Business Ethics Through Movies: A Case Study Approach

Movies can be a powerful teaching tool in Business Ethics. The actions of characters in films compellingly portray the ethical quandaries and moral decision–making that play out in the modern workplace. But what can Salmon Fishing in Yemen tell us about the recent European horsemeat scandal? Or Groundhog Day teach us about a Dunkin Donuts ad campaign? Business Ethics Through Movies: A Case Study Approach examines a wide range of ethical dilemmas, principles and moral reasoning that arise in contemporary business through a series of popular films and real–world case studies.

Whether through the actions of a whistleblower like Jeffrey Wigand from The Insider or the morally suspect behavior of Wall Street s Gordon Gekko, chapters reveal surprising parallels between movies and actual cases in business ethics ethical issues relating to corporate decision–making, the workplace, employer/employee conflicts, customer concerns, product safety controversies, the role of technology, the environment, human rights, justice, and more.

The first unit looks at integrity, greed, and the impact of technology, followed by the second unit s coverage of the major ethical theories. The concluding unit three addresses pressing problems that put our moral reasoning skills to the test such as pay inequities, workplace violence, harassment and bullying, and environmental disasters. Innovative and thought–provoking, Business Ethics Through Movies: A Case Study Approach offers a wealth of illuminating insights into key issues surrounding the field of Business Ethics.

Introduction to the Text i

Acknowledgements ix

UNIT 1

Moral Navigation: Business Ethics & Society 1

1.1 Tools for the Journey 2

Spotlight: A Hijacking

Ethics Codes: Apple; Google

1.2 The Moral Compass: Integrity in Business 18

Spotlight: Up in the Air; Michael Clayton

Case: The Tylenol Case

Ethics Code: Johnson & Johnson

1.3 Show Me the Money: Greed is Not Good 38

Spotlight: Wall Street; Big Men

Cases: Martha Stewart s Insider Trading; Costco s Tainted Berries

Ethics Code: Costco

1.4 Talk to Me: The Impact of Technology 57

Spotlight: Her; The Net; Disconnect

Cases: Edward Snowden and the NSA; Target s Data Breach; Target s Online Tracking

Ethics Code: Yahoo!

UNIT 2

Moral Leadership: Ethical Theory 76

2.1 Aerial Surveillance: Ethical Theory 77

Spotlight: The Insider

2.2 The Ends Justify the Means: Teleological Ethics 96

Spotlight: Contagion; Park Avenue: Money, Power,  and the American Dream; Blue Jasmine

Case: The Ford Pinto

Ethics Code: Ford Motor Company

2.3 Duties Rule: Deontological Ethics 117

Spotlight: Shattered Glass; Arbitrage; Quiz Show; Food Inc.

Cases: Beech–Nut s Apple Juice; Minute Maid Lemonade; Foster Farms Chickens

Ethics Codes: National Public Radio (NPR); Dole Food Company, Inc.

2.4 Moral Character: Aristotle s Virtue Ethics 136

Spotlight: Erin Brockovich; Roger & Me; Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Cases: Kellogg s and Michael Phelps; The European Horsemeat Scandal

Ethics Code: GM s Corporate Citizenship; Kellogg s K Values

2.5 The Caring Community: Feminist Ethics 156

Spotlight: The Company Men; Erin Brockovich;

Under the Clear Blue Sky

Case: Film Recovery Systems, Inc.

Ethics Code: Microsoft

UNIT 3

Moral Reflection: Thorny Questions 177

3.1 Finding the Balance: Addressing Environmental Disasters 178

Spotlight: Civil Action; Local Hero

Cases: WR Grace Co.; West Virginia Chemical Spill; Exxon Valdez

Ethics Code: Exxon Mobil Corporation

3.2 Going Postal: Addressing Workplace Violence 194

Spotlight: John Q; Polytechnique;

Murder by Proxy: America Goes Postal

Cases: Gunman at LAX; The Montreal Massacre;

Virginia Tech Rampage

Ethics Code: Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

3.3 Stand By Me: Addressing Workplace Inequities 213

Spotlight: Made in Dagenham; Matewan

Cases: UAW and H&M on Pay Equity; The Fast Food Workers Strike; H&M and Child Labor; Marriage Equality

Ethics Code: H&M

3.4 Enough Already: Addressing Workplace Harassment 230

Spotlight: North Country; The Invisible War; Disconnect

Cases: Eveleth Mines; Bullies in the NFL

Ethics Code: Amazon.com

3.5 Working for Change: Global Justice & Human Rights 245

Spotlight: Sleep Dealer, Darwin s Nightmare, Fires of Kuwait

Cases: Bangladesh s Sweatshop Collapse, Coca–Cola in Colombia, Pfizer in Nigeria, Dunkin Donuts Ad Campaign

Ethics Code: Dunkin Donuts

3.6 Transformation: The Art of Personal Power 263

Spotlight: Groundhog Day; Invictus

Cases: Kudumbashri s Work Skills Program

Ethics Code: The Coca–Cola Company

APPENDIX

4.1 Movies in this Book 277

4.2 Cases in this Book 278

4.3 Ethics Codes Cited in this Book 279

Index

Wanda Teays is Professor of Philosophy and Ethics at Mount Saint Mary s University in Los Angeles, where she is also Chair of the Philosophy Department. She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles on ethics, global justice, and critical reasoning, including Seeing the Light: Exploring Ethics Through Movies; Global Bioethics and Human Rights: Contemporary Issues; Bioethics, Justice and Health Care; and Second Thoughts: Critical Thinking for a Diverse Society.