Unocal in Burma
1. Executive Summary
In this paper, I will examine the case study of Unocal using four key different perspectives of ethics. Unocal was an American oil and gas conglomerate that was subject to class action suits for alleged human rights violations in Myanmar. These suits were filed at both the US federal and California state courts.
Throughout the paper, I will provide clear and concise definitions to key terms in the area of ethics as it pertains to the Unocal case study. These will be based on literature reviews of books and documentation in the field and study of ethics.
I will also provide my viewpoint on the moral responsibilities of Unocal for the injuries inflicted on and suffered by the Karen people of Myanmar. Lastly, I will examine Unocal¡¦s view that ¡¥engagement¡¦ rather than ¡¥isolation¡¦ is the proper course in achieving social and political change in Myanmar.
2. Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary 2
2. Table of Contents 3
3. Introduction 4
4. Discussion 6
4.1. Justification of utilitarian, rights, justice, and caring perspective 6
4.2. Responsibilities of Unocal 12
4.3. Proper Course of Unocal 15
5. Conclusion 17
6. References 18
Total word count: 3,640 excluding the Executive Summary and References
3. Introduction
Ethics, derived from the Latin word ethica, meaning ¡¥moral philosophy¡¦ has been around since before the time of Aristotle, the famed Greek philosopher, who contributed major works on the subject including the Nicomachean Ethics. Wikipedia, the free online dictionary describes ethics as covering the analysis and employment of concepts such as right and wrong, good and evil, and responsibility.
Ethics is a kind of investigation and includes both the activity of investigating and the results of that investigation - whereas morality is the subject matter that ethics investigates (Velasquez 2006, p.8). Simply put - ethics deals with understanding and differentiating right from wrong.
Before examining
In this paper, I will examine the case study of Unocal using four key different perspectives of ethics. Unocal was an American oil and gas conglomerate that was subject to class action suits for alleged human rights violations in Myanmar. These suits were filed at both the US federal and California state courts.
Throughout the paper, I will provide clear and concise definitions to key terms in the area of ethics as it pertains to the Unocal case study. These will be based on literature reviews of books and documentation in the field and study of ethics.
I will also provide my viewpoint on the moral responsibilities of Unocal for the injuries inflicted on and suffered by the Karen people of Myanmar. Lastly, I will examine Unocal¡¦s view that ¡¥engagement¡¦ rather than ¡¥isolation¡¦ is the proper course in achieving social and political change in Myanmar.
2. Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary 2
2. Table of Contents 3
3. Introduction 4
4. Discussion 6
4.1. Justification of utilitarian, rights, justice, and caring perspective 6
4.2. Responsibilities of Unocal 12
4.3. Proper Course of Unocal 15
5. Conclusion 17
6. References 18
Total word count: 3,640 excluding the Executive Summary and References
3. Introduction
Ethics, derived from the Latin word ethica, meaning ¡¥moral philosophy¡¦ has been around since before the time of Aristotle, the famed Greek philosopher, who contributed major works on the subject including the Nicomachean Ethics. Wikipedia, the free online dictionary describes ethics as covering the analysis and employment of concepts such as right and wrong, good and evil, and responsibility.
Ethics is a kind of investigation and includes both the activity of investigating and the results of that investigation - whereas morality is the subject matter that ethics investigates (Velasquez 2006, p.8). Simply put - ethics deals with understanding and differentiating right from wrong.
Before examining
References: Rainbow C. ¡¥Descriptions of Ethical Theories and Principles¡¦ - Department of Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035 Final Settlement Reached in Doe v. Unocal - Accessed 12th June. Available at http://www.earthrights.org/legalfeature/final_settlement_reached_in_doe_v._unocal.htm Hinman L.M, 1999 Contemporary Moral Issues, 2nd Edition Prentice-Hall Olsen J.E. ¡¥Global Ethics and the Alien Tort Claims Act: A summary of three cases within the oil and gas industry¡¦, 2002, Management Decision, 2002 40/7 pp.720 -724 Justice and Fairness - Accessed 12th June 2007. Markula Center for Applied Ethics available at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/justice.html Myanmar Times & Business Review - Accessed 12th June 2007. Available at http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartimes/no175/Myanmartimes9-175/002.htm Schwartz P. ¡¥When good companies do bad things¡¦ 2000 Strategy & Leadership Volume 28 Number 3 pp. 4-11 Thawnghmung, A.M, Sarno P. 2006 ¡¥Myanmar Impasses: Alternatives to Isolation and Engagement¡¦, 2006 Asian Journal of Political Science, 14:1 Velasquez M.G.2006, Business Ethics - Concepts & Cases, 6th Edition, Pearson Education International. Wikipedia Online Dictionary, Accessed 12th June 2007 Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page