Ethics implies deciding on a course of action when clear decision rules are available. Organizations and social movements alike are using wikis to help people find others with the skills and talents to solve pressing problems.
Under this framework, the right answer to the ethical dilemma will change based on who is analyzing the ethical problem. Moral relativism makes the ethical decision making simple, in that the local perspective should guide the reasoning. If a manager is making a decision that is based in China, the Chinese standards of ethics should apply.
PLUS Ethical Decision-Making Model is one of the most used and widely cited ethical models. To create a clear and cohesive approach to implementing a solution to an ethical problem; the model is set in a way that it gives the leader “ ethical filters ” to make decisions.
It is helpful to ask and if not clear, perhaps identify the principles, you most often use now and those you aspire to use more, and why. Using one or more of these principles and ethical approaches intentionally can also help you examine choices and options before making a decision or solving an ethical dilemma.
The purpose of this chapter is to: 1) Outline the decision making process. 2) Explain the nature of ethical decision making. 3) Provide ethical frameworks used in making decision making.
Identify the Problem. The first challenge in decision making is working to understand what the problem is . Ineffective managers focus on the symptoms without identifying the underlying issues. A child with a runny nose does not have a runny nose problem, she has an infectious disease causing a running nose.
Ethical Frameworks. Because the law is insufficient, and the nature of ethical dilemmas is one of navigating ambiguity, we need to establish frameworks that will help us make decisions. The following ethical frameworks are intended to do that. Moral relativism offers a local solution to making ethical decisions.
The short answer is that the law is an insufficient means to regulate our ethical decision making. There are two primary reasons for this. First, the law gives us bare minimums in terms of safety, human dignity, and respect of rights. However, most ethical dilemmas are navigated well above these elements.
We naturally jump right into the middle of the gray area because we know the extremes and the fringes of the gray area are not worth pursuing. It is in the gray area that we must navigate, using ethical decision making to figure out the best solution. We can achieve good decision making using ethical frameworks.
The problem identification is simply a matter of understanding that personal preferences and personal obligations will conflict as he tries to schedule shifts. This problem does not require the manager to generate a wide list of alternatives. It might include negotiation, allowing workers to swap shifts, or simply making a schedule and forcing employees to deal with it. However, there are bigger problems that require a manager to generate a long and comprehensive list of alternatives. When problems have intense consequences, or the context is an unknown one to the organization, a wide list of alternatives is necessary. The future is unknown, and the problem is unlike one you’ve ever seen. This is the time to brainstorm, get creative, and generate alternatives.
We put in place laws that allowed for the forced sterilization of 60,000 Americans that the government determined were unworthy of reproduction.
honesty . justice . These were the general standards used by the CEOs in creating a decision about how they should deal with downsizing. While this is not a standard model, it does reveal the underlying ideas business leaders use to make ethical choices.
It might also be helpful to take a look at the mistakes the leader’s company and other organizations have made and learn from them. Everyone does not always get it right 100 percent of the time. Therefore, it is essential to see the good and bad side to become even more informed about a decision that should be made.
This ethical standard puts a lot of emphasis on relationships, and how compassion for the fellow man should drive people to do good by others. Virtue. A virtue approach requires leaders to base ethical standards on universal virtues such as honesty, courage, compassion, tolerance, and many others.
It purposely leaves out anything related to making a profit so that leaders can focus on values instead of a potential impact on revenue.
Leaders have to develop ethical standards that employees in their company will be required to adhere to. This can help move the conversation toward using a model to decide when someone is in violation of ethics. There are five sources of ethical standards: Utilitarian.
The intent is for people to be treated fairly and with dignity and not as a means to an end. Fairness.
The Character-Based Decision-Making Model was created by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, and it has three main components leaders can use to make an ethical decision.
Using one or more of these principles and ethical approaches intentionally can also help you examine choices and options before making a decision or solving an ethical dilemma .
They are utilitarianism; universalism, which is a duty-based approach; a rights approach, which takes a moral and legal approach; justice; virtue; common good; and finally the ethical relativism approach.
Universalism: A Duty-Based Approach. Universalism is a principle that considers the welfare and risks of all parties when considering policy decisions and outcomes. Also needs of individuals involved in a decision are identified as well as the choices they have and the information they need to protect their welfare.
Ethical principles are different from values in that the former are considered as rules that are more permanent, universal, and unchanging, whereas values are subjective, even personal, and can change with time. Principles help inform and influence values.
Some limitations when using this principle are (1) it can be used to disguise and manipulate selfish and unjust political interests, (2) it is difficult to determine who deserves what when both parties are “right,” and (3) individuals can exaggerate certain entitlements at the expense of others.
The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. New York: Free Press. The principles that we will cover are utilitarianism, universalism, rights/legal, justice, virtue, common good, and ethical relativism approaches. As you read these, ask yourself which principles characterize and underlie your own values, beliefs, ...
Legal rights are entitlements that are limited to a particular legal system and jurisdiction. In the United States, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence are the basis for citizens’ legal rights, for example, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the right to freedom of speech.
False. The final step in the ethical decision-making process is: Monitor outcomes. The following are all included in Proctor and Gamble's Code of Ethics EXCEPT:
The principles of management are drawn from a number of academic fields, principally, the fields of: leadership, management and strategy. Environmental scan ning is the act of analyzing the critical external contingencies and trends facing an organization in terms of: economic conditions, competitors, and customers.
Using one or more of these principles and ethical approaches intentionally can also help you examine choices and options before making a decision or solving an ethical dilemma .
Ethical principles are different from values in that the former are considered as rules that are more permanent, universal, and unchanging, whereas values are subjective, even personal, and can change with time. Principles help inform and influence values. Some of the principles presented here date back to Plato, Socrates, ...
The utilitarianism principle basically holds that an action is morally right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. An action is morally right if the net benefits over costs are greatest for all affected compared with the net benefits of all other possible choices. This, as with all these principles ...
Universalism: A Duty-Based Approach. Universalism is a principle that considers the welfare and risks of all parties when considering policy decisions and outcomes. Also needs of individuals involved in a decision are identified as well as the choices they have and the information they need to protect their welfare.
Some limitations when using this principle are (1) it can be used to disguise and manipulate selfish and unjust political interests, (2) it is difficult to determine who deserves what when both parties are “right,” and (3) individuals can exaggerate certain entitlements at the expense of others.
Ethical Relativism: A Self-Interest Approach. Ethical relativism is really not a “principle” to be followed or modeled. It is an orientation that many use quite frequently. Ethical relativism holds that people set their own moral standards for judging their actions.
This principle has at least four major components that are based on the tenets that (1) all individuals should be treated equally; (2) justice is served when all persons have equal opportunities and advantages (through their positions and offices) to society’s opportunities and burdens; (3) fair decision practices, procedures, and agreements among parties should be practiced; and (4) punishment is served to someone who has inflicted harm on another , and compensation is given to those for a past harm or injustice committed against them.