Essay Assignment
Choose one of the following questions and write a 2- to 3-page re-sponse:
• George Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World both implied that humans have become numbers and lose all sense of individuality. In es-sence, humans become automatons. Orwell and others also envisioned a "...new form of managerial industrialization in which man builds machines which act like men and develops men who act like machines, is conducive to an era of dehumanization and complete alienation, in which men are transformed into things and become appendices to the process of production and consumption." (From the Afterward of George Orwell's 1984 by Erich Fromm, page 325) With the continuing advancement in technology, how realistic is Fromm's assessment? How do you experience this happening? Do you sometimes feel like an automaton?
• Would introducing Conscious Capitalism and the idea of a triple bottom line that includes people, planet, and profits to your company be a hard sell? Why? Identify three objections a CEO might have toward adopting the four core principles of Conscious Capitalism. These form the basis for Mackey and Sisodia in Conscious Capitalism.
• Take the Corporate Culture Ethics Audit on p. 192 of Business Ethics. Congratulations to you if the number of yes responses were greater than the no answers! If, however, the no answers exceeded the yes responses, how does this make you feel about your company? Do you feel there is anything you could do to change that culture? If so, what?
• There are global common values shared across different cultures that are reflected in a variety of religions. Take a look at Buddhism. Is there anything that the U.S. Capitalism system might find useful in the Buddhist perspective that values equanimity, joy, loving-kindness, generosity, compassion, and protection of the environment?
• Let's assume you are a leader in your company and you aspire to be a visionary leader rather than an autocratic leader. What would be the obvious benefits to being a visionary leader for your company, its em-ployees, its stakeholders and its shareholders? Identify someone you admire that you believe lives and leads as a visionary and describe what it is that she/he has done to earn this designation.
Cite all sources used in your essay response.
Format your essay response consistent with APA guidelines.
Watch the "How Ethical Are You? Take the Ethics Guy's Quiz on CNN" video [4:11].
Read the following sections of Business Ethics:
• Ch. 5, "Ethical Decision Making"
• Ch. 6, "Individual Factors: Moral Philosophies and Values"
Read the following sections of Conscious Capitalism:
• Ch. 13, "The Qualities of Conscious Leaders"
• Ch. 14, "Becoming a Conscious Leader"
Title: Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases
Edition: 11th
Authors: Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L.
ISBN-13: 9781305500846
Title: Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business
Authors: MacKay, J., & Sisodia, R.
ISBN-13: 9781422144206.