Towards Universal Happiness: Issues, Insights/Perspectives, Prospects and Challenges in Business Ethics

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The concept of universal happiness is an ideological goal which is both admirable and desirable. However, achieving this in a world where commercial enterprises have double standards where different ethics are applied depending upon the context of a country in which a company is operating is unlikely to lead to the realization of universal happiness. This 64 paper seeks to establish why double standards exist in multinational corporations especially relating to their practices in third world and developing countries, where there are minimal standards for compliance. Philosophic approaches that look at the concept of happiness, such as those by the Dalai Lama and Maxwell (2003) tend to agree on what it is, and even may be achieved. However, determining the ethical behaviors that will lead to the realization of universal happiness is more difficult due to a range of different beliefs structures, concepts and approaches to the way in which ethical behavior may be determined. There have been approaches to try and impact on corporate behavior and reduce the problem of double standards, examples include international legislation as well as voluntary code such the UN Global Compact. However, it is likely that any changes will take time as attitudes and cultures need to adjust, not only with the development of acceptable ethical standards that can be used to diversity, but with the ability to appreciate and respect diversity within the corporate environment, but not leveraging it in order to gain commercially at the cost of others. This is discussed with reference to a number of philosophical and ethical frameworks, including Kant, Mills, stakeholder approaches to business, relativism, universalism and utilitarianism, the challenges to ethical behavior and examples of measures to increase ethical behaviour. The bibliography cites 50 sources.