Question 1

Creativity and thinking out of the box are just a scoundrel's way of saying that coming up with alternatives in solving how you handle ethical issues are valuable skills to keep you from being caught.

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect and promotes unethical behavior. Creativity and thinking out of the box are valuable skills in problem-solving, including ethical issues. However, using these skills to avoid being caught in unethical behavior is not acceptable. Ethical behavior is about doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Question 2

A virtue ethics perspective requires a moral actor to look to the community that will hold the moral actor to the highest ethical standard and support the moral actor's intention to be a virtuous person.

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of community and social norms in shaping one's character and guiding ethical behavior. A moral actor who adopts a virtue ethics perspective will look to the community for guidance on what constitutes virtuous behavior and for support in developing their character. Thus, the statement is true.

Question 3

According to Lawrence Kohlberg, developer of a key theory of moral reasoning, role taking is useless as nothing is gained by putting yourself in the shoes of others.

Accepted Answer

According to Lawrence Kohlberg, role taking is a crucial process in moral reasoning as it allows individuals to understand the perspectives and experiences of others, which is necessary in making ethical decisions.

Question 4

Despite the disclosure rule, making decisions in private to avoid negative reaction is generally best for a business as it safeguards your firm's reputation and keeps competitive information away from your competitors.

Accepted Answer

Making decisions in private can lead to a lack of transparency and potentially damage a business's reputation if the public finds out. Additionally, decisions made in secret may not always be in the best interest of stakeholders. It is important for businesses to balance the need for privacy with accountability and open communication.

Question 5

In business, concerning yourself with how your decision making affects stakeholders is useless given the number of stakeholders and their different interests.

Accepted Answer

It may be difficult to consider every single stakeholder and their individual interests, but it is still important to consider the impact of decision making on stakeholders as a whole and prioritize their well-being. Ignoring stakeholders can lead to negative consequences for the business in the long run.

Question 6

A major challenge of deontological approaches is deciding which duty, obligation, right, or principle takes precedence because ethical dilemma often pit these against each other.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Deontological approaches emphasize following certain duties, obligations, rights, or principles regardless of consequences, but when faced with ethical dilemmas, it can be difficult to determine which takes priority over the other.

Question 7

A virtue ethics approach is particularly useful for individuals who work within a professional community, such as the accounting profession, that has developed high standards of ethical conduct for community members.

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics focuses on developing and practicing virtuous character traits in order to make ethical decisions. This approach can be particularly useful for professionals who work within a community that has established ethical standards, as it promotes the development of character traits that align with those standards. In the case of the accounting profession, for example, a virtue ethics approach could help individuals develop traits such as honesty, integrity, and responsibility, which are highly valued by the profession.

Question 8

If you are asked to make hastily a decision that you believe raises potential ethical issues you should be a good team player and proceed with the decision.

Accepted Answer

It is important to pause and consider the potential ethical issues before making a decision. Rushing a decision without considering ethical implications can lead to negative consequences and harm individuals or the organization as a whole. It is important to communicate any concerns or questions to relevant parties before proceeding with a decision.

Question 9

A stakeholder is any person who only owns stock in a company.

Accepted Answer

A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest or concern in a company, including not only stockholders but also employees, customers, suppliers, communities, and society as a whole.

Question 10

American political philosopher John Rawls proposed that decision makers use a veil of ignorance exercise to arrive at fundamental principles of justice that should guide ethical decision making.

Accepted Answer

John Rawls did propose the use of a veil of ignorance exercise in his book "A Theory of Justice" as a way to arrive at fundamental principles of justice that should guide ethical decision making.

Question 11

An appearance of a conflict of interest can be as damaging as an actual conflict.

Accepted Answer

An appearance of a conflict of interest can create doubts and undermine trust in an individual or organization, just as much as if there was an actual conflict of interest. Perceptions of bias or self-interest can affect credibility and damage reputation. Therefore, it is important to avoid both actual conflicts of interest and also the appearance of such conflicts.

Question 12

A utility ethics perspective considers the actor's character, motivations, and intentions.

Accepted Answer

A utility ethics perspective, also known as utilitarianism, primarily focuses on the outcomes or consequences of actions rather than the actor's character, motivations, and intentions.

Question 13

An ethical dilemma is defined as a situation where two or more "right" values are in conflict.

Accepted Answer

This is the correct definition of an ethical dilemma. It occurs when there is a conflict between two or more moral values or principles, and it is not immediately clear what the correct course of action should be.

Question 14

Most business managers rely on a deontological approach.

Accepted Answer

Most business managers rely on a consequentialist approach, which focuses on the outcomes or consequences of an action, rather than on the inherent morality of the action itself (as in deontological ethics).

Question 15

The consequentialist approach protects the rights of the minority.

Accepted Answer

The consequentialist approach seeks to maximize overall good, even if it means sacrificing the rights and well-being of a minority group. Therefore, it does not guarantee the protection of the rights of the minority.

Question 16

Business managers generally rely on the consequentialist approach.

Accepted Answer

Business managers generally focus on the outcomes or consequences of their decisions, making consequentialism a suitable approach for them. They weigh the pros and cons of their decisions and choose the one that maximizes benefits while minimizing harm.

Question 17

The Golden Rule asks, "How would you feel if your behavior appeared publicly on _____?

Accepted Answer

The Golden Rule typically asks you to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," focusing on treating others as one would like to be treated themselves, without reference to public appearance or media.

Question 18

It is good advice to go with your gut.

Accepted Answer

Relying solely on intuition can lead to biased or uninformed decisions. It's often better to combine intuition with critical thinking and evidence-based analysis.

Question 19

A challenge involved in using a strictly consequentialist approach is that it is often difficult to obtain the information required to evaluate all of the consequences for all stakeholders who may be directly or indirectly affected by an action or decision.

Accepted Answer

Consequentialism requires evaluating all the consequences of an action to determine the morally right course of action. However, it can be challenging to gather all the necessary information for all stakeholders who may be affected by the action.

Question 20

Ethical dilemmas represent conflicts in values.

Accepted Answer

Ethical dilemmas arise when two or more values or principles come into conflict with one another. It presents a situation in which a person has to choose between two options, both of which may be morally justifiable but cannot be pursued simultaneously.

Quiz 2: Deciding Whats Right: a Prescriptive Approach