Test 2

Question 1

What is Employment-at-Will

Answer 1

An employer can terminate an employee at any time, for any reason (no reason) as long as its not illegal, and the employee can quit at any time, for any reason

Question 2

Why does Epstein think EAW is fair

Answer 2

If the employer and employee both consents, then the relationship is fair because no one is being forced

Question 3

Why does Epstein think EAW is useful to the employer and employee

Answer 3

Provides flexibility to employer by allowing them to adapt quickly to business needs and employees are free to leave if they see a better opportunity, which creates a dynamic, efficient job market

Question 4

Why does Epstein think EAW doesn’t violate distributional concerns?

Answer 4

Argues that forcing companies to keep workers (even when it’s not efficient) harms the overall company. Helping one person unfairly might hurt others – like customers, other workers, or company itself. It is not about equal outcomes; it is about freedom to make voluntary agreements and letting the market sort out rewards.

Question 5

What is the Respect for Persons principle? Which version of the Categorical Imperative is similar?

Answer 5

People must be treated as an ends in themselves, never merely as means to an end. This principle aligns with Kant’s Categorical Imperative of act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in another person, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a mean

Question 6

d. Why do Norman Bowie, Patricia Werhane, and Tara Radin think Employment-at-Will violates the Categorical Imperative when the employee is fired for no good reason or for a bad reason?

Answer 6

They believe that Kantian ethics requires people be treated as ends in themselves, not as tools or means to an employer’s goals, when an employer fires someone without good reason, they are treating an employee merely as means to an end. Fails to respect rational autonomy, reducing them to just a cost or resource. Lacks universalizability because if there was no stability in employment, everything would crash

Question 7

What do Werhane and Radin recommend be done to protect employees in the private sector from the abuse of Employment-at-Will?

Answer 7

Recommends modifying or limiting EAW to better protect employees in the private sector, especially from unjust or arbitrary termination. Just Cause standard. Fair due procedures. Voluntary employer reforms

Question 8

How might a utilitarian explain why we should value health and safety?

Answer 8

we should value health and safety because it promotes the greatest overall happiness and minimizes suffering — which is the core goal of utilitarian ethics.

Question 9

How might a Kantian explain why we should value health and safety?

Answer 9

A Kantian would explain that we should value health and safety because it is part of our moral duty to treat people with dignity and respect, as ends in themselves, not merely as means to profit or productivity.

Question 10

How might a proponent of Rawls’ egalitarianism explain why we should value health and safety?

Answer 10

A proponent of Rawls’ egalitarianism would argue that we should value health and safety because it is necessary to ensure fairness, equal opportunity, and protection for the least advantaged — all central ideas in John Rawls’ theory of justice.

Question 11

How might a proponent of Nozick’s libertarianism explain why we should value health and safety?

Answer 11

Government should be minimally limited to protecting individual rights. It is justified if it protects people from harm by others—like stopping companies from selling dangerous products, but it is not justified if it tries to protect people from themselves. People should be free to take risks, as long as they’re fully informed and not harming others

Question 12

How might a virtue theorist explain why we should value health and safety?

Answer 12

A virtue theorist, drawing from thinkers like Aristotle, would say we should value health and safety because doing so reflects and cultivates good character — especially virtues like justice, prudence (practical wisdom), compassion, and courage.

Question 13

What are Deontological Theories

Answer 13

focus on intentions as the morally relevant aspects of the act “As long as the leader acts according to his or her duty or on moral principles, then the leader acts ethically, regardless of consequences”

Question 14

What are Teleological Theories

Answer 14

focus on the consequences of the actions. “Do they bring about good results or “the greatest good”?

Question 15

Why does Joanne Ciulla think Deontological and Teleological Theories are important

Answer 15

She thinks that these are both necessary because just like virtue theories, she believes you are what you do. BUT when you are learning to acquire a virtue, you do actions associated with said virtue, but you do not yet do the action as virtuous persons.

