Confucian Philosophy and Corporate Responsibility Essay -- essays rese

Freedom devoid of responsibility would result in the collapse of the social network. It would cause strife among individuals, between individuals and society, and essentially would lead to the sacrifice of the future in order to fulfill short-term desires. Coming under much scrutiny for allegedly doing just this is today’s dominant institution, a legal establishment with pervasive influence on contemporary life: the modern corporate enterprise. We live in a world plagued with human exploitation and severe environmental degradation. Many would claim that behind this unfair and unsustainable global situation lies the profit-hungry hand of corporate power. Accused and often found criminally guilty in court of having enormous and often hidden harms, one might ask exactly what a corporations ethical responsibilities are towards the world in which it functions. Attitudes toward the subject of responsibility are globally and historically diverse, however. Due to cultural differences certain traditions are heavily concerned with responsibility and societal harmony while others are far more preoccupied with free choice and individual rights. Looking to Confucianism, the philosophy of Confucius (or King fu-tzu), one can see a philosophy that places a great deal of emphasis on human responsibility. Confucius is, in fact, the most influential thinker in human history if influence were to be measured by the number of people who have lived in accordance with a philosopher’s vision. (Ames, 28) Turning to the scriptures outlining the teachings of this Chinese sage who lived over 2,500 years ago, it would be unproblematic to prove that the modern corporation has been and continues to be unethical by Confucian standards. That is not the purpose of this essay, however. This essay will explore concept of corporate institutions and their ethical accountability using Confucian philosophy a guide. For the purposes of this essay, focus will be given to the Confucian Analects and interpretations of it. This compilation of quotes, conversations and anecdotes is also referred to as The Lunyu and remains the primary source document of Confucian philosophy. Interestingly, despite being revered as Chinas first and greatest teacher, there is no coherent system of thought laid down by Confucius himself. Much like Socrates, Buddha and Jesus Christ, Confucius’ many disciples are entirely... ...gree with. Whether it is due to innate predispositions or learned characteristics, human beings, despite admittedly irrational behaviors, are also moral beings. We are characterized by our freedom of choice, consciousness of abstract thought and largely by a sense of responsibility. As a species we are not solely interested in the process of an action, but also its motives and its consequences. One could argue that attaining a manageable balance between action and responsibility has been a fundamental issue in all past and present traditions and philosophies. In a sense, whether a concrete proposal for universal Confucian ethic is successfully put in place is not of primary importance. The significance is found in the ethical attention of the modern day corporations and the consumerist world that supports them , shifting in a fundamental way from rights-based morality, to a more sustainable, responsibility-emphasized ethic. While perhaps a corporation itself has is devoid of moral obligations, those who function within it, along with the public supporters of it are not. In and contributing to the harmony of the universe, Confucian ethics will have an instrumental role to play.

