28 Sep Moral Imagination

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 2 Discussion

Moral Imagination

Most are familiar with Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food producers, whose marketing slogan is: “Good food, Good life.” On its website, the corporation states that its three main ambitions are helping children live healthier lives, improving livelihoods in communities, and striving for zero environmental impact (Nestlé, n.d.). These are commendable goals that generated considerable positive publicity; however, recent allegations and court proceedings have suggested that the company may not actually be achieving those ambitions. Nestlé has been accused of using child labor in its cocoa supply chain in Western Africa, using forced slave labor in its seafood supply chains in Southeast Asia, and overusing diverted water from a national forest in drought-stricken California (Singh, 2021). These allegations illustrate that—even when companies adopt policies to promote ethical behavior—serious lapses can occur.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the article titled “Mental Models, Moral Imagination and System Thinking in the Age of Globalization” (located in this week’s Learning Resources) and think about how organizations apply these models.

Consider an organization with which you are familiar. This can be a current or former employer. Focus specifically on the organization’s ethics and sustainability policies, practices, and goals, and identify one issue you think the organization should improve upon with regard to its moral imagination and action.

By Day 3

Positive Social Change IconPost a synthesis of how your selected organization could use a moral imagination framework to address issues and create positive social change. In your synthesis, do the following:

Briefly describe your selected organization and identify one issue the organization should improve upon with respect to its moral imagination and action. Provide a rationale.

Explain how Werhane’s moral imagination framework could be applied to the issue you identified to help create positive social change within the organization or its stakeholder context.

Refer to the Week 2 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Compare your organizational issue to that of your colleague and draw any connections between their suggested use of the moral imagination framework and yours.

Provide an insight you gained by reviewing your colleague’s example.

Ask a probing question supported by additional context from your experience and the readings from the week.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.