Should She Stay or Should She Go?: A Business Ethics Dilemma
University
Shawnee State University
Major
Business Administration
Student Type
Graduate Student
Presentation Types
Oral Group Presentation (Live)
Keywords:
business ethics, fair rental practices, real estate investors, predatory rental practices
Abstract
In our presentation we will argue that rental real estate investors can act as ethical stewards in their communities. Low-income and poorly educated populations are particularly vulnerable to predatory rental practices. By exploring ethical frameworks such as existentialism, which emphasizes individual responsibility, Kant’s ethics, which advocates for treating tenants with respect, and Sidgwick’s dualism, which seeks a balance between self-interest and community welfare, we will challenge the stereotype of landlords as greedy profit-seekers. We will highlight stories of rental property owners who invest to improve the lives of their tenants and the broader community through fair rental practices and quality property improvements. Ultimately, we will show that ethical stewardship in rental real estate is not only possible, but also prevalent, even in areas typically associated with predatory practices.
Human and Animal Subjects
no
Faculty Mentor Name
Claudia Hanrahan
Faculty Mentor Title
Ph.D.
Faculty Mentor Department
School of Business
Recommended Citation
Yost Wilger, Ann and Siberell, Evan, "Should She Stay or Should She Go?: A Business Ethics Dilemma" (2025). Celebration of Scholarship. 3.
https://digitalcommons.shawnee.edu/cos/2025/session3/3
Location
LIB 204
Should She Stay or Should She Go?: A Business Ethics Dilemma
LIB 204
In our presentation we will argue that rental real estate investors can act as ethical stewards in their communities. Low-income and poorly educated populations are particularly vulnerable to predatory rental practices. By exploring ethical frameworks such as existentialism, which emphasizes individual responsibility, Kant’s ethics, which advocates for treating tenants with respect, and Sidgwick’s dualism, which seeks a balance between self-interest and community welfare, we will challenge the stereotype of landlords as greedy profit-seekers. We will highlight stories of rental property owners who invest to improve the lives of their tenants and the broader community through fair rental practices and quality property improvements. Ultimately, we will show that ethical stewardship in rental real estate is not only possible, but also prevalent, even in areas typically associated with predatory practices.
