Archive for August, 2011
How to Practice Business Etiquette In United States
Posted by admin in Egalitarianism on August 15, 2011
Before we even begin to discuss some of the general business practices in the United States, there are two key points in American culture that we need to understand. Individualism and egalitarianism are two important elements in American culture that have significant effects on their business etiquettes.
According to the research and studies of Geert Hofstede, a Professor of International Management at the University of Limburg at Maastricht, the Netherlands and a notable expert on business culture having done comprehensive studies on values in the workplace, the United States has a high level of individualism in its society.
This is the reason behind Americans show more self-reliant behaviors and, aside from themselves and close family members, tend to form loose bonds with other people. American culture emphasizes and practically awards those who take the initiative and those whose goals are towards personal achievements. Status and age doesn’t matter much and what is looked at are one’s personal achievements.
Meanwhile, egalitarianism or the concept of equality is important as well. Americans believe that they should be provided with equal rights, equal social obligations, and equal opportunities. Equality, however, is still based on individual achievements. Americans feel and believe that working hard and doing their best deserve success and better financial gains. Read the rest of this entry »
Kantian Ethics – “Good vs Evil”
Posted by admin in Divine command theory on August 15, 2011
Kantian ethics, or “It’s Your Duty,” as Wilkens states, is centered on one’s duty for the good of the cause and utilizing reason as a means to an end. I liked the example of the courtroom in Wilkens text, where he talks about a juror who has to make the choice to vote “not-guilty” in a trial, because there is not enough evidence to support the verdict. Kantian ethics supports looking at “the best choice” instead of one’s own choice or personal opinion as the highest tally mark.
Wilken’s goes on to state that many people who are into Kantian ethics make a comparison that it is similar to Christianity. Although this is true to some extent, here’s how it differs: Kantian ethics do not have to, nor do they support, belief in God. The just of this theory is based upon If I make a correct choice, I am good. Where the theory gets kind of crazy though, happens when you take out God. Good choices cannot be the reason for living, and what about, as the author states, those choices like: “do I lie when a murderer comes in the room and asks where my brother is?” Of course, in my head, I’m thinking-”Don’t tell him the truth, make up a story or something!” Pure Kantian ethics may state: “tell the truth at any cost.” That, in the murderer scenario, would result in death and disaster. Read the rest of this entry »
Distributive Justice – Bioethics in Medical Practice
Posted by admin in Distributive justice on August 15, 2011
Distributive justice concerns the equitable distribution of scarce resources among all socioeconomic groups and population sectors. The question of distributive justice is a key ethical consideration in all aspects of medical care, including assisted reproductive techniques and reproductive genetics.
Access to cancer pharmaceuticals are a prime example of violations of distributive justice. These drugs typically cost tens of thousands of dollars a year. Some costs are stratospherically high. A new drug, Folotyn, manufactured by Allos Therapeutics, is projected to cost about $30,000 per month.(1) Remarkably, Folotyn hasn’t been shown to prolong lives – its effect is to shrink the tumors caused by peripheral T cell lymphoma, a rare disease affecting 5000-6000 Americans each year.
Erbitux, used in the treatment of colon cancer, costs approximately $10,000 per month. Avastin costs almost $100,000 per year when used to treat lung cancer or breast cancer.
Society as a whole bears the burden of these enormous expenditures, reflected in annual increases of 10% or greater in health care insurance premiums. In essence, every taxpayer in the United States is helping to maintain the profit margins of the pharmaceutical companies that impose such high prices. Read the rest of this entry »