Business ethics

1. MORAL, ETHICS, AND ETHICAL
DILEMMA

2. Topic Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, students will able to:
1) explain ethical/moral dilemma through own
experience sharing and how their personal
values guide their ethical decision making.
2) explain the interactive relationship between
business and society.

3. MY MORAL DILEMMA
Write an essay no longer than two pages
regarding your personal moral dilemma that you
have encountered in your personal life. (Be sure
that you have moral dilemma rather than simply
a social issue. A moral dilemma is not always
the same as a moral issue. Something may be a
moral issue for society but not a moral dilemma
or issue for you, or vice versa.) Then, how you
deal with the moral dilemma. Explain your
personal values which have guided you in
dealing with the dilemma.

4. Based from your own experience on
Moral Dilemma, what influent your
personal moral standards?
•• Moral standards are principles based on
religious, cultural, or philosophical beliefs by
which judgement are made about good or bad
behaviour. These beliefs can come from many
different sources:
Religion
Moral
Compass Family
Friends
Education
Ethnic
B’ground
Role Model/
Mentor
Media

5. HYPOTHETICAL CASE: MORAL DILEMMA
Assuming that you are the Dean of UniKL MIAT.
One day, a single mother come to you crying in
tears appealing for her son who has been
suspended for 1 semester after got caught
(unintentionally) bringing notes inside
examination halls. The suspension decision
was justified after due investigation according
to the University Rules and Regulations. But the
single mother claimed that her boy was a very
good boy (citing an example that he was willing
to go home during examination weeks to help
his mother packing things for moving to new
house). WHAT YOU WILL DO NEXT?

6. Fundamental Questions of
Individual Human Being
• Can we do “anything” and “everything” what we
want to “anybody” in this world?
• How people live their lives according to a standard
of “right” or “wrong”? Where do people look for
guidance in deciding what is right or wrong or bad?
• How do people then interact with other members
of their community or society as a whole who may
or may not share the same ethical principal?
NOW….change all the words in RED font above with
this word….BUSINESS..and re-answer the questions!

7. Fundamental Questions of
Business Entities
• Can a business do anything what we want to
anybody in this world?
• How businesses live its lives according to a
standard of “right” or “wrong”? Where do
businesses look for guidance in deciding what is
right or wrong or bad?
• How do businesses then interact with other
members of the business community or public
society as a whole who may or may not share the
same ethical principal?
You may find similar scenario in both as individual
human being and as business entity since they lives in
this same world! So, whatever career you will be in the
future, you cannot run away from this dilemma.

8. Golden Rules of Morality and
Ethics
“Speak the truth even though it is bitter”
“Speak the truth even though infront of a
cruel kings ”

9. Definition: Moral & Ethics
Find the definition of Ethics from the research
article by Khalidah, Rohani, and Mashitah
(2010). From those definition, infer the
meaning of “Business Ethics”.
Tips: Look for
1) Nikel et. al. (2008) @ INTRODUCTION
2) Lilie (1971) @ INTRODUCTION
3) Mauro et. al. (1999) @ INTRODUCTION
4) Crane & Matten (2007) @ INTRODUCTION
5) Wiley (1995) @ LITERATURE REVIEW
[Find what are the “same” and what are “similar” among
those definitions].

10. Definition: Moral & Ethics
Find the definition of Ethics from the
research article by Khalidah, Rohani, and
Mashitah (2010). From those definition,
infer the meaning of “Business Ethics”.
Definition: Value
Values can be defined as those things that
are important to or valued by someone/org.
Example UniKL's core values - in this case,
commitment, integrity, teamwork,
innovativeness and excellence.

11. Difference between Moral & Ethics
Morals define personal character, while
ethics stress a social system in which those
morals are applied. In other words, ethics
point to standards or codes of behaviours
expected by the group to which the
individual belongs. This could be national
ethics, social ethics, company ethics,
professional ethics, or even family ethics. So
while a person’s moral code is usually
unchanging, the ethics he or she practices
can be other-dependent.

12. Diff. between Moral & Ethics (con.)
Example: A criminal defense lawyer. Though
the lawyer’s personal moral code likely finds
murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics
demand the accused client be defended as
vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer
knows the party is guilty and that a freed
defendant would potentially lead to more crime.
Legal ethics must override personal morals for
the greater good of upholding a justice system in
which the accused are given a fair trial and the
prosecution must prove guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt.

13. Cases
• Cases 1.1 : The Overcrowded Lifeboat
• Cases 1.2 : Sophie’s Choice
• Cases 1.3 : Husband’s Choice
Instructions:
1)Split into 6 groups. Two groups will take
one case.
2)Answer the questions given.