Question

James works for Precision Parts, which supplies high-quality components for large machines. After bids are taken, he is asked by a fellow employee to use in-house parts, even if they are more expensive and of lower quality than parts supplied by one of the outside bidders. If he uses a rule utilitarian approach in deciding what is morally right, he asks a. Would the practice of overriding the bidding process maximize the good if generally followed by firms? b. Would the decision to use in-house parts maximize the good in this particular case? c. Would the decision to use in-house parts by other firms in violation of the bidding process undermine the ability to do it in this particular case? d. Would I want other firms to adopt this practice?

Answer 1

The correct option for James using a rule utilitarian approach is:

a. Would the practice of overriding the bidding process maximize the good if generally followed by firms?

Rule utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of following general rules rather than individual actions.

In this case, the rule at stake is overriding the bidding process to use in-house parts.

James needs to ask whether generally allowing firms to disregard bids and use their own parts would lead to better outcomes overall.

This might involve considering potential effects like:

Increased costs due to lower quality parts.

Loss of trust in the bidding process.

Discouraged competition and innovation.

By evaluating the long-term and widespread consequences of overriding the bidding process, James can make a rule-based moral judgment.

Therefore, option a most accurately reflects a rule utilitarian approach in this scenario.