Read the case study below and answer the below questions.

You are the owner of a very small business with just a few employees that sells office supplies. Due to increased competition from larger wholesalers, your profits are being squeezed. While you are not in any danger of going out of business, the financial flexibility of your company is being compromised and you know that some kind of cost-cutting measures must be undertaken. You decide that there are four basic options:

Cut every employee’s salary and benefits by 10%, including your own,

Cut your own salary by 25%, but the other employees by only 5%. Your salary will still be more than any other employee’s, although not by too much.

Lay off your least productive employee. However, this employee has been with you the longest, is a single father trying to support his children, and has only recently been less productive due to some health issues that do not seem to be going away anytime soon.

Lay off your newest employee. However, this employee is a recent college graduate who looks like she will be the most knowledgeable and best employee in a number of months.

What should you do in this situation according to each ethical theory below? Why?

Utilitarianism:

Rights-based :

Kantian:

Virtue: