Kant

• Globalisation

  • A Kantian may be concerned that globalisation has increased the possibility of workers being mistreated for the pursuit of profit.
  • If the company is acting solely for its own good, then it is treating the people of a poorer nation as a means, not as ends.
  • Business should use globalisation ethically and should not taken human rights away from workers.
  • It is not right to use workers to gain a better end result for the company, careless of their rights.
  • You cannot universalise exploitation in every nation.
• Whistleblowing 1

  • Kant would say we must do our duty, and our duty includes loyalty.
  • However, we should not universalise corruption.
  • The ethical practise of whistleblowing doesn't apply to Kants universal law.
  • If one small, easily resolvable mistake has been made in a business and an employee has blown their whistle, universal law would have to out the business.
  • This is impractical and could lead to the closure of business for only a small mistake.
• Whistleblowing 2

  • Employees should show loyalty to the business and so it shouldn't be necessary to whistleblow on small problems.
  • If a business was shit down because of a resolvable problem then this then has a domino effect on all shareholders and stake holders which isn't fair, therefore leading it to be unmoral.
  • Kant also thinks that lying cannot be universalised and therefore is always wrong. He would be against lying to cover up negative business practises even if it meant employees losing their jobs . It is your duty to never lie.
• Social responsibility

  • Kant argues businesses should take CSR very seriously.
  • 'Duty for duties sake'
  • It is a businesses duty to be kind to workers by giving them human rights.
  • it is the businesses duty to show their duty is wider than just the focus of profit.
• Good ethics = good business

  • Kant would argue that good ethics, doing our duty, is more important than good business
  • We should do our duty regardless of our inclination of possible consequences. This includes the possible loss of profit
  • The requirement to treat people as ends leads to the idea of right within the workplace and for consumers
  • Kants categorical imperative highlights that humans beings are the pinnacle of creation
  • Therefore, the treatment involved in a business or people directly affected by a business need to be taken into account
  • No one should be exploited for profit