Utilitarian Approach The Elements Of Moral -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Utilitarian Approach The Elements Of Moral? Answer: Introduction: The essay aims an identification of ethical dilemma of Apple that has kept it the news for the past few years. Ethical dilemma also termed as moral dilemmas refers to situations where a choice is made between two options where neither possesses the power in resolving the situation to find acceptance ethically. In February 2016, the chief executive of Apple Tim Cook took stand for a matter that called for massive public debate (Lee, 2016). However, the debate around the flagship product of Apple that is the iPhone, swayed in either side of fence. On one hand, the Apple along with its digital rights groups ensures advocating protection of digital privacy of the customers while on the other hand the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) and US government seeks support from the company in ensuring protection to national security. Specifically the FBI and US government demanded and sought help from Apple in unlocking the iPhone of terrorist who was involved in a terror attack in San Bernar dino, California. The investigation department recovered the phone from a slain terrorist and its unlocking would provide visual insights not only into the motives of attack but ensure crucial evidences regarding terrorist activities and networks. The FBI asked Apple for building a backdoor for decoding the iPhone thereby implying a newer version of operation system software of iPhone. This meant to help the agents of FBI in getting access to information and unlocking the phone. The CEO of Apple however refused, as it questioned the companys policy in protecting digital security and privacy. The essay also highlights managerial ethics and its influences on the managerial practice of Apple. Discussion: In the year, 2015 on December 2, there was a terror attack that took place at Inland Regional Centre in San Bernardino, California that killed that injured 22 and killed 14 people (Nagourey, Lovett Perezpena, 2015). The FBI had evidence of the fact that attack was a result of extensive planning and considered it as an act of terrorism. The primary focus of the investigation centred on checking the terrorist travel, phone, computer and other records for ascertaining the motive of the attack but all went in vain, as most of the evidences were destroyed. However, the only evidence that the FBI agents could find was an iPhone. The investigators feared that an attempt in unlocking the phone would completely erase stored data. This is when FBI sought the assistance of Apple for advice on the best available investigative option without destroying the evidence. In addition, the investigative agency also wanted the company to move a step further in helping them unlock the encrypted iPhone us ed by the slain terrorist. In other words, FBI wanted the company to build a backdoor to the iPhone. The governments stance also supported FBI and passed an order that directed Apple for providing technical assistance that was reasonable. Apple however refused as they considered it as moral dilemma and against the policies of the company (Cushman, Sheketoff, Wharton Carey, 2013). Policies related to customer privacy of Apple driven by chief executive officer Tim Cook who joined the company in the year 1998 and evolved as one of the most outspoken executives of the recent times (Kane, 2015). Under his leadership, the working conditions of the factory workers and the suppliers improved that also signified the prevalence of new culture of openness in the company. Apple also undertook certain environmental initiatives criticized by the investors. Tim Cook also stressed on the importance of cultural fit that made him fire a senior team member who was not a suitable fit for the culture of the company. The company under Cook became more transparent and open. Although he was not able to create the magic of Steve Jobs, but Apple undertook continuous innovation. Apple however responded to the order of the federal court and FBI as it portrayed a breach of privacy that undermined the liberty and freedom that the government seeks to protect (Sircar, 2017). Apple considered the decision of a backdoor to iPhone as something that was too dangerous for creation (Peregrina, 2016). The CEO also stressed on the fact that the software that FBI asked it to create would possess the potential for unlocking any iPhone under the possession of anyone. Apple also mentioned that there was no guarantee provided on limiting the usage of backdoor to a particular case. Apple feared that once created the application of the technique could be for unlocking innumerable devices. Moreover, the company also believed that the creation of backdoor would defeat the very purpose of company in encryption. They believed that once the information for encrypting data got revealed it could be adopted by anyone. Tim Cook also added that the company has worked harder in keeping away customer data even from the companys reach as a part of their policy. However, the ethical dilemma company faces lies in the fact that the government asked the company to hack its users that u ndermined security advancements that company followed in protecting its customers from cybercriminals and sophisticated hackers. The same engineers responsible for building stronger encryption in iPhone for user protection ordered to weaken them and make the iPhone less safe to the users (Mylan, 2017). The management team of Apple and Cook characterized the dilemma as the problem of dirty hands that referred to the condition of making harder moral choices that involved dilemmas of right versus right faced by the management. The moral dilemmas of the management represent the clashes amongst the conflicting and different moralities amongst the different spheres of responsibilities (Bay, 2017). Ethics refers to code of principles and moral values that ensures governing the behaviour of person or group with respect to what is wrong and right (Goetsch Davis, 2014). Ethics helps in setting the standard in determining what is correct or wrong in the process of decision-making and conduct. Ethics refers to the internal values that are part of corporate culture and decisions and concerned with social responsibility in terms of the external environment. Thus, presence of ethical issue is evident in situations when the actions of the organization or person are responsible for benefiting or harming others. Though the domain does not have any specific law but there exists standards of conduct determined based on values and shared principles regarding the moral conduct that guides a company or an