Module 3 - Case Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics (Mattel Inc.)

Module 3 - Case Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics (Mattel Inc.)

Introduction

The analysis and critical evaluation of the corporate structure and processes requires a firm to conduct their ethical and moral screening pertaining to their policies and systems or more specifically the codes of conduct formulated by them. The social concerns and the potential for ethical conflicts along with the effective control of the directions that lead towards ethics are included in the social code of conduct of an organization. Mattel Inc. is one of the leading toy companies that was founded in the year 1945 by Elliot Handler and Matt Matson and the company is named after its founders. Some of the major products of the company include the hot wheels, Barbie dolls and matchbox cars that generate around 80 % of the revenues of the company. This paper discusses the case study related to the code of conduct issues faced by Mattel Inc. Three virtues are chosen for the analysis of the case study and a clear definition of each is provided to conduct the critical evaluation of the study. The virtues are applied to the case including recommendations on the use of such virtues to the organization. The relation of those virtues with the issues of worker safety, working conditions, fairness and attitude of organization towards the environment is also discussed. In the end, the application of normative ethics is also provided along with the identification of the most useful normative ethics among the utilitarian, deontological and virtue while evaluating the case.

Definition of the Three Virtues

Courage

Courage is one of the most important human virtues which is also regarded as the first of the human virtues by Aristotle because it leads towards the possibility of making all other virtues. Courage is considered to be a cardinal virtue by Saint Thomas Aquinas. The moral philosophy of Saint Thomas blends the Christian theology and the Aristotelian theory. He considers that courage is required to develop the significant level of endurance in a person and those who have courage can easily attain the endurance within themselves. It also empowers the person to stand against the dangers specifically those that are dangerous for the body or they may harm it and lead it to death (Aristotle, 934, III3b5-8).

Honesty

The virtue of honesty is regarded as the morally valuable or desirable virtue or a character trait by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. It is being stressed that the virtue of honesty is not only the desirable or valuable character trait but considered as a habit of a person to remain honest in any kind of circumstance and situation. The virtue of honesty or generosity is a wide scope virtue and it cannot be confined to some specific character traits or ideas. Honesty is associated with several other actions as the emotional reaction or feelings, the values, perceptions, desires, interests, attitudes, sensibilities and expectations of the person. The choices and reasons of an honest person ...