i want to paraphrase the red sentences but doesn’t show plagiarism
good_business_ch_2_reading_guide__1__ss1412.docx
good_business_chapter_4_reading_guide_1__1_ss1412.docx
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Good Business: Chapter 2 Reading Guide
1.
What are the limits of the concept of human dignity?
The limits of human dignity are realized when we talk about communities, associations,
and societies because what is good for the society may not be good for some individuals.
2.
Why can it be difficult to speak of a “common good” today?
It is hard to speak of the common good today because of large corporations doing business
in global economy. Western people have individualistic culture so that nation of shared
goodness is difficult.
3. What recent events in business have led some to reconsider the concept of the
common good?
What happened in big companies like Enron, WorldCom, HealthSouth, Sachs, Lehman
Brothers, CITI Banks, and Bank of America led some to reconsider the concept of the
common good.
4. In what way are utilitarian logic and stakeholder theory inadequate renditions of the
common good theory?
Utilitarian login and stakeholder theory are inadequate rendition of the common good
theory because they tend to work on individualistic assumptions about human and society.
Utilitarian will know first what each individual happiness is and get the total in the whole
society. That is also the same with the investors as they want to make more money.
5. What forces in your life focus more on individualism and what forces (if any) taught
you to be concerned about the communities that you belong to?
My studies make me focus more on individualism because I am studying for myself to have
a great future. Religion teachers me to be concerned about the people around me.
6.
What is the role of various communities in creating who people in their lives?
Various communities are composed of individuals who are interconnected to each other.
7.
How does the common good tradition view the human person?
The common good tradition views a human person not as a competing individual but a
person that is integrated into a network of social relationships.
8.
How does the common good tradition understand the individual self?
In common, the conception of individual is secondary and human as social being is first.
This is from the belief that human is interdependent.
9.
What are the origins in Western culture of the concept of the human as an individual?
It originated in the Enlightenment. This was influenced by the theory of John Locke.
10. In footnote #4 on page 63 there is a discussion of the role of the common good in
Locke’s thought. What is the claim that Brian Stiltner is making?
Brian Stiltner claims that Locke’s theories about limited constitutional state and individual
liberties were formulated within a theoretical context in which common good is also one of
the central concerns.
11. Why does the conception of the human person differ within a religious context than the
Enlightenment claims?
Most religions came from premodern communities and the conception of human in these
communities are not individualistic and human is tied in his/her role in the community.
12. What is the point of the discussion of Lebron James on page 64?
The point in the discussion of Lebron James how people have conception of individual view
is different from before. Lebron James is seen as a talent and all his rewards and
achievements only belong to him and not to the society or his team as a whole. However,
when communitarian view is used, people will say that Lebron James became successful
with the support of many other people like the NBA and the fans.
13. If you were going to make a communitarian argument about how you’ve gotten to
where you are today—what would you list as those networks/forces that have gotten you
to where you are today?
For sure I would say that I am where I am today because of my parents and also because of
our government. It feels like I could not be where I am today without the support of those
people.
14. What is one reason given in the chapter for the creation and perpetuation of the “selfmade businessperson?”
One reason given to the creation and perpetuation of self-made business person is that it is
a powerful motivational force. However, in communitarian argument, the business person
would not really be successful without the support of some individuals or organizations
related to the success of the business.
15. How did Jacques Maritain think that people could discern the common good?
Maritain said that we could discern the common good by examining the experience of
human community.
16. How does the Catholic tradition understand the community? What is it and what is it
not?
Catholic tradition understands community as a group of people where relationship exists.
It is not just a collection of individuals.
17. How is the understanding of the common good as a mere aggregation of all private
goods qualitatively different from Aristotle and Aquinas’s notions of the common good?
Aristotle and Aquinas believe that the common good of the society must be considered a
qualitatively autonomous species of good and is both higher and richer in goodness than
any other human good enjoyed by people. Understanding it is a mere aggregation is a
mistake.
18. How are the goods of individuals and the goods of community related?
The good found in any individual is rooted in the good in the community.
19. Explain how the common good can be understood to have a teleological dimension.
The common good is the final cause or goal of perfection so it has a teleological dimension.
This is the kind of good in which society is ordered because it has a purpose.
20. What two general meanings of the common good does the author propose?
(1) Order of all parts of all parts of the universe toward one another and toward a whole
(2) The universal good that all things seek and which all things participate and
communicate
21. What two meanings can the common good of the political community have that
correlate to the general meanings discussed above?
(1) The result of individual virtuous activity as the common benefit that necessarily follows
from individuals seeking their ultimate good of happiness and virtue
(2) The unity of good in society that is distinct from a simple aggregate of individual goods
22. What is the “descriptive” aspect of the common good?
The descriptive aspect of the common good forces the viewers to see the social world as a
complex web of mutual relationship.
23. What is the “prescriptive” aspect of the common good?
Prescriptive aspect of common good asks people to do something to preserve the greater
good even when there is competition between individual goods.
