Sternberg

Case studies in business ethics

Sternberg model - ethical decision model

>decision model - moral judgements
>map - sense of direction

the decision model identifies whch problems businessmen actually need to address in their business capacities, and offer ways to resolve them.

> the model indicates what information is relevant to ethical decision making; it organises that information so that it will be more productive in leading to a decision and it specifies the ethical prnciples to be employed in the deciding what is right.

+ consistency+ clarity+ learning from experience

Sternberg's model has 5 steps

1. Clarify the issue - sometimes seems very complex
need to ask - is it relevant to business? is it relevant to this business? And is it a problem for this business? break it down further - does the issue relate to maximising long-term owner value? (this may clear up a lot of crap)

2. If it is relevant to business - is it an issue for a particular firm?

3. IDENTIFY constraints which may limit solutions. Confined by law and regulation, also contractual, economic, physical and technial.

4. Look at alternative solutions measured against profit max, distributive justice and ordinary decency. The dstributive/decency is usually quite straight forward.
p37-38 good chat about remuneration

5. Identifying the right course of action
easy - whichever path maximises profit and complies with distributive justice /ordinary decency

WHY IS IT ARISTOTELIAN???

It specifies the defintion of business in terms of purpose and then determines the proper conduct of business by reference to that definitive purpose.
That is the key point.