Deontology: The Science of Obligation and Ethicsc - Essay Sample

Introduction

Deontological ethics is a moral theory that spot uncommon emphasis on the connection between obligation and the profound quality of human activities. The term deontology comes from the Greek word 'Deon,' obligation, and logos, science. In deontological ethics, an activity appears as ethically great on account of some traits of the activity itself, not because the result of the activity is great. Deontological morals hold that probably a few demonstrations are ethically required paying little heed to their ramifications for human welfare. Engaging of such morals are such articulations as Duty for the wellbeing of duty; virtue is its very own reward, and Let equity be done; however, the sky fall.

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On the other hand, teleological morals, likewise called consequentiality morals or consequentialism, holds that the fundamental standard of ethical quality is absolutely the estimation of what activity brings into being. Deontological speculations have been named formalistic because their focal standard lies in the similarity of activity to some standard or law. This paper will examine different case studies that explore the application of the Kantian deontological theory in different aspects of life.

Case Study 1: One Nation Under Wal-Mart

The interview between Terrence McNally and John Dickens an author of a new book on Wal-Mart's super low prices unearths the bearing of a corpora entity on a moral obligation to take care of its customers, employees and its interests in an ethical manner (Useem, Schlosser & Kim, 2003). The interview starts with John disclosing that Wal-Mart is way bigger than the economy of both Ireland and Israel. This shows the bigness of the corporation, which at one point had claimed that it wanted to buy America. The author discloses in the interview that modern organizations get away with many of the corporate responsibilities that they owe to their consumers (Useem et al., 2003). What this means is that the Wal-Mart case has been able to evolve over the years to adjust its operations to fit into the modern demands for the consumers and the employees at large. According to John, in reply to McNally's question on the move by Wall-mart to derive millions by supplying low price items, he holds that this indeed is a great move that will benefit both the Wal-Mart and the consumers as well. Therefore, it is evident that the place of the management that the organization does not suffer from the effect of low price as most organizations like Costo have in the past. Wal-Mart's organization makes so much money that every of the descendant takes home up to $176,000,000 inheritance (Useem et al., 2003). This is a clear indication that the company has benefited more by giving more to the society.

From this case study, it is clear that the application of Kantian deontology theory is well in order. Every organization has a responsibility to ensure that they keep their moral obligation towards the betterment of their consumer's welfare through the creation of proper strategies. The fact that the organization has seen the need to offer low prices to its customers is a moral step towards ensuring that it does not fall short of the expectation of the corporate world. In line with the Kantian theory of ethical obligation that the corporate and the political world hold towards the society, Wal-Mart, according this interview, has shown that it heeds the call towards giving diversified products to its group f customers. This range of choices for the consumers is a step toward a well that the enshrinement of the moral obligation by the corporate society in modern society. The corporate world must heed to the call towards ensuring that the society at large us has well taken care of.

Case Study 2: Twitter Has a Woman Problem: Of All Its Executives and Directors, Only One Is Female

According to the Kantian theory, no other animal holds a larger moral authority than a human being. This element of rationality seems to be missing in the Twitter organization, which has completely neglected the position of women in its growth. As things stand at Twitter, there is only one woman among eleven men who holds an executive position (Brammer, Millington & Pavelin, 2009). As the case study narrates, the increasingly widening gap between the gender formations of the group could be the very reason as to why there is slow growth in the organization. The privately held concern has seen the research disclosed that 27% of the fortune 500 organization had given just 22 positions to women. Yet in line with the customer and market research, a more diverse team has a better performance compared to unilateral and gender-biased organizations. Women running the board of directors have proven to have better performance compared to the organizations that have let the decision making process entirely on the hand of the men (Brammer et al., 2009). The organization like Twitter must be aiming to push innovation and creativity on their market; they must, therefore, embrace the idea that women hold a prominent role in the development of such organizations. Women's participation has increased return on equity and return on investments.

The case study about Twitter and the gender biasness is one that contradicts the position of Kantian theory of deontology. According to this theory, human beings are sane and have the greatest potential to make rational decisions at once (Bowen, 2000). Therefore, as seen from the case of discrimination against women in management in Twitter, the organization is unlikely to fully exploit its potential due to the lack of room of expression for all (Bowen, 2000). The moral and ethical obligation in the professional world must be placed in an equal platform for the appreciation of all human beings as equal to every task bestowed upon them.

