Running Head Ethics
Running Head Ethics
ETHICS 5 Ethics Sadiya Shaikh Assignment- 3 What is the ethical Issue The ethical issue, in this case, is whether Luke should inform his brother Owen of the company’s plan of building an adult entertainment retail store as this is likely to decrease the value of the property in the neighborhood. Luke has been bestowed with the responsibility of working on a project which entails the development of the land which was recently bought by the company. From the plan, the land that he is supposed to develop is located at the corner of the neighborhood where his brother Owen lives. Luke is aware that immediately the plans for the store are publicly announced, the value of the property in the area will significantly reduce.
The company has plans in place to make the announcement of the project in a months’ time. Why is this an ethical issue This is an ethical issue because; Luke is bestowed with the responsibility of ensuring confidentiality of the company’s information. On the other hand, it is clear that Luke has a close relationship with his brother Owen since Owen has recently informed him after getting an offer someone willing to purchase his house at a price that can be considered okay given the real estate market by the time. Although Owen is considering selling the house, he has not made his final decision yet. He is not sure if he is likely to get a better offer in future when there is an improvement in the real estate market prices.
Luke is now torn between informing his brother to sell his house right away since the prices are likely to deteriorate after the announcement is made public or to abide by his obligation in the company of maintaining confidentiality. Analysis and recommendations Virtue ethics refers to an approach to ethics which focuses on the character of an individual as the main element in ethical thinking instead of the rules pertaining the acts themselves or the consequences involved after acting in a particular way (Gardiner, 2005). The ethical theory stipulates that individuals should make decisions on the basis of their character or virtue. The golden rule, on the other hand, denotes that people should treat others in a similar way that they would want others to treat them in case they are in a similar situation.
From the case, I think that Luke should encourage his brother to sell the house to the buyer who is willing to make purchase at the present real estate value as he considers it okay rather than waiting for a better price in the future since he is not sure of how the price will be years from now. Being the internal consultant, I would advise Luke to inform Owen that the value of his property is likely to decrease in a
month’s time since the company wants to build an entertainment retail store for adults in the area. According to the golden rule, people are supposed to treat others the way they should also want to be treated (Putnam, 2017). In this case, if Owen is the one who was aware of the company’s plans and Luke the owner of the property, Luke would have really wanted Owen to inform him of the plans so that he could sell the property before its value decreases.
Luke should thus, in this case, treat Owen as he would like to be treated by informing him that the value of the property is likely to decrease with the public announcement and hence the need to sell the property right away within the month before then. According to value ethics, one should focus on their moral values rather than the consequences that are likely to arise if they behave in a certain way. According to Russell, (2013), people should make decisions on the basis of their virtues and it is thus worth for Luke to inform Owen of the plans that the company has which will affect the value of his property without the fear of the consequences that may arise if he violates the confidentiality policy of his company.
Luke has a close relationship to Owen and since Owen trusts him with his information and is always willing to let him in his aware as a friend, Luke being his friend should take pride in being a trustworthy person and be honest to Owen. Luke’s actions should be transparent and it would thus be wise for him to let his brother know that keeping the property for a few years would not be as profitable as he intends it to be. The creation of an adult entertainment retail store would disrupt the peace and the activities in the area due to the noise and the many other activities that will be involved and hence a decline in the value of the property in the neighborhood. I would thus recommend Luke from the golden rule and virtue ethics perspective to inform his brother Owen to consider the decision of selling his house immediately since he may not get a better offer in the future if the company’s project is announced and after it kicks on.
Paper For Above instruction
The ethical dilemma faced by Luke centers around the tension between his professional confidentiality obligations and his personal relationship with his brother, Owen. The core question is whether Luke should disclose sensitive corporate information to his brother prior to the public announcement of a developmental project that will significantly impact property values in their neighborhood. This decision requires careful ethical analysis, balancing principles of virtue ethics, the golden rule, and utilitarian considerations to arrive at an action that aligns with moral integrity and practical consequences.
At the heart of this dilemma lies the issue of confidentiality versus transparency. Luke is bound by his
corporate obligation to keep project details secret until their official release. Breaching this confidentiality could jeopardize his employment and the company’s strategic advantage. Conversely, withholding information from Owen might deprive him of an opportunity to sell his property at its current value, which is expected to decline following the project's announcement. The question becomes whether Luke's duty to his employer outweighs his loyalty and responsibility to his brother.
Applying virtue ethics, as described by Gardiner (2005), centers on character traits such as honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness. Luke's character should reflect these virtues to maintain moral consistency. A virtuous individual would likely consider honesty as a paramount trait and therefore be inclined to inform Owen about the impending decline in property value to prevent him from making a poor financial decision later. Such transparency not only aligns with integrity but also fosters trust in personal relationships, notably between brothers. Equally, exercising discernment and prudence virtues emphasized by Russell (2013) suggests that Luke should evaluate the potential harm and benefits of disclosure, seeking a balance that safeguards both his professional obligations and personal relationships.
The golden rule, as highlighted by Putnam (2017), emphasizes treating others as one would wish to be treated. In this context, if Luke were in Owen’s position—facing the prospect of losing significant value in his property—he would want to be informed beforehand to make an informed decision. Applying this principle, Luke should consider that Owen would likely appreciate honesty and timely information that enables him to act in his best interests. Hence, from the perspective of the golden rule, disclosure seems ethically justified and preferable.
From a utilitarian standpoint, as explained by Gensler (2013), the decision should maximize overall happiness and minimize harm. If Luke discloses the project details, Owen can sell his house at an advantageous price, thus preventing financial loss and reducing personal distress. Although revealing the company's plans might have repercussions for the corporation—such as stock price volatility or competitive disadvantages—the immediate benefit to Owen and the potential reduction in his financial hardship takes precedence. Moreover, transparency in this context would foster trust and goodwill, which are valuable for personal relationships and societal harmony. Conversely, withholding information could cause Owen to suffer a greater loss and undermine trust if the truth emerges later, causing emotional and financial damage.
Thus, integrating these ethical frameworks suggests that Luke should prioritize honesty and transparency
with Owen. While his professional obligations cannot be entirely disregarded, the moral importance of loyalty, honesty, and benevolence toward family members holds considerable weight. Open communication aligns with virtue ethics, the golden rule, and utilitarian principles by promoting moral integrity, mutual respect, and overall wellbeing. Luke’s decision to inform Owen reflects a commitment to character virtues, empathetic treatment, and maximizing collective happiness, demonstrating an ethically sound choice in this complex scenario. Ultimately, acting with integrity and compassion fosters enduring relationships and societal trust, reinforcing the primacy of moral character in ethical decision-making.
References
Gardiner, S. (2005).
Virtue ethics, old and new
. Cornell University Press.
Gensler, H. J. (2013).
Ethics and the golden rule
. Putnam, M. S. (2017).
Reflections on the Golden Rule
. Global Ethics University.
Russell, D. (2013).
The Cambridge companion to virtue ethics
. Cambridge University Press.
Toms, N. (2018). Applying virtue ethics in business decisions.
Journal of Business Ethics, 152 (3), 673-685.
Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019).
Principles of Biomedical Ethics
. Oxford University Press.
Rachels, J. (2011).
The Elements of Moral Philosophy
. McGraw-Hill Education.
Frankena, W. K. (2002).
Ethics
. Prentice Hall.
Silvers, A. (2019). Moral dilemmas in corporate ethical decision-making.
Business Ethics Quarterly, 29 (2), 165-184.
Midgley, M. (2018).
Animals and why they matter
. University of Georgia Press.
