Business Ethics

Chapter 8 RECOGNIZING AND RESPECTING THE RIGHTS OF ALL

PowerPoint Image Slideshow
Chapter Outline

• 8.1 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce

• 8.2 Accommodating Different Abilities and Faiths
• 8.3 Sexual Identification and Orientation
• 8.4 Income Inequalities
• 8.5 Animal Rights and the Implications for Business
Figure 8.1

The globalization of the economy highlights one of the advantages of a diverse workforce that can interact effectively with customers all over the
world.(credit outside, clockwise from top left: modification of “GenoPheno” by Cory Zanker/Flickr, CC BY 4.0; credit: modification of “Look at
that!” by Gabriel Rocha/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “Eyes” by “Dboybaker”/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “doin’ work” by
Nick Allen/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “Man Young Face” by “gentlebeatz”/Pixabay, CC 0; credit: modification of “Training” by Cory
Zanker/Flickr, CC BY 4.0; credit: modification of “los bolleros” by Agustín Ruiz/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “Pithorgarh to Dharchulha
on Nepal Border in Uttarakhand India (158)” by “rajkumar1220”/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “mother and child” by Peter
Shanks/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit: modification of “Afghan women at a textile factory in Kabul” by Andrea Salazar/Wikimedia Commons, Public
Domain; credit: modification of “Open kitchen” by Dennis Wong/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit middle left: modification of “Begging for the
photographer” by Pedro Ribeiro Simões/Flickr, CC BY 2.0; credit middle right: modification of “Calling it a day” by Staffan Scherz/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Learning Objectives

• 8.1 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce

• Explain the benefits of employee diversity in the workplace
• Discuss the challenges presented by workplace diversity
Figure 8.2

There is a distinct contrast in workforce demographics between 2010 and projected numbers for 2050. (credit: attribution:
Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Figure 8.3

Google is emblematic of the technology sector, and this graphic shows just how far from equality and diversity the industry
remains. (credit: attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Figure 8.4

Companies with gender and ethnic diversity generally outperform those without it. (credit: attribution: Copyright Rice
University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Feature Box: Cases from the Real World
Critical Thinking
• Is it possible that Texas Health and Marriott rank highly for diversity because
the hospitality and healthcare industries tend to hire more women and
minorities in general? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions
• Whether diversity in the Texas Health and Marriott companies is accidental or
by design, could they still serve as models for other corporations seeking to
diversify further?
• Suppose senior management at a firm decides to prioritize diversifying its
workforce simply because it is good for business and not due to any genuine
commitment to diversity in and of itself. Would you still applaud such a
decision?
Learning Objectives

• 8.2 Accommodating Different Abilities and Faiths

• Identify workplace accommodations often provided for persons with differing
abilities
• Describe workplace accommodations made for religious reasons
Figure 8.5

A person with a service dog can usually perform all the essential function of the job, with some assistance. (credit:
“DSC_0004” by Aberdeen Proving Ground/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Feature Box: Cases from the Real World

Critical Thinking
• What are some specific rules that would fit within a fair and
reasonable attendance policy?
• How would you decide whether an employee was taking advantage of
an absenteeism policy?
Figure 8.6

This calendar shows the significant number of holidays and observances an employer must consider with regard to time-off
policies, including holidays of the three major religions, secular days, and other traditional days off. It may be a challenge to
give everyone all preferred days off. (credit: modification of “2019 Calendar” by “Firkin”/openclipart, Public Domain)
Feature Box: What Would You Do?

Critical Thinking
• Is there a way to permit some employees to celebrate both occasions
without inconveniencing others who will be attending only one?
• What would you do as the manager, keeping in mind that you do not
want to offend anyone?

Discussion Question
• Do you believe most employees would give their management credit
when it attempts to grant as many requests for reasonable workplace
accommodations as possible, even if it is not able accomplish them
all? Why?
Feature Box: Cases from the Real World

Critical Thinking
• Does a retail clothing store have an interest in employee appearance
that it can justify in terms of customer sales?
• Does it matter to you what a sales associate looks like when you shop
for clothes? Why or why not?

Discussion Question
• If you were an employee of a retail clothing store and were asked to
wear the store's clothing (at no cost to you) on the job, would you
consider this a reasonable request?
Learning Objectives

• 8.3 Sexual Identification and Orientation

• Explain how sexual identification and orientation are protected by law
• Discuss the ethical issues raised in the workplace by differences in sexual
identification and orientation
Figure 8.7

State law in the United States varies in terms of protections and guarantees extended to LGBTQ employees of private companies.
The geographic locations granting protection are clustered around the states that tend to vote for the Democratic party in national
elections, with very little protection in the Great Plains or South. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0
license)
Figure 8.8

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation publishes an annual Corporate Equality Index to assess the LGBTQ equality policies
of major U.S. corporations. A perfect score on the index is 100. These are the ten states with the highest percentages of “100
score” companies as of 2014–2015. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Learning Objectives

• 8.4 Income Inequalities

• Explain why income inequality is a problem for the United States and the
world
• Analyze the effects of income inequality on the middle class
• Describe possible solutions to the problem of income inequality
Figure 8.9

The 2015 data show the significant income disparity existing in the United States today—a gap that has increased significantly
since 1980. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Figure 8.10

Lower- and middle-class wealth has remained stagnant or shrunk for the past thirty-five years while upper-class wealth has
doubled. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Feature Box: Ethics Across Time and Cultures
Critical Thinking
• Does a company have an ethical duty to find a balance between
remaining profitable and paying all workers a decent living wage? Why or
why not? Who decides what constitutes a fair wage?
• How would you explain to a board of directors your decision to pay entry-
level workers a higher wage than required by law?

Discussion Question
• Though salary alone is not the sole factor valued by employees, would
you predict that workers who perceive themselves to be adequately paid
might be more productive? Why or why not?
Learning Objectives

• 8.5 Animal Rights and the Implications for Business

• Explain rising concerns about corporate treatment of animals
• Explain the concept of agribusiness ethics
• Describe the financial implications of animal ethics for business
Figure 8.11

Each of the ethical considerations relating to agribusiness is interdependent with the others. For example, safe food
production is a responsible use of natural resources, and consumers want to make informed choices based on responsible
animal husbandry. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)
Figure 8.12

This is Tommy the Chimpanzee’s “home,” a stretch of the word by any definition. The question in the court case brought on
behalf of Tommy and Kiko, another chimpanzee, is whether animals should have the right of habeas corpus to be freed from
involuntary confinement. (credit: From the film Unlocking The Cage. Directed by Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker.
Copyrighted © 2015 Pennebaker Hegedus Films, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.)
Figure 8.13

Through local events such as this one in Redondo Beach, California, the Beagle Freedom Project aims to raise awareness of
the conditions prevalent for many dogs used in laboratory experimentation. (credit: modification of “JennyOetzell_46150” by
“TEDxRB”/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)
Feature Box: Cases from the Real World

Critical Thinking
• Why have U.S. cosmetics companies continued to use beagles for
testing when there are more humane alternatives at lower costs?

Discussion Question
• Whether it is for cosmetics or medical-research testing, are there any
animals that you would place off-limits for such testing? If so, which
ones would they be?
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