Case Study 3: Nestle and Advertising: An Ethical Analysis

According to the Kantian theory, every organization has moral conduct to ensure that it protects its consumers from any harm. From this case study, Nestle fell short of meeting this obligation by subjugating its role to inform the consumers of the products. The Nestle Company supplied the market with its baby milk product and marketed it as the best alternative to natural breast milk (Ragg). Yet according to the world health organization, the breast milk in a way better than canned milk. The bottle feeding has seen the rise in deaths to ten times more than naturally fed children in society.

Similarly, there is a need to ensure that society does not pay for the lack of laxity and clumsiness from the sellers of a product (Ragg). Withholding vital information such as the health complications of such products is quite detrimental to the life and health of children, which may, at the end, lead to the death of the consumers. While many organizations always want to increase their revenue generation by increasing their marketing scope, there is no limit to what effect this can case (Ragg). Nestle apologized for their unethical action. However, there was no compensation for the fatalities.

This case study has lifted the lid on the extent to which organizations can go in as far as violating their moral code of ethics. The Nestle Company violated this code by engaging in unethical marketing, therefore, going against the Kantian theory of moral obligation towards society. According to this theory, there is an obligation by the human to ensure that they protect the interest and the betterment of the society at large. However, the fact that Nestle did not see the need to disclose to the public about the effects and the side effect of its milk products, thereby deriving profits unethically, it went against its sole obligation of consumer protection and preservation of the human interests. The Kantian deontological theory calls upon the human race to show rationality and concern about each other than seeking to drive profits regardless of the casualties that it may claim.

Case Study 4: Inside the Hellish Workday of an Amazon Warehouse Employee

Most organizations have failed to appreciate the element of humanity in the creation of their operation. From this case study, we learned the struggles that most employees go through towards achieving the organization's mission and vision. However, most of this comes at the cost of their wellbeing, healthcare, and wellness (Spitznagel, 2019). Guendelsberger, while narrating her ordeal to the Post, says that she had to work standing up for up to 12 hours a day. The standing would also see her cover over 35 miles in the expansive area, all in the attempt to do her work diligently. The management did not seem to empathize with her or seek to take her suffering into aspect (Spitznagel, 2019). There is a lack of humanity and work ethics in Amazon, with the sole drive being to maximize profits and revenue. It is not lost on the management that indeed the workers seem to compete with the computers and machines to deliver the same quality of work. The humanity and morality are a thing of the theoretical dimension at Amazon; similarly there is no consideration for the needs and the wants of the organization to generate 100 orders in an hour (Spitznagel, 2019). There is no need to ensure that the management considers and incorporates the spirit de corps principles as part of the organization culture.

According to the case study, their violation of almost every element of the Kantian theory of deontology. The fact that the formed a judgmental approach against the employees in that they were not considered as human enough to get a better work environment that would encourage then to deliver more. Essentially, there is a loss on the place of humanity as a component of organizational growth and development in totality (Bowen, 2000). The missing part of the theory is the fact that despite constant complaints by the employees to bet better working conditions, their hygiene was not in the place of the organizations either. For instance, it was seen that if an employee goes to the washroom more than three times in a day, then they would be penalized for wasting the company resources. This is the craziest of all ideas at once (Bowen, 2000). The position of the society is to ensure that they do not fall short of the expectation and that they remain as bad as the emotionless animals. The Amazon Company must change its culture to initiate a consumer or employee-driven framework that will improve the welfare of everyone involved (Bowen, 2000).

Case Study 5: Oracle Versus PeopleSoft Barbarians in the Valley

The rivalry between organizations stretch back to many centuries back he war between Oracle and PeopleSoft adds to the list of the confrontations that have pitted many organizations against each other. The hostility of the intended merger between Oracle and PeopleSoft took an ugly twist with the inclusion and the reemergence of agitation for the merger boom between the shareholders in what would appear t be the biggest merger in the history of mergers (Kumar, 2019). The case study also shows what goes in behind the closed doors and deal sealing to initiate and establish authority over their rivals. PeopleSoft had initially shown interest in buying J.D. Edwards, which was a relatively smaller rival. This, however, was thwarted with the entrance of Oracle with the desire to buy PeopleSoft. The managing director, then read mischief in the whole idea and made very outrageous claims about the decision as malicious and ill-intended. While at first PeopleSoft had made it clear that they were not willing to sell their shares to Oracle, Mr. Ellison sought new ways to assert pressure on the management through the shareholders (Kumar, 2019). This move added the pressure to the management of PeopleSoft and made them succumb to the demands of the shareholders. However, they had to change t...