individual. Three major levels of ethical or moral judgement that characterizes managers. This includes immoral management, moral management and amoral management (Christen, Van Schaik, Fisc her, Huppenbauer Tanner, 2016). Immoral management refers to the lack of ethical principles and is opposes to the ethical behaviour. This perspective characterized by exclusive or principal concern for the gains of the company, emphasizing on the profits and the success if the company at any price, on the lack of concern on the fair treatment about the desires of others and willingness in cutting corners (Weiss, 2014). Moral management on the other strives in following percept and ethical principle. While the moral managers desires in succeeding they prefer doing it within the parameters of ethical standards and the ideals of justice, fairness and the due process (Egan, 2013). Thus, the moral managers look forward in pursuing business objectives that involves profit making along with engagement in ethical and legal behaviours. The amoral management approach is neither moral nor immoral and is oblivious to the any kind of ethical considerations (Greenbaum, Quade Bonner, 2015). Ther e are two types of moral management, intentional and unintentional. When managers accused of cheating, lying or stealing the blame transferred to the individual or the situation of the company. It is however, the belief of most people that individuals based on their individual integrity make ethical choices that is partly true. Business practices of ethical or unethical standards helps in reflecting attitudes, values, beliefs and the behavioural patterns of organizational culture (Moore, 2013). Thus, ethics defines more of a personal issue than an organizational issue. Managers ensure specific behavioural and personality traits to a job. The value system of the manager is determined by influence of the family, religious background and personal needs that helps in shaping the value system of the manager. The personality characteristics such as self-confidence, ego strength and a sense of independence help managers in undertaking decisions ethically. Moral development is an important personal trait of the manager (Schwartz, 2016). Most managers acts based on their interest rather than the duties towards other stakeholders and employees. In the domain representing free choice, obedience is an aspect that remains strictly to one self. Thus, domain of ethical behaviour obedience refers to the standards and unenforceable norms that the company or individual is aware. Decisions that are ethically acceptable is morally and legally acceptable to the larger community (Hoffman, Frederick Schwartz, 2014). Most companies and individuals get in trouble with the simplified view that free choices leads them to mistakenly assume that it is not illegal but ethical to not have a third domain. Therefore, good options lie in recognizing the ethics domain and accept the moral values as a powerful force that helps in regulating behaviour not only outside but also inside corporations. With the wider recognition of the social responsibility and ethics principles, companies can use the ethics code in corporate cultures for governing the behaviour thereby eliminating the need of additional laws along with avoidance of problems. Deregulation of industry lead to the increase in unethical behaviour and has removed laws (Crane Matten, 2016). As there is no codification of ethical standards, so dilemmas and disagreements regarding proper behaviour often take place. Ethics always determines the power of decision-making but some issue are difficult in resolving (Iphofen, 2016). Ethical dilemma arises in a situation that concerns right or wrong and the values remain in conflict. In case of an ethical dilemma, there arises difficulty in clearly identifying the right and the wrong. This is quite clearly the case of ethical dilemma faced by Apple when forced to incorporate a backdoor policy for unlocking the iPhone by the government and the FBI. Most of ethical dilemmas involve conflicts between needs of whole and the part that implies conflict between organization and individual or organization versus the society as a whole (Shapiro Stefkovich, 2016). In this context, the CEO of Apple is in an ethical dilemma to encrypt the privacy of the users under pressure from FBI or the government when the company works hard to ensure the privacy of the users. Ethical decisions lead to a conflict between the two groups. In this regard, the Apples decision of sticking to its ethics and not implement a backdoor for encrypting iPhone has led to a war with the US government. Managers with such strong ethical choices benefits from the normative strategy. The first is based on the norms and the other based on values for guiding the process of decision-making. Normative ethics makes use of several approaches using which Apple can apply in their managerial practice for guiding the process of ethical decision-making. This includes: The Utilitarian Approach put forward by the philosophers of the nineteenth century. According to this approach, the decision maker considers the impact of every alternative decision on all the parties that leads to the selection of one that optimizes that satisfies the greatest number of people (Rachels Rachels, 2015). Since the actual computations involves complexities therefore simplifying them considered appropriate. Therefore, the decision taken should only consider people who directly get affected by the decision instead of considering the people effected indirectly. The citation of Utilitarian ethic based on the recent trend amongst the companies for policing the personal habits if the employees with and after work hours since they tend to influence the entire workplace. However, there is argument put forward by some of the companies that monitoring imposed on the internet viewership of the employees for maintaining workplace productivity and ethical climate. The Individualism Approach considers acts to be moral when they are able to promote the best long-term interest of the individuals. In this approach, the self-direction of the individuals is paramount and the external force that restricts the self-direction is limited severely. According to individual calculation, the advantage of long-term decision is determined by its goodness (McPherson, 2013). The action intended for producing greater ratio of bad or good for individuals compared to other alternatives determines the right choice. Everyones persuasion of self-direction leads to betterment since people learn in accommodating with each other based on the interest they possess for a long term. Thus, individualism leads to integrity and honesty