Considering the article, write an APA-formatted paper of 4–5 pages that addresses the following:

Part 1: Developing the Philosophical Thesis Statement 

Alfred North Whitehead’s statement: “What is morality in any given time and place? It is what the majority then and there happen to like and immorality is what they dislike” is a very controversial statement. Think about this statement as you consider the following questions as a guide to help your formulate a thesis statement. 

Select 1 of the following questions to answer and develop your thesis statement:

• Businesses can have ethical standards, but businesses are not moral agents. Do you agree or disagree? 
• Is it true that the “bottom line” of business is profit and profit alone? 
• In business, are there other less tangible goals that are intrinsic to and just as important as making money? 
• In a business environment, why should people be moral as individuals? 
• Why should a corporation or organization be moral? 
• Could you apply the first formulation of Kant’s categorical imperative to a business environment? 

Part 2: Developing the Essay

• Identify your thesis statement (argument claim) within the introduction of your paper. 
• Conduct research using library resources. 
• Outline your essay, considering deontological ethics, teleological ethics, moral objectivism, and ethical relativism in your argument. 
• Provide at least 3 valid reasons to support your argument. 
• Also, be sure to include the following in your APA formatted essay: 
  • Use of explanations of philosophical concepts such as utilitarianism, categorical imperatives, process philosophy, moral relativism, moral absolutism, ethical relativism, moral objectivism, deontological ethics, or teleological ethics to structure your essay and provide evidence to support your claims. 

Your argument and reasons (claims) should be defended by philosophical concepts supported by evidence, which is based on your research. Please use the APA library to begin your research.

Part 3: Conclusion

Consider morality and ethics from the perspective of Alfred North Whitehead’s process philosophy and Immanuel Kant’s universal categorical imperative. After conducting your research and writing your essay, could you conclude that businesses can have ethical standards, despite the fact that businesses are not moral agents? Why or why not? Please explain summing up your argument.

Part 4: Review Checklist before submitting essay

1. Your essay should be checked for proper use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. 
2. You may find that you change your mind on the issue as you are writing your paper. That is fine, but be sure to present your ultimate decision at the beginning of the paper, and stick to it consistently throughout. This may require that you go back and change paragraphs to support your changed thesis statement. 
3. Your argument should be clear, concise, and supported with logically valid claims and evidence followed by APA in-text citations. 
4. A reference page documenting your sources should be included.

Write a short essay, between 400 and 500 words, responding to the assignment below. You are expected to utilize the textbook and outside resources to provide accurate and substantive answers to the question. Also, be sure to make use of illustrating examples where appropriate. Submit your work in APA format.

Find a news article or case in which the directors and/or officers of a corporation were accused of breaching their duties of care or loyalty. Provide a brief summary of the facts and discuss the standards that were used in determining that a breach had occurred. Also discuss whether you agree or disagree with the findings.

Capstone Forum: Assignment With Peer Review: KSF Analysis and Potential Strategic Pathways for Your Chosen Organization

Now it is time to apply lessons learned from this week’s case analysis and discussion about Key Success Factor analysis, this week’s readings, and other resources, to help you think about how you might answer the questions, how will you win? (how will you create unique value now, and in the future?), and which capabilities must be in place (to win in the future)? What skills, competencies, and capabilities do you need now and in the future?

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review all required readings, including the Weekly Briefing, which provides additional guidance on how to complete the Assignment.
• Review this week’s case study and peer discussion and reflect and make notes on the following: What insights did you gain, and what did you learn from this week’s resources your case analysis and peer discussion that you can apply to your Strategy Playbook for your chosen organization? What conceptual and strategic differences are important between the case example and your organization (focus on the concepts analyzed this week)? What assumptions do you need to make in order to use the strategy concepts appropriately?
• Identify and review all relevant readings from the MBA Capstone Program Bibliography. Given your chosen organization, what concepts, tools, and readings from the Program Capstone Bibliography are most relevant to helping guide how you might recommend improving the company? How and why are they relevant?
• Locate and maintain access to publicly available information about your organization.

By Day 5, post a polished and synthesized entry into the discussion area, which will also be the basis for an entry into the final draft of your Strategy Playbook for Extraordinary Results. At minimum you should add the following to your discussion post and Strategy Playbook:

• An evidence-based and cohesive set of specific and actionable recommendations for actions (based on application of this week’s strategy concepts), that your selected organization can take that will clearly enable your organization to achieve its strategic goals, sustain and grow its business, and remain viable and healthy.
  • HINT: You should provide a preliminary argument that defends your recommendations. Consider why your recommendations are SMART– specific, measurable, achievable (that is realistic and feasible, and timely (relevant and important).
• A related set of metrics that will enable your selected organization to measure the effectiveness of your recommended actions.
  • HINT: These metrics could then be used in the comprehensive final draft of your strategy playbook diagram, which is part of your final Strategy Playbook

General Guidance: Your original discussion post for the Capstone Forum will typically be 1 to 1 ½ single-spaced pages, excluding references. Refer to the Week 6 Discussion 2 rubric for grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use the rubric to assess your work.

Note: After you receive input from your colleagues in the next few days, you should revise your original post to reflect input that you think is helpful and strengthens your position. This final revised version from this week’s Capstone Forum will become the fourth formal entry into your Strategy Playbook appendix. Title this section “KSF Analysis Strategic Pathways and Recommendations for XYZ [Starbucks],” and be sure to keep a version of your response in your Strategy Playbook template. As a best practice you should plan to review your playbook throughout the course as you continue to build your components. You may find that you have new ideas and items that further improve your work.