Money is actually the most complex phenomenon ever understood by man because of its “miraculous nature”. Some folks also argue that money is the root cause of all evil but I will also argue that lack of money is also root of all evil from a moral point of view. Money is life since money can give almost everything.
Who said that money is not life? Money is life since the time you get money which is enough you feel more alive than when you have nothing. Am not amoral but realistic. Luxuries, happiness, and good food just to name a few are all about me. Actually I subscribe to the school of thought which argues that money “talks” (Hartman, & DesJardins, 2010).
Money in relationship to Christian faith has been very much contentious with some followers arguing that money is evil since it led to crucifixion of Jesus Christ the Messiah who was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Attitude about money since history and also the contemporary world dissent in a great way and this leads to polarization. Monks of the mediaeval age consecrated poverty so much but today, there are a lot of prosperity preachers preaching about sawing seeds because the love money and they do not even deny this fact.
Matters of money and affluence are very much conspicuous but superfluous in the Christian realm. Although the scripture is very much clear about the dangers of riches Christians proclaim wealth as being a blessing from God. The same scripture also gives clarity on the issue wealth since wealth may not be a ticket to heaven since even the wicked flourish with wealth hence debacles of money are stupendous.
The attitude of the early church about money was quite different because of the dogmatic anticipation of the Lord’s return. If anybody has to meet his maker then even the World Bank will lose value and meaning in consequence the early church did not struggle so much with the themes they did not understand.
Virtue ethics in relation to the use of money and the corporate social responsibility has a characteristic of contemporary virtue ethicists. Virtue ethics argues that any action taken is right only if that action could be done by the most righteous people on earth given the same circumstances that led to the dispensing of that very action.
To my understanding about virtue ethics, what it claims may not really be distinguished since as it appears it is next to a cliché. The disparity connecting those who practice righteousness and virtue ethicist like me is positioned in how the claimed manner is read.
The notion of right and wrong or the righteous and wicked in relation to expend of workers in the industries and money is quite fundamental since how can you keep unproductive worker only because you are being virtuous? Virtuous agents only use truism in satisfaction of their imminent ideas and concepts (Hartman, & DesJardins, 2010).
Some people may argue that something is right only if that action leads to utility maximization hence without utility maximization which is a desire in most of the corporate world then action is inadmissible. Hence the definition of an agent who is virtuous is totally deficient. As a president of the Viacom which is failing I would do anything to revamp the company’s worth in the stock market.
I do not agree with the ideas of Sharon about keeping the employees who cannot deliver since they do not have any incentive to deliver on. The company is in doldrums and on the blink of collapsing. Even if the analysts argue that am trying to lay off the company workers so as to invest in machines, if that is good for the company then I think it is virtuous to do the right thing in order to salvage the company than retain workers and our stock is fixed and reducing in value.
Employees do not invest in companies but it is the company that invests in the employees hence the employees are required to do their best and be enterprising so as to make sure that the company is rejuvenating from its continuous loses.
Am not thinking of laying out employees so as to frustrate them but as a president, if you lay down strict policies on the terms of performance and you include laying off as an alternative to non performing workers, then I strongly think that all workers will put the interest of the company first.
As a president whatever step I take on matters of policies righteousness should be thought out well since in respect of virtue ethics, what am doing is right for the company and if it fails, I will have failed also hence need to be laid off by the company and employ another president who can perform and deliver for the sake of the company. For any business to perform well, market changes in terms of competition must be mitigated within the changes in the industry and also the company (Hartman, & DesJardins, 2010).
Almost all corporations have policies and there are usually yearly reports that show the progress of the corporate whether it is failing or succeeding and the reports are usually detailed. So as a president of Viacom, which caliber of report am I going to give? Laying off non performing workers is not an adequate solution but we also have competitors who will not like to see as advancing since we exist in a free market economy. Defining what is “socially responsible” contentious hence mostly arguable.
Corporations make part of the beau monde and the impacts of such organization to the society should be thought of very critically. First before anybody condemns my action as the president of the Viacom, you should ask yourself what will happen to the society if the company falls. And what will happen to the society if an individual who is unproductive is laid off.
There is nobody in the corporate world that will take social responsibility without having a thought of accumulating maximum profits to the company which actually matters most. I would also dare and ask, if I keep fifteen employees of Viacom and there are no profits and the company is liquidated how those employees will survive without the company.
In conclusion, incorporation of the theories in ethics and Christian moral teaching about money and the corporate world which has to do mostly with social responsibility, is quite difficult but in case of a company failing in its output there are so many issues that are supposed to be addressed and if at all the problems are identified, analyzed and implemented then the company will stand out benefit.
Reference
Hartman, L., & DesJardins, J. (2010). Business Ethics: Decision-Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.