One cannot engage in the study of law without considering the relationship it has with the field of ethics. Since both the law and ethics do focus on doing what is right, there are certainly functions of each that are shared. However, as Supreme Court Justice, Potter Stewart, once stated, “Although ethics and law are closely related, they are not the same. Ethical obligations may – and often do – exceed legal duties.”

In the business sector, decisions are often closely scrutinized as to whether they meet ethical standards even if they are legal. For example, if a company decides to lay off 40% of its workforce to increase profit for shareholders it is certainly considered by many to be unethical. But it is not illegal. Nonetheless, business organizations strive to establish an ethical culture and develop guidelines for sound decisions based on ethics and legal standards.

In this assignment, you will examine the relationship between the law and business ethics. You will also analyze several ethical theories and determine if using these to make business decisions is practical.

In your paper,

• Compare and contrast the similarities between the law and ethics.
• Describe three theories of business ethics.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each in making business decisions.
• Discuss whether ethical outcomes can be truly achieved in making business decisions, given that organizations need to focus on making profits.

The Ethics and the Law paper

• must be 5 to 6 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. resource.
• must include a separate title page with the following in title case:
  • title of assignment in bold font
    • Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
  • student’s name
  • name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
  • course name and number
  • instructor’s name
  • due date
• must utilize academic voice.
  • Review the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
• must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph.
  • Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. and Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
• must use APA Level Headings, found on the Writing Center’s APA Style ElementsLinks to an external site. page.
• must use at least 4 credible sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.