Question 16

What are the three modes of persuasive arguments (According to Aristotle)

Answer 16

Ethos - the personal character of the speaker/writer/leader
Pathos - the emotional appeal of the argument
Logos - the structure of the argument in support of the conclusion

Question 17

What is the Agreement View and why does it show that the high salaries of CEOs are unjust

Answer 17

The agreement view says that just prices for goods are obtained through arm’s length between informed buyers and informed sellers. Provided there are no imperfections in the bargaining process, such as fraud, the wage that comes out of the agreement is just. From this, Moriarty states that the negotiations are not at arms-length because the shareholders who buy services that the CEO is selling do not elect the company’s board of directors in any way. In most cases the current board controls who is elected, and the CEO is often the head of the board directors

Question 18

What ethical theory is the Agreement View similar to

Answer 18

Nozick’s Theory of Justice – justice is about how things were acquired and transferred, not about equal outcomes (just acquisition, just transfer, rectification). If the process is fair, the result (even if unequal) is just

Question 19

What is the Desert View and why does it show that the high salaries of CEOs are unjust?

Answer 19

The desert view says that people deserve certain wages for performing certain jobs, and what they deserve depends upon the difficulties of the job and the level of performance. CEOs should be rewarded in proportion to what they morally deserve—based on their effort, contribution, or merit. High salaries of CEOs is unfair because of (1) disproportionate pay compared to contribution (2) CEO benefits come from factors outside their control (3) Excessive CEO pay demoralizes employees (4) And also gives them more social and political power

Question 20

What ethical view is simlar to the Desert View

Answer 20

Aristotle’s classical virtue of theories of justice – justice means giving people what they deserve, based on their virtues and roles in society. Treating equals equally and unequals unequally—in a fair way. So, people should get rewards or responsibilities based on things like their character, contributions, and abilities

Question 21

What is the Utility View and why does it show that the high salaries of CEOs are unjust?

Answer 21

Utility View says that a just wage for a CEO is one that maximizes the firm’s wealth by attracting, retaining, and motivating a talented leader. The CEO’s job is, in some ways, more difficult because of its stresses and responsibilities. Nevertheless, it is not so difficult and stressful that it requires 301 times the wages of the typical worker to attract someone to be the CEO. It might be thought that a high level of compensation is necessary to retain talented CEOs. This does not seem to be the case. There are not many competing offers, and if it is
not that difficult to attract a talented CEO, it is not that difficult to retain one.

Question 22

What, according to Milton Friedman, is the purpose of a business corporation?

Answer 22

To maximize shareholder value and increase profits for its owners. Spending company money on social responsibilities that don’t contribute to profit is, in effect spending someone else’s money for general social interest is NOT their role.

Question 23

Why might a shareholder object to a business using some of its profits to support a social cause?

Answer 23

Not a corporations role, spending money on social causes is taxation without representation, undermines free market principles, slippery slope to managerial overreach

Question 24

Would Friedman object to the huge price increase that Walgreens and OptumRx charged for asthma medication?

Answer 24

Friedman would not object to high prices simply because they are high because he believes in profit maximization but if they broke the law or rules of free and fair competition he would not support it.

Question 25

What, according to R. Edward Freeman, is the Stakeholder approach to management?

Answer 25

A stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization’s objectives

Question 26

What are the five primary stakeholders that R. Edward Freeman identifies?

Answer 26

1. Shareholders 2. Employees 3. Customers 4. Suppliers 5. The local community

Question 27

What is Freeman's Consequences argument

Answer 27

Companies that treat their stakeholders well, like employees, customers, and communities—tend to have stronger reputations, more loyal customers and fewer conflicts, and greater long-term profitability. It just works better

Question 28

What is Freeman's Rights argument

Answer 28

Stakeholders have rights and should be treated as ends in themselves, not just as means to profit. It’s the right thing to do

Question 29

What is Freeman's Pragmatist's argument

Answer 29

Businesses are part of a broader social system and must operate with legitimacy and trust, business exist within society—they need to act like it

Question 30

Problem of Vagueness (towards Freeman's 3 arguments)

Answer 30

lacks a clear definition of who counts as a stakeholder and what their rights or interests are which leaves managers without clear instruction on how to make decisions

Question 31

Problem of balancing (towards Freeman's 3 arguments)

Answer 31

The theory doesn’t provide a systematic method for balancing competing stockholder interests, this might leave managers to arbitrarily favor certain groups, leading to bias, inconsistency, or even self-interest

Question 32

Problem of responsibility (towards Freeman's 3 arguments)

Answer 32

managers are responsible for everyone so are they really accountable to anyone? Provides a clear line of accountability to the owners making it easier for managers to justify decisions that serve their own interests

Question 33

What is affirmative action?

