Adam See

EHT-560

9/1/2020

Assignment 3
Article 1: Commentary on American business ethics and health care costs

After reading the article and comparing it to my ethical assessment results, it has changed

the way I look at things in certain aspects. I used to look at fairness being a 2 out of 5, however,

after looking at the details of this article it is important for business to be fair to their customers.

For example, in the article it states, “Quack schemes, including the sale of useless medical

devices, cost as much as $5 billion annually” (Cantril, 1994). When looking at this and knowing

that people are struggling to pay bills and afford to live, all while providers are doing that is

infuriating. When companies are not being fair and honest with their customers it creates

unnecessary hardships and disdain for so many people. When we look at the recession of 2008

and how many families lost their homes and livelihoods, then having hospitals charging

unneeded things lacks integrity and truthfulness. Honesty and truth are the foundations for

successful long-term relationships in business. Fairness is connected with the activities,

procedures, and penalties, that are ethically right principled, and justifiable. In spirit, the integrity

of fairness creates moral guidelines for choices that affect others. Fair rulings are made in an

suitable method based on proper standards.

For me, those things are detrimental to the success and longevity of a business because

without those, there will not be a customer base for them to succeed. In regard to businesses,

fairness refers to the importance of treating individuals with a standard of execution that is

dependable and equivalent based on their responsibilities. For those providers and patients alike,

it is important to remember that there is power in their position and their capability to sway

others. It is important to regulate the desire to use it while they are not getting their your way,

and do not ever abuse that power.

Article 2: Moral Intensity, Issue Importance, and Ethical Reasoning in Operations Situations.

The article starts with a sentence that directly contradicts my outlook when it comes to sacrifice

regarding business. It states, “morality sometimes asks us to sacrifice things that we hold dear. When we

relinquish something of critical importance to us for morality’s sake, we have made a moral sacrifice”

(Rivera, 2007 ). I put a sacrifice as a 1. I never looked at it in the sense that morality would require

someone to sacrifice some things that may be held close. But after looking at it in the eyes of the author,

I should have made that of higher importance. When building a business, it is apparent that there are

concessions that need to be made in order to be successful. Sometimes those are easy ones but at other

times they may be the hardest decisions of someone’s life. Lisa Rivera also suggests that decisions

and/or actions who acts justly, may also be doing it while opposing their own integrity. As I stated with

the other article, integrity is highly important to me when looking at businesses. I personally would not

like to do business with someone or a company if they lack integrity or the ability to do the right thing.

And when looking at that aspect, it put just how important sacrifice really is. Sometimes the right thing

may actually have a negative impact on the business, but it will help them soar to new heights.

There are many aspects to look at regarding my results from the ethical assessments. And after

reading these two articles, it brings to light how each component is and how they all play a part in

having a successful business. I did not look at that prior to this assignment and if I retook the

assessments, I am sure that I would have different results than initially.

 References

Cantril CA. (1994). Commentary on American business ethics and health care costs [original article by

Garrett T et al appears in HEALTH CARE MANAGE REV 1993:18(4),44-50]. ONS

Nursing Scan in Oncology, 3(3), 1.

Rivera, L. (2007). Sacrifices, Aspirations and Morality: Williams Reconsidered. Ethical Theory & Moral

Practice, 10(1), 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-006-9040-8