
The Boss's Unauthorized Expenses	p. 49
Exercises	p. 49
Accepting Free Tickets	p. 50
Exercises	p. 51
Unauthorized Salary Information	p. 51
Exercises	p. 51
Sacrificing the Old for the New	p. 52
Exercise	p. 53
Interviews after Accepting a Job	p. 53
Exercises	p. 57
Notes	p. 58
Business Case Studies	p. 59
Nortel and Income Smoothing	p. 59
Tires and Rollovers	p. 61
The Bullard Houses	p. 63
Marketing Prozac and Paxil	p. 66
Countrywide Financial and Subprime Mortgages	p. 68
Super Size Me	p. 74
Conoco's "Green" Oil Strategy	p. 77
Exercises	p. 80
Notes	p. 87
Cross-Cultural Ethics	p. 89
Cross-Cultural Decisions	p. 90
Relationships vs. Rules	p. 90
Cronyism and the Purchasing Agent	p. 91
Inappropriate Lawsuits	p. 91
Bribery	p. 92
Kickbacks in Taiwan	p. 92
Bribery in India	p. 93
Nepotism in China	p. 94
Accounting Fraud in North America	p. 94
Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa	p. 95
Side Payments in the Middle East	p. 96
Gifts to Korean Officials	p. 97
Dilemma in Côte d'lvoire	p. 97
Ethics and Human Nature	p. 99
Notes	p. 100
Index	p. 101
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