Business Ethics Through Movies
A Case Study Approach

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.

• Engages readers in learning about ethical theory by using movies and both national and international case studies in business as the vehicle for analysis and reflection
• Facilitates comprehension of ethical issues by showing how characters in films confront issues, make choices, and face the consequences
• Draws from a variety of actual cases in Business Ethics ? from the 1982 Tylenol poisoning and the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster to recent examples such as the Foster Farms salmonella outbreak and the chemical spill in West Virginia
• Reveals the important role that ethics plays in setting the moral foundation of a business or corporation
• Develops critical thinking skills through applying analytical checklists to ethical dilemmas raised in films and in actual cases in Business Ethics

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction to the Text 1

Unit 1 Moral Navigation: Business Ethics and Society 9

1.1 Tools for the Journey 11

1.2 The Moral Compass: Business Ethics and Society 27

1.3 Show Me The Money: Greed Is Not Good 47

1.4 Talk to Me: The Impact of Technology 65

Unit 2 Moral Leadership: Ethical Theory 87

2.1 Aerial Surveillance: Ethical Theory 89

2.2 The Ends Justify the Means: Teleological Ethics 106

2.3 Duties Rule: Deontological Ethics 126

2.4 Moral Character: Virtue Ethics 144

2.5 The Caring Community: Feminist Ethics 164

Unit 3 Moral Reflection: Thorny Questions 185

3.1 Finding the Balance: Addressing Environmental Disasters 187

3.2 Going Postal: Addressing Workplace Violence 203

3.3 Stand By Me: Addressing Workplace Inequities 222

3.4 Enough Already: Addressing Workplace Harassment 240

3.5 Working for Change: Global Justice & Human Rights 255

3.6 Transformation: The Art of Personal Power 272

Appendices

A.1 Films Discussed in This Book 285

A.2 Case Studies Discussed in This Book 287

A.3 Ethics Codes Discussed in This Book 289

Index 290

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.