This essay is designed so that you can explore your own ethics and how you see the business world in relation to how others see it. Ethical theories help us to understand our view of the world and it is likely that you will have a preferred theory which you, personally, consider to be ‘right'. For this task, there is no ‘correct' theoretical framework, however it is important that you explain how this ethical framework leads you to the decision that you make.
Business decisions make an impact on a number of different stakeholders. This essay is also designed for you to explore how a business decision that you make in an organisation can affect many people. It is an important part of this essay for you to show that you understand how widespread the effect a decision can be.
You are required to write an essay in response to the scenario below. To gain the maximum points for your essay, you should note the following:
- Discuss the problem from the viewpoint of the different stakeholders
- Choose an ethics theory that appeals to you and use it in your response. You have a limited word count and you cannot afford to explain or utilise more than one ethical theory. Discussing the problem using more than one theoretical framework will not gain you further marks.
- You are required to relate your final decision to your chosen ethical framework. Failure to use the theory in the explanation of your decision will affect your final mark.
You are a senior Human Resources Manager who works for a mineral exploration company, Perth Explorations. The company employs teams of geologists who are expected to search for possible iron ore and lead deposits across Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Perth Exploration's headquarters is based in Perth and this is where your office is situated, but its geological teams spend much of their time prospecting in remote areas of the state and territory. They usually work on a two-week-on, two-week-off basis, and each team comprises three or four geologists, the vast majority of whom are male. Perth Explorations' living away from home allowance policy is to pay a lump sum covering expected costs for the fortnight's travel into employees' bank accounts prior to their departure.
You have heard rumours that, over the years, the teams of geologists have come to regard their
living away from home allowance as a component of their regular salary, and have found ways to minimise their travel costs and therefore maximise their 'take home' income. Apparently they usually bring a load of breakfast cereals, cans of food and other provisions, and a camp stove or microwave, and pool these resources in order to feed themselves for the period. In addition, since they're usually all male, they often book a single motel room that they share, and wash their own clothes together. If this is true, they would be able to save quite a lot of money.
When you have occasionally raised this as an issue with the Chief Financial Officer, she has pointed out that the alternative of processing numerous invoices would take a lot of time if the geologists are required to acquit their payments. There is now a change in the taxation rules, which may require the allowance to be taxed, but you are unsure. You are aware that the company is happy with their geologists' standard of work and their outcomes and does not want to lose them to a rival company.
Referencing should be in APA format.