since they work best in the end. Cheating and lying for attaining immediate self-interest causes business associates in lying and cheating in turn. Therefore, individualism finally leads to behaviour towards the others that fits the standard of behaviour that people wants towards them. The worth of understanding the approach lays in recognizing short-term variations if at all they are proposed. Although people might put forward arguments for the short term, self-interest based on individualism helps in missing the point as individualism is misinterpreted easily for supporting the immediate self-attainment. This is quite unpopular in group oriented and highly organized societies of the present day. On the other hand, the Moral Rights Approach puts forward that human beings possess the liberties and fundamental rights that is not possible to be taken away by the decision of any individual. Therefore, a decision is meant to be ethically correct that helps in maintaining the rights of the people impacted by it (Shaw Barry, 2015). Thus there are six moral rights that needs consideration while the process of decision making. The first represents the right for free consent where treatment of individuals takes place with their consent. The second shows right to privacy where individuals have the choice of doing things away from their work life and thereby have necessary control over the information of their private life. The third represents the right of freedom of conscience where individuals refrain from carrying any order that leads to the violation of their religious or moral norms. The fourth represents the right for free speech where individuals possess the power of truthfully criticizing the legality or ethics relating to others actions. The fifth represents the right to the due process where individual possess the right for a fair treatment and impartial hearing. The sixth represents the right to life and safety where individuals possess the right of living without any violation or endangerment of safety and health. Thus, for making ethical decision it is necessary for the managers to avoid interference with fundamental rights of the others. The right of free speech would helps in supporting the whistle blowers who is responsible for taking inappropriate or illegal actions within the company. The Justice Approach represents those decisions taken morally and based on impartiality, fairness and equity. Three types of Justice exist for the managers to be concerned about. This includes compensatory justice, procedural justice and distributive justice. Distributive justice ensures difference in treatment of the people should not depend on the arbitrary characteristics (Crawshaw, Cropanzano, Bell Nadisic, 2013). Hence, individuals possessing similarities in respect to a particular decision should have similar treatments. Therefore, women and men should receive same salaries if both perform well in the similar job. However, people who differ in a substantial manner in terms of responsibilities or job skills should have different treatment in accordance with the difference in responsibilities or skills amongst them. This difference must possess clear relationship with the organizational tasks and goals. Procedural justice refers to fair administration of rules. Therefore, statem ent of rules should be clear and impartial before being consistently enforced. Compensatory justice puts forward that individuals should receive compensation for their injuries by responsible parties. Further, individuals should not hold responsibility for matters that are without their control. Justice Approach is closer to the thinking that underlines the domain of codified law and it assumes that justice is only applicable through regulations and rules. According to this approach managers defines attributes based on which different treatment for employees are acceptable. This approach helps in justifying the efforts of ethical behaviour in correcting past wrong doings and playing fair under the rules. Thus, most laws guiding the human resource management depends on justice approach. Ethical leaders have remarkable impact on the behaviour of the people in an organization and their achievement. Effective leaders help in focusing and exemplifying to the people that they exist whenever they are required (Brown Trevio, 2014). Once the leaders of the company is on board there arises the necessity of instilling such commitment towards the organization. This might seem to be quite a daunting task at the beginning. Employees also behave in an ethical fashion when informed about required ethical behaviour. This is described in an unambiguous manner that is modelled in a consistent manner at each level of the organization. Thus, ethical leadership refers to the act of consistently acting in a way that helps in earning the trust from the team and helps in empowering the employees in doing their best. Ethical behaviour of leaders also helps in building a community that values encouragement, support and fairness that also helps in winning the trust of the clients. Therefore, the consistent commitment to ethics is not an easy task. However, leaders must adopt some practical ways of integrating their ethical conduct into their management styles and organizations. Conclusion The report ends by throwing a light on the ethical dilemma of Apple, concepts of managerial ethics and their influence on the managerial practices of Apple. The discussion now proceeds with how the leaders can ensure ethical decisions in Apple. This is only possible if the leaders adhered to the higher ethical standards and consistently undertakes decisions that treat everyone with authenticity and respect. Apple must speak out honestly regarding its difficult ethical choices made. The leaders should also be able to openly discuss about the ethically grey areas and acknowledge about the complexity of the work life. The company should follow one on one meetings and an open door policy that will help in valuing the suggestions of the employees. This will also help in building if trust and help in cultivating a respectable ambience where people can talk about ethics. In addition, the leaders of the organization should establish a formal value or ethics statement. Further, the leaders sh ould encourage recognition and ensure rewards for ethical behaviour. Lastly, the leaders of the company should speak about ethics as an ongoing journey of learning. References: Bay, M. (2017). The ethics of unbreakable encryption: Rawlsian privacy and the San Bernardino iPhone.First Monday,22(2). doi.org/10.5210/fm.v22i2.7006 Brown, M. E., Trevio, L. K. (2014). Do role models matter? 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