Running head: BUSINESS ETHICS – WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT 1

Class: Business Ethics (ETH560)

Name: Billeto R. McGee
Institution: Grantham University
Title: Further Discussion Analysis
Date: August 4, 2020
BUSINESS ETHICS – WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT 2

Every week, the discussion questions and peer responses create a platform for

improving ethical awareness. This week, I have gained a significant amount of ethical

awareness based on the discussion questions and peer posts. In this paper, I have analysed

posts by Erin Greene and Adam Weiss and how they have increased my ethical awareness.

Erin Greene believes that it is more critical for companies to go beyond the usual

profit-oriented approach and focus on the wellbeing of the communities and stakeholder they

depend on for their daily operations based on the Theo Chocolate Company case study.

Greene believes that their approach of charging high prices for the candy and using the extra

profits for its philanthropic activities-funding the poor farmers in Congo from whom they

source their raw materials for the candy is an ethical practice. To a larger extent, this is true,

and can be supported by theories like utilitarianism-the benefits are not self-centred to the

organization, but for the greater good (Figueroa, 2000).

However, considering ideas presented by Adam Weiss, it becomes a bit challenging to

rule ethics behind the organization’s move. According to Weiss, the ability of the company to

help “a culture and community who need assistance” depends on the buyers, not the

company. In other words, Theo Chocolate Company is only able to give back to the

community if the loyal customers are willing to pay for the high-priced candy when there are

alternatives. Based on his take, he would not pay that high price for a $5 candy whose utility

can be fulfilled with a “50 cent candy bar." Hence, the farmers would continue to suffer if all

customers had the same ideology, and the company would not be able to give back to the

community. In this case, the ethics behind Theo Chocolate Company's decisions would be

questionable because the intent might be justifiable, but the approach is questionable.

Through these different situations, therefore, I have been able to learn to explore all the

possible reasons that can be explored to certify the ethics of an action. Nonetheless, both

peers have strong arguments and are very informative.

BUSINESS ETHICS – WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT 3

Reference

Figueroa, H. B. (2000). New business: the most important part of advertising. Caribbean

Business, 28(45), 43.