Ethics is important in business because it regulates the behavior of people. Ethics provide guidelines for people to avoid mistakes, while they are thinking that they are doing the right thing. In this case study, the manager of a renowned chemical manufacturing company in North America has been struggling to adhere to business ethics and responsibility, but his colleagues have been pressuring him to bend the laws. Therefore, the following paragraphs will look at the ethical issues in the scenario.
Ethics are as old as mankind because from the time we were brought into this world our parents and guardians taught us what is right and what is not, meaning ethics are applied everywhere. However, the ethics vary from one place to another depending on the environment and the tasks involved. The manager of the North American company has a difficult task because in as much as the decision taken by the company depends on him, he wants to please both parties, that is, the client and the company administrators.
The manager is aware that the insecticide contains some toxin chemicals which could have negative impacts, and that is why he does not want to sell the product to the client because he is certain that the client’s needs would not be met. On the other hand, his colleagues are also aware of the effects of the substance, but they still want him to go on with the deal. It seems that the only thing that matters to these fellows is money.
What they do not know is that they might make money today, and ruin the reputation of the company in the days to come after the truth of the matter is exposed. As the manufacturer, the North American company has an obligation to protect the customers from any harmful chemicals.
The manager has a better alternative that entails directing the customer to another manufacturer whose product is not harmful as his. This implies that the manager has the interests of the customers at heart. He is very honest, which is an outstanding trait in business. This is because you can lie to your customers but one day the truth will be unveiled, and it will be very difficult to restore the confidence they once had in the company.
Even though the company is in dire need of money, it is not a good reason for selling products that are hazardous. By telling the customer the truth, the manager will instill trust in the customer towards the company. Having an established code of ethics ensures that people do not do as they wish for their own selfish gains. Thus, by selling a product that has already been prohibited shows that the administrators are very ignorant and selfish.
Furthermore, ethics are meant to serve various purposes, the first one being as a source of knowledge to the people who are involved. Ethics are used as a source of reference because they dictate what should be done at what times and places.
This goes a long way in avoiding the occurrence of mistakes when people are carrying out their duties. Without ethics it would be difficult for people to regulate themselves and others as well. This is because no one would agree that he/she was the one who did the mistake because there are no clear rules and regulations.
In this regard, ethics and responsibility are supposed to foster cooperation, but the administrators of this company imply that there is no cooperation at all because they have already signed the request form without consulting the manager. The manager should act as his consciousness commands, but he does not want to look like he is out to sabotage the efforts of his colleagues. If there were ethics in this company, there would be no disagreements in decision making processes because ethics clearly explain what is to be done.
Therefore, ethics are supposed to foster moral values, but by the look of things the administrators of North American company do not hold any value to human life. By selling hazardous products, the company would make profits, but their guilt will continue to haunt them as long as the consequences of their faults exist.
Without rules and regulations the world would be a tiny place for humans to co-exist because people would benefit at the expense of others. Maybe, what the administrators of the company do not know is that even if no one is watching over them, they are answerable before God, and the profits they will make by knowingly selling harmful products may not help them as they think.