24. What is the role of “cooperation” in the Catholic conception of the common good?
Cooperation is the unifying force in a society so the people will cooperate towards a
common end or purpose. It is the key to the goodness and strength of society.
25. Do you agree with the ancient Roman proverb that it is better to live poor in a rich
empire than rich in a poor one? Explain
I do not agree to that. Living poor in a rich empire will make me feel I am so unlucky and
unfortunate to be people where people around me are rich. Being rich in poor empire will
feel better knowing that I am luckier than people around me.
26. What is the relationship between the common good and happiness?
Common good is the condition to be happy and also the result of happiness those people
who participate in the common good experience by living virtuously.
27. What are 3 main problems that plague attempts to realize the common good?
(1) Sheer complexity and scale of many business issues
(2) Existence of scarcity in the global market and competition for limited resources in any
economy
(3) Difficulty of finding a single definition of the common good
28. What three reasons does David Hollenbach, SJ, give for why people fear strong notions
of the common good?
(1) They fear the existence of strong competing ideas of the common good will result to
great violence
(2) Powerful minorities who have different views of common good might oppress the
majority.
(3) Fear of outright tyranny on the part of a powerful group that has a vision of perfect
society like the Nazi Germany
29. Why does Hollenbach think that “morality write small,” where people try to be
nonjudgmental and tolerant is problematic?
He believes that this myopic, tolerant perspective dominates the American moral
landscape, obscuring the loftier ethical goals of the common good that include social justice
and equality.
30. What are 4 insights from the common good tradition that can be helpful in business
ethics?
(1) Common good fulfills needs of people they cannot fulfil on their own and businesses
can represent much more to their employees and the community more than just providing
paycheck.
(2) Relative cooperation produce better results for businesses instead of self-interest
(3) The values the businesses enforce carries important ethical weight as individuals relate
themselves in community to the corporation.
31. CEO pay case study:
a.
How does the expansion of executive pay in deteriorating economic times affect the
common good?
Giving more pay to CEOs when the economic crisis is bad for the common good. This is true
especially when the company survives the crisis because the government used the tax
money of the people to save the company but still billions of dollars went to the CEOs and
nothing for the shareholders who invested money in the company.
b. What principles does the common good offer that might suggest a different approach
to executive compensation?
Common good believes in the principle of doing what is right for the community of or for
the employees. This means that the compensation of the executives should not be too much
and they should be willing to give up some of their compensation to give to the employees
who work harder or just as hard as them.
c.
How would executive compensation be administered if it were ordered toward
achieving the common good?
It would be administered in a fair manner and just similar with other countries and not 100
times or 1000 times more.
d. If you owned a Fortune 500 company, what would be the most important
qualifications for your executive positions? What qualities would you look for in job
candidates for CEO?
The most important qualifications are skills and knowledge in the industry, business ethics,
great communication skills, leadership, and great work ethics.
32. Employee-ownership case study:
a.
Using the common good as the standard, how does the employee-owned business
model compare to the other traditional models of capitalist ownership?
The employee-owned business model will benefit the common good as it benefits all
employees without exceptions unlike in traditional models capitalist ownership in which
the people who put in the biggest amount of money will make the biggest profit and those
who do not have money will not have any profit.
b. What benefits and risks do you see in the employee-ownership model in comparison
to other traditional models of ownership?
The benefits will be more motivation for employees to work because they know the more
they put their effort and become more productive, the more they will be rewarded. They
will own their job and will love the company. The risks arise when the business is losing
money and employees realize they are losing money as well instead of gaining so they will
not feel motivated anymore and might resign or get their remaining money if possible.
c.
If you owned a business, under what conditions might you consider shifting to the
employee-ownership model?
I can use the employee-ownership model but it will be optional for all employees. All
employees can have their own shares to the company but they will not be forced. They
should also know that it is possible not to have any profits sometimes and there are risks
involved in ownership.
d. Do you think employee-ownership might someday become popular, or even dominate
in the capitalist marketplace? Why or why not?
I think they will become popular only for those stable companies that the employees can
trust they money and be sure that it will grow instead of depreciate. I think it will not
dominate in the capital market because most capitalists want to have more money and they
can only do that once they limit the shares to people who have big money to share. If many
employees will join buy each employee only offers very little like $10 – $1,000, that will be
just more paperwork instead of having a few shareholders who have millions of dollars
each. In any way, employee-ownership will benefit more people as long as the company is
stable and have low risk to fail.
Good Business: Chapter 4 Reading Guide
1. Give 3 reasons that explain how the concept of “charity” in the Christian tradition and
the concept of the “preferential option for the poor” are different:
(1) Charity is a close relative of love while preferential option for the poor is closely related
to justice.
(2) Charity is just interested in helping but preferential option for the poor is interested in
knowing whey there is poverty.
(3) Charity is just temporary redistribution of wealth while preferential option for the poor
wants people to stand in the shoes of the poor and to work and live with the poor and have
a good relationship with them.
