Deontological Principles
Most employees exhibit deontological principles because they are required to adhere to the firm’s policy in meeting its clients’ needs. In deontological ethics, an individual cannot justify his/her action by demonstrating that such action generated good consequences, but rather it demonstrates the duty to act accordingly. Working as a marketer has put me into a dilemma, as I have to convince the firm’s clients to purchase the firm’s products even though I have never used them. According to deontology, an individual should focus on his/her action, for instance, honoring the employment contract, because it is reasonable do so.
I have been working in this company for the last four years, but I still do not understand all the processes involved in manufacturing its products. I just suspect that some of the raw materials utilized in manufacturing the company’s products could be hazardous to human health. I have signed a contract that will end in two years’ time. My job involves distributing the company’s products in the market, with an intention of convincing customers to purchase them. My contract indicates that apart from my monthly income, the company will award me bonuses based on the quantity of products sold. In addition, I have to adhere to the senior managers’ instructions, which guide my responsibilities.
Some of the products that my company deals with are not acceptable in the neighboring countries, but our country’s laws have accepted them. This has interfered with my conscience, as I keep asking myself whether what I am doing is actually right. However, the agreement that I signed with the company dictates that I should respect the company’s policies because they are beneficial to the company. The company’s policies may differ with other companies, but each company has its tactics of maintaining its competitive edge, based on individual performance. According to deontological ethics, an action is not judged by its consequence, but rather by the reasoning, which supports the action.
Working as a marketer has given me the confidence of dealing with different clients and, consequently, improved the rating of the company. One of the fundamental aspects of deontology is to respect all people equally (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell 159). I understand that what an employee does to an organization does not matter, as long as it does not go against the company’s policy. Additionally, some of the regulations that are acceptable in one country may not be permissible in other countries, but this does not mean that the company is engaging in unethical practices. It is the responsibility of employees to support the company’s policies because policies determine the success of the company.
Work Cited
Ferrell, O C, John Fraedrich, and Linda Ferrell. Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.