What are the differences between the school of ethical universalism and the School of ethical relativism?
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The school of ethical universalismAccording to the school of ethical universalism, the same standards of what’s ethicaland what’s unethical resonate with people of most societies regardless of localtraditions and cultural norms; hence, common ethical standards can be used tojudge the conduct of personnel at companies operating in a variety of countrymarkets and cultural circumstances.The school of ethical relativismAccording to the school of relativism different societal cultures and customs havedivergent values and standards of right and wrong – thus what is ethical or unethicalmust be judged in the light of local customs and social mores and can vary from oneculture or nation to another.The thesis is that whatever a culture thinks is right or wrong really is right or wrongfor that culture. Consider the following examples.The use of underage laborMany countries have passed legislation forbidding the use of underage labor or, at aminimum, regulating the employment of people under 18. However, in India,Bangladesh, Botswana, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Somalia, Turkey and 100 – plus othercountries, it is customary to view children as potential, even necessary, workers.The payment of bribes and kickbacksIn many countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, it is customaryto pay bribes to government officials in order to win a government contract, obtain alicense or permit, or facilitate an administrative ruling.Ethical relativism equates to multiple sets of ethical standards54 Review terms and
definitions Focus your studying with a path Get faster at matching terms The strength of ethical
universalism is that it draws upon the collective views of multiple societies and cultures to put some clear boundaries on what constitutes ethical and unethical business behavior, regardless of the country or culture in which a company's personnel are conducting activities. Thus a multinational company can develop a Apart from the "business of business is business, not ethics" kind of thinking, the three other main drivers of unethical business behavior that stand out are: The
five good actions companies can choose in crafting social responsibility initiatives, environmental sustainability, and a good corporate citizenship strategy are: Sets with similar termsWhat is school of ethical relativism?Ethical relativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. That is, whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced.
What is the difference between relativism and universalism in human rights?In universalism, an individual is a social unit, possessing inalienable rights, and driven by the pursuit of self interest. In the cultural relativist model, a community is the basic social unit. Concepts such as individualism, freedom of choice, and equality are absent.
What is the basic difference between ethical universalism and utilitarianism?While the Universalist approach emphasizes consistency at all times through its universalizability underpinning, the Utilitarian approach supports flexibility and thus, different decisions are based on the needs and circumstances at hand. Yet, there are some foundational similarities in these two theories as well.
What is the difference between ethical relativism and moral relativism?While ethical relativism holds that there are no universal or objective moral principles that apply to everyone, and that moral principles vary based on individual or cultural preference, ethical nihilism holds that there are no valid moral principles at all – effectively, that morality does not exist.
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