Carolyn is a server at Olive Garden restaurant and enjoys meeting new people who dine at the restaurant. Recently, an elderly couple visited, and Carolyn overheard them talking about their financial struggles. They asked Carolyn for refills of salad and extra breadsticks that they could take home with them. Carolyn agreed even though it was against corporate policy. What Carolyn exhibited conforms to the ethical theory of:

act utilitarianism

Explanation:

Act utilitarianism is defined as an ethical view that weighs the level of happiness or best possible results in a given situation.

For example of selling soda during the summer will make people happier then it is morally right compared to staying home and watching television.

In the given scenario Carolyn agreed to give the elderly couple refills of salad and extra breadsticks that they could take home with them.

Although this is against corporate policy, she justified it by thinking it's the best for them considering their financial struggle.

This is an example of act utilitarianism where Carolyn's action was against corporate policy but she considered it ethical because it was for the greater good of the elderly couple