Examine utilitarian ethics and how they impact the supply chain of vegetable retailers in the UK a Case Study
Key Learning Outcomes
By the end of the case, students should be able to:
- Understand what utilitarian ethics means, its significance, and how it is utilized in any organization
- Understand how utilitarian ethics impact the supply chain of vegetable retailers in the UK
- Learn how to apply the concept to real-life organizations
1.0 INTRODUCTION
One of the theories that are considered when dealing with perfect competition or a perfectly competitive world is utilitarian ethics. Utilitarian ethics refers to moral principles predominantly concerned with the impacts of ethical decisions on a society or organization. Utilitarianism refers to an ethical theory that emphasizes that conscience is best determined by concentrating on the consequences of the activities and choices executed by an organization.
The theory was a result of customer expectancy where the customer presumes that he will be in a better position after purchasing a particular product or service. It is established on the principle which states that the greatest good achieves the greatest number. This theory was founded by Jeremy Bentham, a great intellect.
What are utilitarian ethics examples? The acts of utilitarianism can be classified as act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Act Utilitarianism handles the consequences of individual acts whereas rule Utilitarianism permits the application of a specific rule and preference. Utilitarianism provides that a person should act or opt to do what he or she wants save if the preference is prevailed over by others. On the contrary, utilitarianism may also be negative which necessitates us to support the least amount of evil so as to prevent a large number of people from suffering.
When it comes to supply chain, utilitarian ethics is approved to maintain or hasten the flow of the supply chain in the long term. Supply chain refers to the procedure that ensures that products reach the final consumer for example from the farm to the consumer. Ethical supply chain management functions in a way that offers the topmost amounts of principled and justifiable operations by primarily focusing on economic, environmental, and social responsibility. These may include; abolishing child labor and implementing safe and hygienic working conditions for workers among others. This essay is going to examine the theory of utilitarian ethics and how it impacts the supply chain of vegetable retailers.