Ethical Dilemma: Decision-making Problem Between Two Moral Imperatives (Essay Sample)

Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Ethics paper An ethical dilemma is a decision-making problem where a difficult choice is to be made between two or more possible moral imperatives where neither of which is unambiguously preferable or acceptable. Obeying one results in transgressing the other. Scenario # 1 Wholesome Hamburger 1 What is the ethical dilemma or issue? The main issue presented in the Wholesome Hamburger Company is lack of water. The company needs to use water in making their products. The main ethical dilemma presented here is to choose whether the company should go on and use water to make their products or not use allowing it to be used for other important functions of day to day life. The company needs to work hard and ensure it is focused on not only maximizing its profits but also supporting the environment within which it operates. The ethical issue and dilemma here are to consider the daily water needs of the general public as compared to the company’s needs of making their products. Although the company’s end product provides food to the people, this is however not as important as the basic necessity of water. 2 What are the alternatives or possible courses of action? Identify at least three alternatives. There are three main approaches regarding the options and course of action the firm may adopt. First, the company may overlook their social responsibility and continue working without considering the society’s need for water. Here, the company may overlook its responsibility to the society and focus on making profit alone. With this option, the company shows no social responsibility to the society within which it operates on. Another option that the company may adopt is using a rationing method to cut down the water usage. The company here will still be able to use water for the development of their product but with levels of water used in the production controlled. This is simply by reducing the overall products and the production of the hamburgers by 40 % to 50 %. The company by doing so will be cutting down the use of water and making more water to be available to the general public. The third option the company has is completely stopping their production and focus more on their social responsibility. This means that the company will need to bear all the costs as the income will be cut but give back to the society within which it operates. Embracing the strategy will make it difficult for the company to manage the losses. However, this step will allow the brand of the company to get much publicity and will also ensure that the social responsibility is highlighted for good the brand deed. 3.What are your recommendations? In other words, of the several alternatives you identified, what do you think the company should do? Regarding the three options discussed above, the company's focus should be on rationing the use of water. The company should strike a good balance between the water usage and final product development. Through the regulation of water usage, the company will not only continue with its production and business but will build the image within the society as wellCITATION Bri162 \l 2057 (Hill). The company will be able to get best of both worlds and will be able to complete its responsibility to the society as well. Adopting any other approach will prove to be more harmful to the company than helpful. Considering the business has been in the markets for years, there is a need to keep up and build a stronger brand image and let the customers know that the company gives back to the society as wellCITATION Mel15 \l 2057 (Horton). 3 What is your rationale for your recommendations? In other words, why do you recommend this course of action? It is the society and how well the company plays its cards to its customers. Developing a strong rationing which will be vital I controlling the overall costs of the product development. The attention here needs to be on developing basic human etiquette and to overlook the company losses. It is the society that has made the company to grow, and thus the company risking its profits for the society will only be for its good as it will gain more reputation and more customers. Therefore, in a situation like the current water drought, it is crucial for the company to act accordingly and to be ethically accurate and not ignore the fact that it is in the current position, because of the people and thus it has an ethical need to give back to the community as well. Scenario # 2: Chicken International Group 1.What is the ethical dilemma or issue? The chickens need to be given outdoor access every day for a certain amount of time to label them ‘free range as per the legal requirementsCITATION Pro15 \l 2057 (Bassell). However, the legal requirement does not specify the minimum amount of time that the chickens have to spend outside. The space per chicken available outdoors is also not clearly specified. Evidently, the objective of the ‘free range’ terminology is to encourage the management to let the poultry spend time outdoors, so the chickens get to wander freely. The Vice President of Marketing suggests opening the doors for only 5 minutes a day. However, the majority of the chickens in this duration may not wander out on their own at all. Hence an ethical dilemma arises. If the doors are left open for 5 minutes a day, the firm gets to improve the profits by labeling the chicken as ‘free range.' However, the whole objective of ‘free range’ label is to ensure that the chickens get to wander freely, which may be not met by opening the doors only for 5 minutes. While the option to open the door for 5 minutes and terming as ‘free range’ may be completely legal, it still raises an ethical issue, as the basic rationale for ‘free range’ may not be met. 2.What are the alternatives or possible courses of action? Identify at least three alternatives. One of the options is opening the doors for 5 minutes a day and label the chicken as “free range” and charge higher amounts. The company here simply uses the basic requirements as suggested by the government and focuses on limiting the freedom of chickens to five minutes. Another option is analyzing the average number of chickens in the farm, the amount of outdoor space and the amount of time required to ensure that the chickens get to wander freely. Based on this, a routine is implemented whereby the chickens get the optimum amount of outdoor time, and the chicken products can be labeled “free range” and additional charges may be ethically justifiable. The third option is continuing without altering the chickens labeling. The company here may choose to continue selling their chickens without labeling them ‘free range. The firm thus overlooks the profit that com...