Answer 33

Set of policies and practices designed to increase opportunities for historically underrepresented or disadvantaged groups

Question 34

What is preferential treatment?

Answer 34

The practice of giving certain individuals or groups an advantage over others based on specific characteristics, such as race, gender, ethnicity, or other factors, even when other individuals might be equally or more qualified

Question 35

What is diversity?

Answer 35

The presence of a wide range of differences within a group or organization. These differences can include characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, culture, religion, socioeconomic status

Question 36

Why does Tom L. Beauchamp argue that well-constructed policies that have specific, targeted goals of diversity are morally justified?

Answer 36

He argues that well-constructed policies that have specific, targeted goals of diversity are morally justified based on several ethical principles. His reasoning is grounded in moral philosophy and focuses on the idea that diversity policies can help promote justice, fairness, and equality, especially in contexts where certain groups have been historically disadvantaged or excluded

Question 37

Which theory or theories of justice are employed in Beauchamp’s arguments?

Answer 37

Beauchamp draws heavily for egalitarian (Rawlsian): equal access to healthcare and the protection of the least advantaged in society justice and Utilitarian reasoning: supporting allocating resources to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number

Question 38

What is disparate treatment?

Answer 38

The legal concept that refers to intentional discrimination against an individual based on protected characteristic

Question 39

What is disparate impact?

Answer 39

Occurs when an employer’s policy or practice—though applied equally to all employees—has a negative effect on a protected group more than others without legitimate business necessity

Question 40

What is systemic disparate treatment?

Answer 40

Occurs when discrimination is widespread and institutionalized, not just isolated incidents. Involves consistent and intentional pattern of treating members of a protected class (such as sex, race, or religion) less favorably

Question 41

Quid Pro Quo Harassment

Answer 41

the type of harassment that occurs when submission to sexual conduct is made a condition of employment or used as the basis for employment

Question 42

Hostile Work Environment Harassment

Answer 42

occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct is so severe or pervasive that it creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment

Question 43

How does Utilitarianism view whistleblowing?

Answer 43

Have to ask yourself will whistleblowing result in greater good for a greater number of people (sometimes yes, sometimes no). Judge the whistleblowing on the outcomes and not the intention

Question 44

How does Kantian Ethical Theory view whistleblowing

Answer 44

When someone is lying to you, they are treating you as a mere means (what the FBI director is doing). Whistleblowing so the people know the truth is the ends of themselves as well as right thing to do. It should be a universal law that whistleblowing to reveal the lies of a government which then gives them the categorical imperative of universal law

Question 45

How does Aristotle's Virtue Theory view whistleblowing

Answer 45

Courageous whistleblowing is a virtuous act. “I never once regretted standing up for the truth” – Marcus Allen

Question 46

How does Ronald Duska View whistleblowing

Answer 46

There is no duty of loyalty because there is already an equal transaction of performing service for company and getting paid for that service. Don’t be deterred from blowing the whistle because you do not owe your company loyalty

Question 47

How does George Brenkert view whistleblowing

Answer 47

in your organization, you have inside knowledge of a problem, you then have the responsibility to blow the whistle What if it comes at great cost to oneself or others? You can uphold positional responsibility by whistleblowing AND resigning from the job. Whistleblowing can be outweighed by other obligations reasoning—not absolute rules

Question 48

Prima Facie (George Brenkert)

Answer 48

something is right or wrong at first glance, unless there’s a stronger reason to override it. Starting points for moral reasoning—not absolute rules

Question 49

Imperfect Duty (George Brenkert)

Answer 49

whistleblowing can be outweighed by other obligations reasoning—not absolute rules

Question 50

Principle of Positional Responsibility

Answer 50

in your organization, you have inside knowledge of a problem, you then have the responsibility