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Is Business Ethics An Oxymoron? Comment

The main issue of conflict in the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" was an interracial marriage between a white woman and black man in 1960s America. This was still a controversial subject at the time. The bride's white parents are shocked to learn her fiancé is black, and his black parents are unhappy that the bride is white. Through private discussions over dinner, the two fathers initially oppose the marriage while the mothers approve. In the end, the bride's father gives a stirring speech acknowledging that what others think does not matter, and the only thing that truly matters is that the young people love each other. The conflict is ultimately resolved on an ethical basis of supporting the couple's love despite social

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Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia
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470 views

Is Business Ethics An Oxymoron? Comment

The main issue of conflict in the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" was an interracial marriage between a white woman and black man in 1960s America. This was still a controversial subject at the time. The bride's white parents are shocked to learn her fiancé is black, and his black parents are unhappy that the bride is white. Through private discussions over dinner, the two fathers initially oppose the marriage while the mothers approve. In the end, the bride's father gives a stirring speech acknowledging that what others think does not matter, and the only thing that truly matters is that the young people love each other. The conflict is ultimately resolved on an ethical basis of supporting the couple's love despite social

Uploaded by

Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Business Ethics and Corporate Governance Assignment

Q1) Is Business Ethics an oxymoron? Comment 

Ethics is concerned with "doing the right thing" but...with business we are not always sure
whether the two words: ethics and business can be spelled out in the same breath. Ethical
business practices calls for morals, fairness, caring, sharing, no false promises or
unreasonable demands on others, etc. But the blind pursuit of profit has resulted in bribes,
environmental problems, injured workers, unsafe products, closed plants, and so on—this is
unethical.

Ethics is conscience-based, knowledge-based and attitude-based, and not suited to some


individuals, who, by their very nature, have consistently demonstrated selfishness and greed.
Business ethics is concerned with dealing with dilemmas that sometimes do not have a clear
indication as to what is right or wrong e.g. potential conflicts of interest, wrongful use of
resources, mismanagement of contracts, false promises and exaggerated demands on
resources which include personnel.

As Aristotle puts it, a person without ethics is more of a wild beast than a human being. We
all want to be treated with respect and care. We want to feel we can trust each other. Indeed,
it is hard to envision how we could perform routine tasks, much less do business, without a
modicum of trust and loyalty. Businesses obviously care about the ethics of their managers
and employees. Managers who embezzle large sums of money can destroy a firm. Sexual
harassment by employees may lead to multi-million dollar legal settlements. A firm may be
hit by substantial fines if employees lie to customers, misrepresenting the features or risks of
products. Firms may want to maximize profits but they certainly do not want employees who
try to line their pockets by whatever means possible.

There are grey areas depending on different perspectives, but there are also areas of "black"
and "white". There is more to ethics than drafting and implementing codes of ethics for others
to observe. Leaders should lead by example and refrain from adopting an approach which
conflicts with ethical interests. Therefore, leaders should respect and care for all stakeholders,
rather than only stockholders.

Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia 32211 Marketing B


Business Ethics and Corporate Governance Assignment

Right and wrong are black and white - pure and simple. Our ethical system and behavior are a
function of several factors, including our cultural background, upbringing, education, ego,
environment, circumstances and the related stress. Hence, the development of grey areas i.e.
areas where explicit rulings or guidance is not available. If you find that your ethical
standards are higher than those of most people, you should follow your own standards.

It is possible to improve, from an ethical point of view.


As we mature into adulthood, we develop an ego and try to use our communication skills to
justify our behavior, while focusing on our own goals. With our ego-based approach, our
innate selfishness, and the influences of friend and environment come many grey areas. One's
image will depend on one's operation within the black, white and/or grey areas. This should
always be borne in mind.

Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia 32211 Marketing B


Business Ethics and Corporate Governance Assignment

Q2) In the movie ‘Guess Who Is Coming To Dinner’ what is the main issue of
conflict and was it solved on ethical basis?

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a hilarious take on interracial marriage. Set in the 1960s,
this movie tells of a dinner party given by a bride's parents to meet her fiancé (a doctor, no
less) and his parents. The bride's white parents are astonished to find that the groom is black
and the groom's parents are none too happy when they discover that the bride is a white girl.
This comedy explores interracial marriage, a subject still controversial among many people.
When the milestone Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was first released, it was criticized from
both ends of the cultural spectrum as being either too controversial (for simply exploring the
subject of mixed marriage) or too lightweight (since its approach seemed too fluffy and
lacked seriousness). The film remains a remarkable one, perhaps a bit of a balancing act, but
nevertheless a comedy that managed to take on the issue of racism with a laser-like clarity.

Matt Drayton is a wealthy, liberal newspaper publisher in San Francisco. His twenty-three-
year-old daughter Joy, returns home from a holiday in Hawaii with surprising news: She is
engaged. Her fiancé, Dr. John Prentice, a specialist in tropical medicine, however, is a black
man. Privately, Dr. Prentice tells Matt that there will be no marriage if he does not approve.
The publisher only has a few hours to make his decision, because Dr. Prentice has to be on a
flight to Switzerland that evening. After her initial amazement, Matt’s wife, Christina accepts
the concept rather quickly. Her husband is stunned that she does not see any problems,
particularly the hostility any grandchildren would face. Matters become more complicated
when Joy invites the parents of Dr. Prentice to fly up from Los Angeles and join the Draytons
for dinner. His parents are unaware that Joy is white. When they finally meet, John’s father is
stunned and displeased. Joy makes up her mind to leave on the plane with John that evening.
As the two families meet at the Drayton house for dinner, everyone divides into groups of
two for private discussion, with the two fathers opposing and the two mothers approving.

The film shows how the liberal persuasions of Draytons are now put to the test, for although
the young man is an ideal choice and he's impeccably mannered, handsome, well dressed and
of a respectable California family, but he's black. But in the end, the action builds to a stirring
speech by the father in which Matthew Drayton comes to grips with the differences between
his daughter and his future son-in-law and makes clear that what others thing of the marriage
of Joanna and Prentice means nothing, all that matters is that the two young people love each

Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia 32211 Marketing B


Business Ethics and Corporate Governance Assignment

other and that the real crime would be if they allowed outside criticism to deny them their
mutual love.

Ishminder Pal Singh Bhatia 32211 Marketing B

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