In business, the primary aim is to maximize profits by all means possible. Even if this is the case, employees who are employed in different organizations have different moral differences while selling a company’s product. Alex Smith is a good example.
The first principle is utilitarianism. The principles talks on whatever one does should lead to the greater good of others. It suggests that things, when done, should include the interest of all, not an individual. So, according to that, Alex should not disclose the problem to the retailer and leave the retailer to make his/her decisions.
There is the principle of rights. As the name suggests, freedom towards something. In simple, the rule suggests that society should have unlimited access to their freedom. So, Alex should and must disclose the secret of the cell having an internet connection since the retailer has the right to know.
The principle of justice. The principle ensures there is fairness, equality, and entity. Alex should be fair to other competitors in the market by disclosing all the elements that are contained in the product he is selling otherwise it would be named a wrong act according to the principle.
There is virtue ethics. In business, there are rules that a certain sales representative should sell a particular product by a given period. The owners don’t care if one will cheat or whatever the sin but their main interest is that the product should be out in the market. The principle states that a person should act in decision-making according to his/her moral principles. Alex should study himself, see what he values and then make a decision.
Golden rule. The rule states that one should treat others the way he/she wants to be treated. If Alex was a retailer, how would he have been preferred, being lied to or the truth? From that, the decision will be easy which can be any side considering his way of reasoning.
Handle in a written memo
The problem is that being a sales representative, Alex has to sell the company’s product but it has an internet component if disclosed would make the retailer ignore the product. As the boss Derrick shows indirectly, the company’s interest is profit, how that is done is not a big issue to the management so long as it won’t be illegal. Alex has a very major decision which will be based on his ethics and also business pressure.
Since there have to be decisions, there has to be some course of action. One I would have gone to the retailer and explained in detail the product. On the part of the internet, I would major in the advantages of having internet access on kids’ phones, on how it can help the kids in studies and simple research. The retailer or the consumers also know there must be a demerit on any product. I would advise the retailer to explain to the consumers who are parents to give the watch to the kids while using the phones in case of misbehaviors. The actions meet the economic, legal, and ethical responsibilities of the firm.
There must be a new alternative if the actions do not work. The alternative is to advise the production department to give some kind of restrictions to sites that are not favorable to children under the age of ten. The alternative can favor the company economically since the sales will increase and also it will be both legal and ethical abiding.
In conclusion, a new course of action should be implemented. Alex should prepare to give well-detailed components of the cellphone but major on the merits since the merits are greater. However, the advice to the parents is very important so as to monitor the child.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Gary, et al. Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education, 2015.
Crane, Andrew, and Dirk Matten. Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Ferrell, Odies C., and John Fraedrich. Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases. Nelson Education, 2015.
