Baywatch Ethics Case Study

Baywatch Case Study

When a company decides to execute a strategic decision, the decision will concern its stakeholders, either through the making of the decision itself or through implementation of the decision. Although strategic decisions are generally made "to attain superior performance" (Hill, Charles) improving the welfare of the internal stakeholders, the attainment of this goal may cause the entity to disregard their notion of right and wrong moral principles in order to achieve that goal.

In relation to the case study of Baywatch, it can be argued that the executive producer’s behaviour (Greg Bonnan) in dealing with the different states in which relocation was desired can be seen, in different aspects to be both ethical and unethical.

The task of business ethics is to make sure business decisions encompass an ethical element, and to make sure that managers take ethical implications of strategic decisions into account before choosing a line of action.

When determining wether a business decision is ethical, three models can be used in the classification process. Briefly summarised the three models can be seen to be:

1. Utilitarian Model – an ethical decision is one that results in the greatest happiness for the greatest number of stakeholders.

2. Morals Rights Model – an ethical decision is one that best maintains and protects the rights and civil liberties of stakeholders.

3. Justice Model – an ethical decision is one that allocates benefits and harm among stakeholders fairly and equitable.

Bonnan’s choice to relocate the show away from the US was made with the intent to, re-energise the show, save money and improve ratings. Therefore was done so with the intent to revitalises the show, as to win back viewers, in turn keeping the show alive.

Originally Baywatch wanted to relocate to Avalon Beach. The series of events following the rejection of the show by the NSW government and Pittwater council are vital in the evaluation of the ethical conduct of the show’s producers.

Upon Bonnan’s expressed interest in locating to Queensland and hence visit to, government leaders were quick to display their enthusiasm. A mere three days after Bonnan’s arrival an “in-principle agreement” was secured to formally be signed a week later. The drafting of this “agreement” implied that the deal “was as good as done” (Niesche, C). This was the point in time where the problem started to arise as the Queensland government was assured that Bonnan’s trip to Hawaii a sort time after was simply a courtesy call, so to speak.