Essay about Ethical Decision Making

The method of ethical decision making which was developed by Dr. Cathryn A. Baird presented two components contained in all ethical decisions which are; The Four ethical Lenses and the 4+1 Decision process. The Four Ethical Lenses issue claims that different ethical theories and the means in which we tend to approach the situations which form part of our ethical traditions are looked at in four different perspectives. From each perspective there are different values on which to decide whether the action taken is either ethical or not and each lens also lays emphasis on determining whether the decision made is of ethical requirement. In the 4+1 Decision Process, people who are responsible for making final decisions in an organization do it

Making sound ethical decisions require an intentional process that utilizes thoughtful reflection, supervision/consultation, and action. Many ethical decision making models exist and the seven-step model introduced by Forester-Miller and Davis (1996) is a succinct amalgamation of these earlier models. The model by Forester-Miller and Davis (1996) follows seven progressive steps: (a) identify the problem, (b) apply the ACA Code of Ethics (2014), (c) determine the nature and dimensions of the dilemma, (d) generate potential courses of action, (e) consider the potential consequences of all options and determine a course of action, (f) evaluate the selected course of action, and (g) implement the course of action.

Every day people make decisions that may have profound effect on their personal and/or professional lives as well as the lives of others. The decision people make have a foundation on their personal, cultural, and perhaps organizational values. When these values are in disagreement, an ethical dilemma occurs.

Apply the ethical decision making model presented in week one lectures (adapted from Beemsterboer, 2010; Velasquez et al, 2009) to the case study.

Creating and defining my own ethical framework is essential in future success as a businessman, a leader, and a team player. As a business student, I have learned that it can be a very cut throat industry and in order to get ahead, at some point and ethical dilemma will undoubtedly be an obstacle I have to overcome. The way I handle these dilemmas can make or break my career; business ethics are a key part of earning and sustaining respect, trust, and a good rapport with both clients and competitors in your industry. Therefore a solid ethical framework is an important tool for me to have as a standard for handling these types of dilemmas so that I can grow successfully while staying true to myself and to

Individual ethics are important in decision-making within the health care industry. One of the main reasons for that is because often ethical dilemmas occur at lower decision-making levels, and this means that the decision is being made by one person, facing a difficult situation that must be resolved quickly. Another reason that individual ethics are important in health care is that often a manager is unaware that there is an ethical dilemma. Thus, by failing to recognize the ethical dilemma, the manager is resolving the dilemma by his or her actions without realizing that an ethical decision is being made (Mintz, 2011). This very much puts the individual's ethical compass at the center of the decision, because the default decision is the one that is being made, regardless of the ethical implications. If the person is generally ethical, the decision will probably be the right one; if the person lacks ethical standards, the decision could be very poor as result.

When we make a decision, we determine whether something is morally or immoral based on our personal VABES. There may be nothing ethically wrong with the situation but a person may feel that it is goes against their personal morally values based on their personal VABES. Ethics are established based on acceptable behaviors for groups and individuals (Clawson, 2012). People base what they consider to be ethical off of their VABES and understanding of what is right and wrong. A person determines whether an act is ethical based off their values and beliefs that they have developed a for a lifetime. When making any decision the person must have a clear understanding of whether not it is an ethical or non-ethical decision and if it goes against their beliefs. Legality is another important part of decision-making any concerns individuals abiding by laws put in place by society (Clawson, 2012). Whether something is legal or illegal is very important when making a decision. When a person finds it unethical or morally wrong to commit an illegal act is based off their VABES. In any decision, a person must consider whether an act or decision will go against their ethical beliefs. They must also consider whether it is important and matches their personal

Ethical decision making is absolutely essential if our company is to continue to grow and to maintain its standing in the business community. Ethical decision making is something that should not merely pertain to upper levels of management, but should apply to the company at all levels of its corporate hierarchy.

Based on study of thousands of real ethical dilemmas, Kidder presents four ethical paradigm pairs:

Recognizing that not all decisions are ethical, one’s moral principles acts as a guide for their behavior and decision making. Therefore, ethics do (and should) play a major role in decision making.

To understand “ethical decision making” it is best to break the phrase up. What is the definition of ethics? According to the website businessdictionary.com (2011), ethics are “basic concepts and fundamental principles of right human conduct.” It stands to reason that ethical decision making is the ability to make decisions based on core or base principles of correct human conduct. We at Acme Toy Company depend on employees at all levels to make the “right” choices when it comes to business decisions and their own conduct. How do we support them in their ethical decision making?

Industries around the world, some more than other, have revenue and assets higher than the GDP of a number of nations. This makes them more powerful than those nations. These companies are run by Individuals who essentially make decisions on how the profit is made and how operations and activities are carried out. Their actions and decisions could potentially have an impact on a number of things, generally; the environment, national economies and even the lives of people somewhere on the globe. Making ethical decisions entails the decision maker(s) moral judgement about what is right and wrong and is carried out based on what they think is the right course of action. This may involve whiling away what could potentially increase a business’s yield financially but will also cause harm or pain for other stakeholder’s involved. This is why among many other reasons, ethics is very important for both the businesses and the society.

Many ethical decision-making models suggest that the first step in an ethical decision-making model is to pinpoint the issue at hand by gathering information. This model suggests that the first step in an ethical-decision making model is to clearly define and describe the dilemma.

I will use the “Practisioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making” model of Holly Forerster-Miller and Thomas

The term often used to describe the system or principles by which we choose right from wrong is ethics. Conflicts in ethics arise when one person or a group of people impede the beliefs of another person or group of people. It would not be possible to decide who is right or wrong when a conflict arises, but it is our moral responsibility to resolve the dilemmas to the best of our ability. This paper is going to explore the topic of ethical decision-making and establish ground rules for the process and analyze possible ethical implications that may arise. What are the ground rules?