The advantages and disadvantages of deontology would be weighed against discourse ethics in the ethical dilemmas. In this case, following a course that would lead to fulfilling not only corporate social responsibility (CSR), but also moral responsibility is highly desirable. Deontology makes one understand that execution of duty (a paramount value) removes consideration of consequences (non-consequentialist) especially when executing a responsibility. Similarly, to mediate the conflict between various corporations, a deontological approach can be employed that validates self-interest. Ethical dilemmas confront us in which one must follow a path of duty: duty to protect the quality of human life, duty to follow environmental conscientiousness, duty to follow legal and governmental regulations, duty of business to survive, profit and sustain itself, duties of workers to perform and execute company expectations and the duty of stakeholders. At the end of the day, doing one’s duty corresponds to prima facie ethical principles.
One may explore the sub-divisions of ethical conventions and dilemmas as it relates to doing one’s duty on the job. For example, perplexing moral issues may arise in which an agent ought to choose between conflicting standard and regulations coded in company policy and the personal value system. On one hand, ethical dilemmas mandate a difficult decision divergent values and on the other, conventions on the job demand that to ensure maximum profitability of a corporation, certain compromises must be made. Critical issues in sustainable management futures such as globalisation, corporativism, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder theory and shared values, must be addressed in the face of cut-throat capitalism, aiming only to experience growth and maximize profit. In other words, unidimensionally economic, without heeding other urgent concerns.
Deontology may be very advantageous since it discourages exploitation, yet promotes ethical virtue and fair competition. However, it may also be toxic since prioritization of profit over people may also exist, nullifying environmental sustainability leading to mass unemployment and delinquency. Following from the non-consequentialist theory, ethical morality is strictly based on doing one’s duty, without making consequences the standard of rightness or wrongness. Therefore, the concept of ulterior motive or exploiting people as a means to an end, should be disallowed. A firm’s duty to its stakeholders, by following CSR guidelines would assist the community from which the company extracts invaluable resources - whether human, natural or financial. In addition, deontology’s patient-centered theory mandates that fundamental human rights must be respected. Deontology’s humanitarian and humanist principles dictate that reasoning beings must be benefitted so people become central in BASF’s deliberations and decisions, thus confirming its commitment of executing its corporate social responsibility.
