Discrimination and Affirmative Action in Essay

In the case considered, there are two possibilities for the award of the contract: The first is that there may have been no companies on the applicant list that met the minority standards. The second is that non-minority companies far outweighed their minority counterparts in the level of service that would be provided.

In the first case, the deontological viewpoint would not have been applicable, as there were no companies available to meet the minority standards. The ethical argument might then be that, all persons should have an equal right to receive the contract, and be chosen on merit. The second case could then have been decided on the grounds of a utilitarian approach. Quality of service takes precedence over human rights considerations.

The utilitarian viewpoint also considers the importance of quality of the specific service involved, as well as the setting and safety levels promoted by the service. In an airport setting, public and professional safety are of utmost concern. A company that provides shuttle services should therefore provide high value in terms of vehicle and logistical safety. When awarding a contract in an airport setting, utilitarian issues should take precedence over deontological ones. If no correlation can be found between deontological ethics and the utilitarian viewpoint, utility should overrule where public safety is a concern.

In investigating this case, it is therefore important to have an understanding of the details of the case. Only once the deontological and utilitarian issues are clear can a judgment be made of whether the case indeed has merit or not. It should also be considered that minority programs are often controversial and could be unfair in terms of competition, where the best service at the best price is encouraged.

Entities such as the Legislative Black Caucus and NAACP often tend to consider deontological ethics as overriding all other considerations in today's business and employment world. This is not desirable in terms of utility, where the greatest good is served, especially in matters that affect citizens that are not as concerned with the merits of the case as with their own safety and well-being.

The question of whether the contract should have been awarded to the specific company is therefore a somewhat difficult one to answer with absolute certainly. Many variables govern the decision. It can however be assumed that Maryland Airport is as concerned with the safety of their citizens as it is with equity in employment and business. Certainly the managers have carefully considered their options and the outcomes of each possible decision. Any accusations to the contrary should therefore be empirically substantiated by concrete evidence.

Sources

Smitherman, Laura. (2008, Aug 7).

Board OKs contract for company that failed to meet minority goals. Tribune Business News. Washington. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=1526873651&SrchMod e=1&sid=25&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1236295162&c lientId=29440

Teall, E. (2000). Ethics in the Workplace. Dept of Educational Technology, San Diego University. http://school.teall.net/ethman/info/util.htm