06 Nov Unit 4_MT220_Discussion response
13771Respond or elaborate on the response below:
An ethical lapse is considered as clear violation of established moral or organizational standards, while an ethical dilemma involves two or more conflicting ethical principles where any resolution will inevitably compromise one or more moral values (Hill, 2025; Treviño & Nelson, 2021).
In the first scenario involving Charles Lee and the child labor situation, the case fits the definition of an ethical dilemma. Although the corporate policy prohibits the employment of minors, humanitarian considerations, namely the orphaned child’s survival needs, introduce a morally complex conflict. Upholding company standards aligns with principles of corporate social responsibility and international labor laws (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2021), yet it directly threatens the welfare of the child, violating ethical imperatives such as beneficence and compassion (Shaw & Miller, 2025). There is no ethically “clean” resolution; either choice results in a morally undesirable outcome, thus meeting the criteria for an ethical dilemma.
On the other hand, in the second scenario, the issue of toxic waste discharge represents an ethical lapse rather than a dilemma. Here, the plant’s actions violate both moral principles and, potentially, legal guidelines such as the U.S. Clean Water Act, which prohibits excessive pollutant discharge into water systems (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2025). The fact that cost reduction and profitability are prioritized over local public health reflects a failure to adhere to environmental stewardship and sustainability standards, a clear departure from both organizational ethics and universally accepted principles of harm prevention (Donaldson & Werhane, 2007).
The maxim that “ethics rises above the law” finds relevance in both cases. In the child labor scenario, even if no legal statute in Camibia prohibits the employment, ethical responsibility demands adherence to higher moral principles, protecting vulnerable populations, even when local customs or economic realities diverge from corporate ethics (Hill, 2025). In the environmental discharge case, compliance with local regulations may still fail to meet globally recognized moral obligations regarding environmental preservation and human health. Ethics dictates proactive harm prevention, independent of minimal legal thresholds, underscoring the moral duty of corporate actors to transcend jurisdictional legal standards when they inadequately safeguard stakeholders (Crane & Matten, 2019).
Our website has a team of professional writers who can help you write any of your homework. They will write your papers from scratch. We also have a team of editors just to make sure all papers are of HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE. To make an Order you only need to click Ask A Question and we will direct you to our Order Page at WriteDemy. Then fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Fill in all the assignment paper details that are required in the order form with the standard information being the page count, deadline, academic level and type of paper. It is advisable to have this information at hand so that you can quickly fill in the necessary information needed in the form for the essay writer to be immediately assigned to your writing project. Make payment for the custom essay order to enable us to assign a suitable writer to your order. Payments are made through Paypal on a secured billing page. Finally, sit back and relax.
About Wridemy
We are a professional paper writing website. If you have searched a question and bumped into our website just know you are in the right place to get help in your coursework. We offer HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE Papers.
How It Works
To make an Order you only need to click on “Order Now” and we will direct you to our Order Page. Fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Are there Discounts?
All new clients are eligible for 20% off in their first Order. Our payment method is safe and secure.