Business Ethics

Question: What should Franklin do and why according to APEX? Answer: According to the case study APEX is maintaining a good position in the market for a long time by providing software solutions to the banks to manage the data of daily transaction. The closed competitor of APEX in the market is Computer Solutions. Both had the equal chance to win the bid of First street bank. Two days prior to the final bid, the vice precedent of first street bank Mr. McBride, called Mr. Franklin and his two co-workers as he had a preference for APEX. They went to meet Mr. McBride at First Street Bank. After talking for a while in his office, he pretended that he forgot something urgent and he will be back after half an hour. He left the room leaving a file on the table. Mr. Franklin saw that it was Computer Solutions file. One of his colleagues believes on deontology that is, focusing on the rightness of the action taken whether another one suggests him to follow the utilitarianism that is focusing on the ultimate consequence. There are two possibilities, the first o ne is opening the file and another one is not opening the file. In this case, if Mr. Franklin chooses to open the file, he will get to know all the secret strategies of Computer Solution and he will surely win the bid. According to utilitarianism there is nothing wrong in seeing the file as it believes that if the ultimate consequence is good or profitable, then the means of achieving it does not matter at all. Mr, Franklin can easily choose the path of utilitarianism because, the consequences will surely bring a great profit to him and his company. If he judges the perspective by looking its profit, then obviously he should take advantage of the chance and make his way clear to win the bid. But there are certain drawbacks of following utilitarianism in business. It may create trouble in the future. If this case is considered, there are two witness of the incident that Mr. Franklin opened the file. In future they can take advantage of that and blackmails him or can disclose it to others which may create serious trouble to him and the company. Deontology states that one should achieve the goal but the way to achieve the goal should also be ethically correct. If Mr. Franklin chooses deontology and does not see the file, there is a probability for him to lose the bid. But he can have further opportunity to progress. He should stick to the deontology as from the view of business ethics it is correct. As he is in a prestigious post and the wellbeing of his company depends largely on him, so he should choose the right way. Apart from the ethical side of this perspective, there are certain advantages that he should understand. His co-workers who are present there can disclose the fact or can blackmail him in future. So, if Mr. Franklin takes a wise decision and let the whole process happen ethically, it may not lead to an immediate profit but for the long term wellbeing of himself and his business, he should choose the deontology.