The Lion King

According to French and Raven, individuals have five sources of power by which they can induce others to behave in accordance with their wishes. These five sources of power are coercive powers, reward powers, legitimate powers, expert powers, and referent powers. In the movie, Lion King, an alpha male, the king of the jungle, which is a Lion name Mufasa, is killed by his jealous older brother Scar. The planned death only worked due to the manipulation of Mufasa’s son, Simba, by Scar. After Mufasa dies, Simba runs away and Scar takes control of the Pride Land. Years later Simba returns to the Pride Land to tell everyone the truth, take back the control of his late father’s, once, great land, and to return it to its former nourishing state. So exactly what do these powers have to do with a Disney Movie? Let’s find out. Coercive power is the power to force someone to do something that they do not want to do. This force could be either physical or mental torture. In the movie the The Lion King, when Scar takes over the Pride lands he uses coercive powers to make the lionesses hunt for the food and to hold other dictatorial powers. In the movie, Scar even goes as far as hitting Simba’s mother, because she compares him to Simba. He thrives on instilling fear. Reward power is the power in which you are able to get what you want because of bribery. The person that holds this power is the one who can control the other by giving them exactly what they want. The reward can be anything, that the person who is being bribed desires. Also, this is not always negative. In the movie Nala, Simba’s childhood friend, finds him after he has left his home for so long. She asks Simba to return home, but it is evident after repeatedly asking that he does not want to return. So she uses reward power, even though the Pride Land is not her possession, she tells Simba that he needs to return and if he does he can take back the Pride Lands and rule it as his father once did. And because of this logic he returns. The next power is called a legitimate power, it is very self explanatory. This person holds a legitimate power, but only due to status. The person, though, forgets that the people he or she is ordering around is not obeying them, but their status. Scar is again a perfect example of this. When he became the King of the Pride Lands he didn’t realize that his subjects did not respect him, but his position. He kept this respect in his position, by using coercive powers, which is very common in legitimate power. Referent Power is a person possesses characteristics that makes someone else aspire to be like them. Therefore this person is willing to do whatever the person they aspire to be like wants them to do. This power can be either positive or negative. Mustafa and Scar both possessed referent power when it came to the young impressionable cub, Simba. In a positive aspect, Simba aspired to be as great as his father, hence the song â€Å"Oh I Just can’t wait to be King. † He also, in a more negative note wanted to be accepted by his uncle Scar. This is how Scar was able to manipulate Simba into tricking his father to follow him to the canyon, where Mustafa fell to his death. The last power is expert power. This power is exhibited when the person has knowledge that someone else wants. The most prominent example of this power, throughout the entire move would be Rafiki, the baboon. He was the king’s advisor, led Simba back to the right path, and then became Simba’s advisor, once he became king. According to Katz an outstanding leader must possess these three skills: technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Technical skills are when the person understands specific work and activities and are able to excel in them. Human skills are when the leader is able to work well with other people, they are able to exchange ideas and work together towards one goal. Conceptual skills are when the person is able to put ideas into actions. However, not everyone is perfect; most people don’t possess all of these skills. If I had to choose one of the skills that a leader must possess, it would have to be human skills. Now it is possible for a leader to be in charge without possessing human skills but things tend to work better if the person heading the community or organization is able to get along with his citizens and co-workers. If the leader is able to get along with other people then there will be no need for real conceptual skills because his subjects and co-workers will come up with ideas that he will be able to work out with others to put into place. In the movie, Mustafa possessed human skills; everyone in his kingdom liked him. Therefore, it was easier for him to run his kingdom, unlike Scar. Scar ran the kingdom, but did not have that human skill which made it hard for him to completely have the kingdom on his side. Thus, the kingdom was ready to fight against him as soon as Simba returned because they didn’t like Scar; he didn’t possess that human skill. Some people believe that if your kingdom loves you, the respect will come and then is when you will become a good leader. This was the leadership styles practiced by Mustafa and his son Simba. They treated the other animals with respect and that respect was returned allowing the kingdom to run peacefully. Scar, on the other hand, had a different agenda’ he just needed to instill fear in his subjects to receive respect. But in actuality, it made them hate him, this did not help him in the end, when Simba returned, his subjects were eager to fight against Scar. If an enemy undermines a leader sometimes he doesn’t realize the leader’s support system. A prime example exhibited in the movie is when Scar undermined his brother Mustafa. Scar assumed all he had to do was kill Mustafa and the kingdom would just come to him, but he undermined Mustafa’s support system, his wife, Simba, Rafiki, and the rest of the kingdom, once Simba came back the entire kingdom rebelled. An organizational leader should use all three of the skills that they need to posses to their utmost ability. An organizational leader should always keep their enemies close. The worse the enemy the closer he should be kept so you can know what they are up to. As anyone who has experienced life knows it is not wise to run away from your problems. It is always best to confront them. If you do not confront or resolve they will eventually catch up with you. The same holds true for a leader. A leader must never run from their problems, because all they are doing is prolonging the problem. This makes it worse because when you prolong a problem now the likelihood of others being influenced negatively increases. Such is the case in this movie. When Simba fled his homeland eventually his problem caught up with him because he did not nip it in the bud, (confront it). Instead he chose to run from it. When his father was killed he should have stayed and told his people what really happened. When Simba ran he actually made the problem worse because it allowed his uncle, Scar (who was actually the problem) to lie to the people and claim the throne. The people did not trust or respect Scar and his bad leadership showed in the famine that spread through the kingdom. When Simba finally went back and confronted his problem, (his uncle) the kingdom was restored. Just as in the movie, effective leadership is seen as being positive and ineffective leadership is seen as being negative; the same applies to leadership in business organization. The analogous outcomes in business organization that are associated with effective and ineffective leadership respectively are financial success and growth of the company especially global expansion and the company being in financial debt and downsizing.

The Atomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki - 2846 Words

December 7, 1941 should have not been the only date to have been said to be a â€Å"day which will live in infamy.† August 6th and 9th, 1945 do not hold any special significance for most people of the world today, but they proved to be the most pivotal dates perhaps in the history of the world. These are the dates in which the world’s first atomic bombs were dropped on human populations, killing tens of thousands of people instantly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, and eventually killing over 100,000 people. The United States had been fighting a war on two fronts for nearly four years, and since the front in Europe had come to an end, the Americans were anxious to end the fight in Japan (Nicholls 63). The detonation of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is commonly justified by the notion that it ended the last world war. They should have, however, not been dropped due to the hasty decision of America s politiciansÍ ¾ the ethical dilemma it created regarding h uman life and healthÍ ¾ and the long term consequences regarding mutually assured destruction, nuclear warfare, and the race for atomic weapons. Though people have looked at this event through many different lenses and perspectives, it is nigh impossible to evaluate and form an opinion on this event with a purely objective point-of-view. An opinion should not be formed on the basis of which nationality one represents, but rather as a person who sees both cultures as equally important. There are two ways to look at thisShow MoreRelatedAtomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki844 Words   |  4 Pagesdropped atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing nearly 200,000 people. This resulted in Japans surrender in World War II. J. Samuel Walker analyzes this historical event in his book Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs. Over the past 70 years’ extensive research has been conducted and there is an understanding that Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs is inconclusive. It is impossible to determine that the use of the bomb was the quickestRead MoreThe Atom ic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki1302 Words   |  6 PagesAllies almost one week after being hit with two atomic bombs. On August 6, 1945 during World War II an American B-29 bomber dropped the world s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city Hiroshima, wiping out 90 percent of the city and killing 80,000 people immediately. Three days later a second B-29 dropped another atomic bomb on the Japanese city Nagasaki, killing around 40,000 people. (The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) The Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings were necessary because it played aRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki884 Words   |  4 PagesFearful cries spread through the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the atomic bombs were dropped. Thousands of people were killed instantly, with the rest left critically injured. Eventually, it was measured that 135,000 people were killed as a result of these bombs. We know that many people were killed. But how and why were the atomic bombs created? Wh o decided to use them? These questions all contribute to the fact that the atomic bombs impacted the world greatly. It all started when WorldRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb On Hiroshima And Nagasaki Essay1776 Words   |  8 PagesThe use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II was a controversial decision that was made by President Truman. On August 6, 1945, President Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and three days later a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. It brought an end to the bloody war in the Pacific after 4 years. Making Japan surrender in the face of unimaginable force and significant destruction on Japan’s soil. Nevertheless, Truman’s decisionRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki1515 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Question: Was it necessary for President Truman to drop the atomic bomb in Japan? Was it necessary for Truman to drop the Atomic Bombs on Japan in World War II? On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped by a US aircraft on Hiroshima. This atomic bomb was dropped to force Japan into surrender, this bomb alone destroyed Hiroshima and over 90,000 people were instantly killed in the explosion and an additional 100,000 people perished from burns and radiation sickness. Japan refusedRead MoreThe Atomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki1764 Words   |  8 Pagesmake the decision to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki however, President Truman was ultimately the man who made the final decision to launch ‘Little Boy’ and destroy Hiroshima, Nagasaki and their civilians, thus forcing an end to the war. Although there were many alternatives presented to President Truman, it is unknown as to whether they would have actually succeeded in ending the war or producing less casualties. Truman made the decision to drop these bombs in the heat of war but h is justificationRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki1364 Words   |  6 PagesOn the 6th of August 1945 America dropped the atomic bomb by the name of ‘Little Boy’ dropped by the plane ‘Enola Gay’ on the Japanese city, Hiroshima. Three days later on the 9th of August America dropped another bombed called, ‘Fat Man’ on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. A surrender was received and accepted by America on the 15th of August and the war against Japan had ended. Harry S. Truman, the man responsible for dropping the bombs claims it ended the war more efficiently and was in fact theRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Essay1570 Words   |  7 PagesDespite the extreme devastation, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary. The atomic bomb is a weapon unmatched in warfare, rapidly releasing nuclear energy by fission of atomic nuclei. Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why America chose to unleash its most deadly weapon, the atomic bomb, on Japan. America, who had already fought in World War II for over four years, had no desire to perpetuate the war. When Japan refused to surrender, America was leftRead MoreAtomic Bombs On Hiroshima And Nagasaki1074 Words   |  5 PagesThere are many different ways in which WWII could have ended. Rather than taking the risk of dropping atomic bombs on Japan, many people believe that one of the alternative options would have been much more sensible. The variety of possible options the U.S. could have taken to finish the war have been analyzed for years. Though Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki is one of the most controversial and debated topics in history, this researcher believes that he madeRead MoreThe Atomic Bomb On Hiroshima And Nagasaki1998 Words   |  8 Pagesto drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Joon Jung 2/21/16 Word Count: 1848 Section A: Identification and Evaluation of Sources Research Question: Was it necessary for President Truman to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Was it necessary for Truman to drop the Atomic Bombs on Japan in World War II? On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped by a US aircraft on Hiroshima. This atomic bomb was dropped to force Japan into surrender, this bomb alone destroyed