Discussion Post #1 – Week 1 Discussion Board Group 3

This week we covered ethical theory; different ideas about what makes an action right or wrong. All the theories have strong validity but also some weakness; in some ways they compliment each other and in some ways they conflict with each others.

Regarding this week’s Case for Discussion Board – the Case of Banana Terrorism you are to analyze the company’s actions through all of the different lenses.  Your response should answer the following prompts:

• How did Chiquita’s actions align with and deviate from virtue ethics (character-based)? utilitarianism (consequence-based)? deontology (duty-based)? 
  • Explain, briefly, the case for each theory in a sentence or two, i.e. Chiquita aligned with virtue ethics because… and failed to meet standards in virtue ethics because…
  • Consider the three-part lecture on the three streams of ethics.
  • Discuss where Chiquita could have improved their decision-making process in light of any of the ethical lens in terms of the following 5 Steps to Making an Ethical Decision in the Business Environment:
    1. Identify ethical components.
    2. Identify and assess stakeholders
    3. Consider ethical tests
    4. Take appropriate action
    5. Evaluate impacts and redress as necessary
• Given the analysis you just conducted, do you think Chiquita acted ethically or not?  Your position should be backed up by material you presented above from this week’s content.

Discussion Board Assignments:

Our weekly discussion boards are considered an academic forum.  In general, it is preferred to use APA format in all posts and submissions for this course.  If a need for further style boundaries emerges, we will address needs at that time.

Submissions should be between 300-600 words.  The rubric for the assignment focuses on: 1) education quality of post (you as the educator); 2) quality of writing (organization and form); and 3) content (logic applied, understanding of material, following the prompt.