Albert Carr, Is Business Bluffing Ethical? Article Review Example

Explain how Carr characterizes the differences between business ethics and other types of ethics. (He contrasts businessethics with what he sees as at least two other types of ethics.)

According to Carr, business ethics has both hones and dishonest practices which can be justified at the end of a business deal or when the business has become successful. Comparing business with other types of ethics like religion, there are contrasting approaches to various circumstances. While religious ethics will require one to be honest and say nothing but the truth, business ethics will approach the issue in a different way depending on the interest of the business dealer. While it will be wrong in religious ethics to bluff because it leads to deception, in business ethics this is allowed as the main aim of the business persons is to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.

In the business context, Carr provides an example of a 58-year old man applying for a job but because of his advanced age he fears that he will not be accepted and therefore he had to lie about his age to be 45 years so he could be allowed for the job. He justifies his bluffing about his age that he needs the job and when the truth will be out he will deal with it then. This example characterises business ethics to be relative contrary to the absoluteness of other ethics like religion.

According to Carr, business ethics has both hones and dishonest practices which can be justified at the end of a business deal or when the business has become successful. Comparing business with other types of ethics like religion, there are contrasting approaches to various circumstances. While religious ethics will require one to be honest and say nothing but the truth, business ethics will approach the issue in a different way depending on the interest of the business dealer. While it will be wrong in religious ethics to bluff because it leads to deception, in business ethics this is allowed as the main aim of the business persons is to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.

In the business context, Carr provides an example of a 58-year old man applying for a job but because of his advanced age he fears that he will not be accepted and therefore he had to lie about his age to be 45 years so he could be allowed for the job. He justifies his bluffing about his age that he needs the job and when the truth will be out he will deal with it then. This example characterises business ethics to be relative contrary to the absoluteness of other ethics like religion.

According to Carr, what constraints exist on business ethics? In other words, what standards determine which actions are OKand which actions are not OK?

Regarding ethical standards in business Carr outlines that outright lie in business is an unacceptable deed as far as business is concerned. This may involve lying about what the business deals in like the services and products.

On the other hand, the actions that are okay and define the standards in business are bluffing that are not seriously taken as offence. These are deceiving statements that are not true about the business but are not going to have great harm on the recipients of the information. For example, Carr gives an example where a business may exaggerate the quality of their products just to win the trust of the potential customers and have competitive advantage over other competitors. He further provides an example where most businessmen have been forced to say yes to their bosses when they actually mean No. This is because saying No in a way might cause them their work. More pronounced, Carr gives an example of an advocate who defends a criminal who has been accused of a criminal offense beyond reasonable doubt but will maintain the not guilty statement. The work of the advocate is to see to it that the Not guilty statement holds water that can lead to the criminal being released or his or her sentence reduced.

Regarding ethical standards in business Carr outlines that outright lie in business is an unacceptable deed as far as business is concerned. This may involve lying about what the business deals in like the services and products.

On the other hand, the actions that are okay and define the standards in business are bluffing that are not seriously taken as offence. These are deceiving statements that are not true about the business but are not going to have great harm on the recipients of the information. For example, Carr gives an example where a business may exaggerate the quality of their products just to win the trust of the potential customers and have competitive advantage over other competitors. He further provides an example where most businessmen have been forced to say yes to their bosses when they actually mean No. This is because saying No in a way might cause them their work. More pronounced, Carr gives an example of an advocate who defends a criminal who has been accused of a criminal offense beyond reasonable doubt but will maintain the not guilty statement. The work of the advocate is to see to it that the Not guilty statement holds water that can lead to the criminal being released or his or her sentence reduced.

The relationship between ethics/morals and the law according to Carr may be subject to the context of concern. For example, Carr outlines a scenario that implies that as long as a business person gets to comply with the law of the land by avoiding to tell malicious lies, he/she stands to be ethical. He further provides a scenario where a firm manufacturing popular mouth wash got accused of making use of cheap ingredients that might be harmful to health. The defence of the firm outlined that they broke no law but were looking for profits wherever the law permits. In addition to that the defence held that they were not in the business to promote ethics by comparing the company by another one dealing in the manufacturing of cigarette that had direct negative health effects.

The relationship between ethics/morals and the law according to Carr may be subject to the context of concern. For example, Carr outlines a scenario that implies that as long as a business person gets to comply with the law of the land by avoiding to tell malicious lies, he/she stands to be ethical. He further provides a scenario where a firm manufacturing popular mouth wash got accused of making use of cheap ingredients that might be harmful to health. The defence of the firm outlined that they broke no law but were looking for profits wherever the law permits. In addition to that the defence held that they were not in the business to promote ethics by comparing the company by another one dealing in the manufacturing of cigarette that had direct negative health effects.

In Carr's view, what is the relationship between ethics/morals and the law?