College of Business Administration

GROUP MEMBERS:

Deann Young
Monia Lefevre
Ryan Smith
Kevin Corcoran
James Coulson

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Our social change project consisted of collecting donations for under privileged children with the Easter theme in mind. Collection of the resources for the project occurred during the last two weeks of March. The deadline for collections was March 29, 2002. This allowed time for construction and delivery of the baskets.

The target organization for our project was The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). We selected the YWCA because they allowed the most flexibility regarding the amount of the donation. The coordinator of the YWCA assured us that the gifts would be evenly distributed amongst the children.

Local businesses, within the San Diego area, provided donations. The focus of the donations included materials for making Easter Baskets such as candy, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and coloring books. Businesses that could not provide materials for making Easter Baskets donated money to purchase necessary items to complete the project. Longs Drug Store provided Easter Baskets, grass, candy, and toothbrushes. Henry's supplied candy as well. San Diego Health Society donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, and coloring books. Ralph's, Advantage Garage Doors, and Industrial Control and Electronics gave monetary donations.

The project efforts resulted in the construction of 40 Easter Basket filled with candy, coloring books, and toothbrushes. Each basket had an estimated value of twelve dollars. The baskets were completed and delivered to the YWCA on the Friday before Easter.

ETHICAL FRAMEWORK

Social Contract Theory -- As situations developed, we set rules and guidelines to avoid conflict amongst group members and to keep the project structured. The guidelines were imperative to the success of the project. For mutual benefit to occur, everyone had to make an equal contribution given that all members agreed to accept their roles and responsibilities.

Deontology -- It is morally right to give to those that are less fortunate. This theory holds true independent of the consequences.

Utilitarianism -- Happiness of children does not have a numerical value. The cost benefit analysis balances effort to outcome. An action is right if it produces the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. The cost of our time and effort, also the cost borne by the contributing businesses is worth the happiness of children.

Justice -- Children at the YWCA do not have equal privileges as "the average child" does. If we are to treat equals equally and unequals unequally, then children of unequal status should receive unequal treatment, such as strangers giving presents to them.

Ethic of Care -- Caring for others, especially children we have not met, gives us the opportunity to examine the moral worth of relationships between strangers that exemplifies how we should treat everyone.