Business Ethics – Paper Topics for Paper #1.

1. Your paper should give an answer to ONE of the underlined group of questions. 

2. The suggestions are just issues you might want to consider when answering the questions and points to help you consider the issues in the question. You DO NOT need to address all of the “suggested issues to consider” in your paper.

3. The paper should present your understanding and opinions of arguments and materials covered in THIS class. First sources should be the material assigned and are necessarily first sources. Second sources are not necessary and you will be graded not only on your understanding of the secondary source, but also its relevance to the issue at hand.  Second sources are not acceptable on their own.

4. Papers are to be 5 to 7 pages in length, typed or word processed, and double spaced. Number your pages!

5. All margins are to be 1 inch all around. All fonts used should be in 12 point type. Do not separate paragraphs with extra rows or returns. Microsoft Word defaults to 1.5 spacing between paragraphs, or more. Please correct that in your paper. Do not repeat or retype the question at the beginning of your paper. See the sample page attached for visual confirmation of the text format required.

6. The paper should be your work. DO NOT turn in any work that you did not produce by your own hand. 

1) Some have argued that the diversity of cultural values across different societies should tell us something about the nature of morality, namely that the truth about moral principles and actions is “relative” in some sense.  Is this view correct? Why?

2)What should Martin Field of RUN Inc. do? Why?

Suggested issues to consider: Which of the three theories we have studied best categorizes your approach to developing an answer to guide Martin’s behavior?  Why did you choose this approach? Anticipate and reply to any objections which you think are pertinent.

3)What should Stan Stark of Anzen-Motorola do? Why?

Suggested issues to consider: What bearing does Motorola’s commitment to their multi-national corporate values of safety for all employees have on this situation? Do the local Nambunese mores or customs, like those regarding harmony and duty, play any special roll in your decision procedure? Which of the three theories we have studied best characterizes your analysis? Anticipate and reply to any objections which you think are pertinent. 

4)What are the strengths and weaknesses of using the following kinds of moral theories for application in business:

i)Virtue Theory

ii)Utilitarianism

iii)Deontology

Suggested issues to consider: Which do you think is the strongest? Which is the best choice for application to moral problems in business?  How would you tailor the theory for your needs in business ethical applications?  What sort of rules, considerations, or virtues would be needed to make deontology, utilitarianism, or virtue theory applicable to business ethics? 

The next page will demonstrate the format for your answers regarding type face, margins, spacing etc. 

            This is sufficient indentation to begin your first paragraph. Notice as well that I started this paper 1 return from the top of page. Go ahead and put all the relevant name, title, etc on a title page that is separate from the body of your paper. Now suppose I am done with this very short paragraph.

            See how I just hit enter /return, indented ½ an inch, and started typing again? There is no additional space between paragraphs. When the writer places extra spacing between paragraphs this is meant to signal a change in the topic under discussion, or a topical break. Again, make sure you check out the software you are using. I don’t care much about the font, but I do want the paper typed in 12 point scale. This font is Times New Roman, but most anything will be accepted. And for goodness sake, please staple your answers together! One and only one staple is necessary if done correctly. Staplers are fairly easy to operate. Do not make an elaborate origami sculpture out of your paper in the upper left hand corner just because you didn’t bring a stapler. I will probably be nice enough to bring my stapler along.

            Let’s assume I want to give an extended quote or list the premises of an argument:

“Whether a quote or a list of premises, notice how the page is double indented and starts over at the same point on the soft return. Also notice that the type face is reduced, and this part of the paper is single spaced.

And here we are again back to normal. The purpose of all the above formatting at the quotation section is to reduce the size of the quotation to leave you more room to expound on the meaning of the quotation. Your words are more important than the quotations.

            And for love of all that is reasonable, please number your pages! Top of the page, bottom of the page, right, left or middle, I don’t care where, but please do it.

            Good Luck!