Ethics 2

Ethics
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Ethics
Apple’s Utility Test
Action: production of iPhones in China instead of producing them in the United States.
Outcome: production of affordable iPhone in the American market.
The utilitarian approach provides that, ethical behavior is defined by the results of an act but not the act itself. Apple incorporation manufactures iPhones in China because it is cheaper compared to producing them in the United States (Smith, 2014). According to the utilitarian approach, the firm provides affordable iPhones to the Americans, which would otherwise be expensive for them to afford if produced in the United States. On the other hand, the company provides the Chinese citizens with employment opportunity and reward in the form of salaries and taxes for the government. According to this test, the stakeholders who benefit are people from China since they perform production jobs. The American market benefits through cheap, affordable phones produced by the Chinese (Mielach, 2012). Basing the decision on this approach, Apple is practicing positive ethics since the outcomes are beneficial to the people performing the acts.
Under the duty approach, an act is only performed because it is right to do it. Apple’s act of producing the iPhones in China is therefore unethical. A large market is found in the American market. As a requirement, Apple is obligated to give back to the Americans. Apple is supposed to practice corporate social responsibility through offering jobs to people who make up the market.

Further, According to one of the articles, the people producing the products are exploited by the company in order to attain the market demand (Mielach, 2012).
Categorical imperative violated: while producing the products for Apple Company, employees are paid low wages, and they are mistreated. The article argues that the people producing the iPhone stand for long hours making it difficult for the people to walk (Mielach, 2012). Additionally, they are forced to use a dangerous chemical to clean the glasses that make up the iPhone screens. The company is therefore focused on making profits and ignoring the welfare of individuals.
The ethical decision is different from the one made in the utilitarian approach. The duty approach justifies the means to an end while the utilitarian justifies an end to the means. In the utilitarian approach, the focus is primarily on the outcome itself (Mielach, 2012). The Apple company generates revenue to the Chinese people by offering them salaries and taxes to their government, while at the same time offering affordable products to the American people. Although the action itself may not be considered ethical according to the duty approach, the results are positive for both parties making the decision ethically right.
HP Company bribery utility test
Action: Bribe to get contracts that are aimed at helping people retain their jobs
Outcome: The company saves jobs of the people who were about to be laid off
The company has faced financial hiccups that have made it downsize to cut down the numbers of employees working for the company (Garside, 2014). In a 2013 report, the company planned to lay down over 3000 workers within three years. Giving the bribe to obtain contracts that help regain their initial position and therefore employing back the laid-off workers is ethical. According to a utilitarian approach, it is the jobs of the employees that matter and not how the employees got back the jobs (Heater, 2016). All the HP branches charged with bribing officials with the power to influence the decision-making process conducted the act with the aim of improving the welfare of the company as a whole. The officials giving bribes were not conducting bribery to benefit as individuals.
Assuming that the HP company was fully aware of the bribery taking place in Poland, Mexico, and Russia, the stakeholders who suffered from the act of the company include those companies eligible for the contracts. The companies without strong financial history missed the opportunity to acquire the contracts due to HP’s act of bribery. Further, the officials who carried out corruption, lost their jobs, although they were trying to help the organization (Garside, 2014). Consequently, the employees of the HP Company benefits from the bribery. The company acquires contracts which enable them to regain their market position. In this case, more good is done than harm.
According to duty based approach, the act of obtaining the bribe is unethical. HP hinders other companies from accessing the contracts in a fair manner. The company violates the rights of other competitors (Garside, 2014). The company discontinues the employment contracts of the officials who conducted the bribery act. The officials, however, acted on behalf of the company.
Categorical imperatives violated: The company did not take into account the needs of other companies. Although they are in economic competition, transparency is an important factor in ensuring a fair economic game. In addition, HP violated the rights of their employees by firing them even after trying to help the company.
In conclusion, the ethical assessment of duty approach is different from that utilitarian approach. The utilitarian decision on the HP ethical dilemma rules, the act as ethical given that the outcome helped the company regain its financial strength. On the contrary, the act is unethical according to the duty approach since bribery is morally unacceptable.
References
Mielach, D. (2012). Is it ethical to own an iPhone? Business News Daily. Retrieved from: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/1979-owning-iPhone-ethical.htmlSmith, S. (2014). How much would an all-American iPhone cost? Marketplace. Retrieved from: https://www.marketplace.org/2014/05/20/business/ive-always-wondered/how-much-would-all-american-iphone-costGarside, J. (2014). Hewlett-Packard to pay $108m to settle scandal over bribery of public officials. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/apr/09/hewlett-packard-108m-corruption-government-it-us-briberyHeater, B. (2016, Oct 13). HP plans 3,000 to 4,000 job cuts over the next three years. TechCrunch. Retrieved from: https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/13/hp-layoffs/