2. Up until this point in your life, did you grow up with more of a “charity”
understanding/commitment or a POFP understanding/commitment, or neither? Explain
I grew up with more of a charity and I never knew about POFP before. My parents would
tell me to donate money to the poor especially during our special celebrations and that is
how we show our thanksgiving for all the blessings we receive but we never really apply
the POFP.
3. How does the interpretative lens, or hermeneutic, of the POFP call us to view the
world?
It is a way of seeing and interpreting the world from the perspective of the poor and
oppressed. Some theologians like Fred Kamer claims that the world looks very different in
the perspective of the poor and marginalized.
4.
What would it mean for you to adopt more of a POFP disposition in your own life?
This means that I would try to understand what poor people feel and do more to reduce the
inequality happening in this world. If ever I have my own business someday, I will not
oppress the poor and think about their condition as well aside from my own.
5. When the Genesis creation stories are read from the perspective of the POFP, what is
the implication?
Its implication is that Good created all men and they are equal so the poor are also
important to God just like those who do not live in poverty. This means that the society
should also give importance to the poor and treat them as equal and include them in the
progress and development of the community. They should have equal opportunities and
people should help them get out of poverty if possible.
6.
How does the book of Exodus shape our understanding of the POFP?
The book of Exodus shows that God thinks about the poor just like how the thought about
the Hebrew people and helped them get out of the hands of the Egyptians as slaves so they
can have their freedom. This shows that God sees poor people as people who also have
rights and equal opportunities and freedom should be given to them.
7.
How is Jesus understood to taking a POFP in what is recounted in the Gospels?
Jesus is known as someone who has great love for the poor and he uplifts them and he
reinforces the truth that God takes side of the poor and he understands them. Jesus
understands POFP because he wants to be with the poor and favor them to lessen the
inequality and show that poor or not, all people are important to God.
8. What are four characteristics given for describing theoretical capitalism in this
chapter?
(1) Capital theory has few conceptual resources to confront and prevent the emergence of
dictatorial economic power.
(2) Self-interest may be a significant reason that capitalists avoid topics of income disparity
and uneven resource distribution.
(3) Capitalism has a well-developed critique of government power and its minimal and
strictly limited role in a market economy.
(4) Theoretical capitalism has a relatively impoverished and naïve conception of economic
power and the problems associated with its balanced accumulation.
9.
Do you agree with these critiques of capitalism? Why or why not?
I agree with the critiques because that is what I can observe from the world now. Most
businesses just pay very little amount to their employees while they got a lot from the
business. Even the stockholders only get a little when the company experience financial
crisis and then they are bailed out and still get billions of dollars even when the company is
in crisis.
10. What is the POFP deeply suspicious of and why?
POFP is deeply suspicious of the concentration of both political and economic power. These
suspicions are grounded from the critique of hierarchy that is interpreted from the Bible.
11. Why does economic inequality receive a “cold reception” in the POFP?
Economic inequality received a cold reception because the jubilee-year legislation in the
book of Leviticus and egalitarianism is present even in the early Israelite society that they
practice during Jubilee.
12. How does this chapter characterize the values and theoretical underpinnings of laissezfaire capitalism?
This chapter thinks that laissez-fair capitalism will not be good for the market because the
market will favor innovative industrious risk takers but will punished those who are lazy,
stupid, and timid.
13. What is opportunity egalitarianism?
Opportunity egalitarianism gives equal access and opportunity to everyone. All people are
part and actor in a market economy and everyone have all the necessary opportunities
given to them in order to survive and become successful in that system.
14. According to the author, is opportunity egalitarianism a reality in the U.S. capitalistic
system? Do you agree? Explain.
The author says that opportunity egalitarianism is not a reality in the US that has a
capitalistic system because the country’s system mostly favors the rich. I agree with this
because those who are rich in the US and are capitalists become richer and they are VIP in
all aspects and they are given special treatment everywhere while the poor, although the
government helps, still become poor unless they get a good opportunity for them.
15. What type of economic relations does a preferential option for the poor call for?
It calls for the entirely and diametrically different social structures than those propose by
neoclassical capitalism. It has a cooperative visions based from the theology of divine
creation.
16. According to POFP, how are we to understand ownership and distribution of goods?
We should understand it that all goods are creation and they are common inheritance to
humans so nobody can own them because they are for all humans.
17. In neoclassical theory the right to private property is an absolute right. How does CST
understand the right to private property? Explain what this means in your own words.
CST understands that the right to private property is for the common good and it should
follow the universal destination of foods. CST does not want hierarchal orders and it will
only be acceptable to have private property when other people does not have greater need
for these resources.
18. Why is CST concerned with accumulation and institutionalization of all forms of social
power and hierarchical orders?
This is because CST believes in POFP and hierarchy undermine the concept of human
dignity as well as the absolute sovereignty of God since God created everything and he
owns everything and not humans.
…
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