Overview
This week you explored two different ideas about business’s role in society. These two different ideas have a lot to say about how a business should behave, what responsibilities it has, and to whom. While these two ideas are not mutually exclusive, they can be at odds sometimes, and when they are, it is important that one of them surface as the more central and important idea.
Either
Businesses exist for the predominant purpose of generating profit for their owners, and this surpasses any other obligation that a business has to society; or
Businesses exist for the predominant purpose of providing goods and services that benefit the well-being of society, and this surpasses any other obligation that a business has to its owners.
Though a business can (and should) make a profit for its owners, while benefiting the society it operates in, when these two ideas are at odds with each other which one should come out on top?
Discussion Prompt
For this discussion board, you are to identify a real-world scenario (find a relevant article or two) in which a business’s product or service creates a great profit for its owners, but ultimately disadvantages society. After briefly explaining this scenario, you are then to advise on what the business should do and why based on one of the “predominate purposes” (see above) of the business discussed in this module. Should it keep doing what it is currently doing despite the disadvantage to society, or should it alter its operations at a possible disadvantage to the owner’s profit? Why?
You are to use real world businesses and industries in your example (research and articles), but I have created a fictitious example for you to get a better understanding.
This is a fictitious example; you must use a real business or product for Discussion Forum 1.
Company A makes a product called a Doople. The Doople is used by people around the world for recreational purposes and is incredibly profitable for the company. For seven consecutive quarters, Doople use has increased across the globe and profits have averaged a 35% increase each quarter. Recent studies from several independent agencies have linked increasing Doople use to a decline in mental well-being, obesity, and emotional irritability. Moreover, it appears that people who try and stop using their Doople see an increase in anxiety.
Neither Company A nor the Doople break any laws, the product has not been shown to be chemically addictive, and the product is not marketed toward children.
I believe that Company A should… [then come up with a course of action and defend it with ethical reasoning].
Download the Discussion Rubric (DOCX)Download Discussion Rubric (DOCX)
Directions
Each discussion board requires two total posts.
Initial Post
NOTE: You are required to make your first post by noon on the due date. This will allow everyone to post throughout the day. Failure to make your initial post by noon will result in lost points. Your initial post should be between 150-250 words and include any sources (APA citation and reference list) for the information.