Ethical Decision Making Framework

The moral principles that direct one's behavior are known as ethics. Sociologist Raymond Baumhart conducted a study a few years ago to ascertain what ethics meant to various groups of individuals. The corporate leaders determine the rules and regulations to be followed, the employees follow them, and ethical violations are dealt with in a well-coordinated manner as part of the organizational policy within the framework of ethical standards. Following the law and considering how your actions affect others are also considered to be ethical. Society as a whole depends on ethics, and business ethics are as important because they affect a company's performance and its employees' relationships. Value and behavior of a person can influence ethical decision making in an organization if they are put to use. It has been seen that good values may be as a result of good behavior, as it is well known that values provide the basis of development in a person’s attitude which in long run affect the decision making behavior of a person who is used to them.

Business ethics has developed into standards of moral and ethical responsibility (Velasquez.M, what is ethics?). Need for moral and ethical behavior in all matters concerning local and international communications and partnerships has encouraged the growth of business ethics.

Business ethics is practiced not only in corporate offices but also the local shops like a grocery store. The business ethics is involved with employer and employee rights, morality, responsibility and business step/ decisions from the junior level to the highest level.

Business ethics have a high impact on the running of the business in the 21st century; business ethics helps to bridge economic and moral values as well as language gaps in a business and the conducting of business. Ethics in business is built on several foundations; attitude, values, behaviors, and customs.

The Importance of ethics

In an organization, conflicts can arise due to lack of justice and fairness in how decisions are made and handled. Leaders, therefore, have to step up and take up the responsibility of ensuring that ethics are followed. They have to emphasize the importance of adhering to ethical decisions and should provide critical judgments based on the type of conflict being handled. They have to apply their investigative skills to ensure that all people are treated equally. This will assist individuals to make ethical decisions and establish an effective communication system for promoting justice when there is conflict.

Parameters of ethical decision making

Identifying ethical standards can be hard because of the different social practices in the societies, the various religions, and people’s consciousness. However, there are a few approaches that help define ethics.

The rights approach

The rights approach suggests that an ethical action is one that protects the interests and safety of the persons involved. This approach is centered on the fact that human beings have dignity based on the human nature, human beings have a right to be treated as ""ends and not merely as means to other ends."" This approach has influenced the formation of human rights like rights to make one's own decision, and it is ethical for all to respect this right.

The utilitarian approach

This approach is based on the actions that provide more good than harm to people. In the business context, this approach involves actions that produce more good to employees, clients, the environment and community at large.

The common good approach

Just as the word suggests, the common good approach is all about ensuring that people in a society enjoy the best conditions ranging from health, public education, and even recreational areas. This approach helps guide business persons during ethical decision making to ensure that the policies, vision, and mission is geared towards achieving the common good of citizens.

The virtue approach

This simply means that ethics should be based on habits practiced in a particular society. Such virtues include honesty, love, compassion, integrity self-control, fidelity just to mention a few. This virtue dictates people behavior and greatly influences how decisions concerning ethics are made.

The approaches might not be agreeable to everyone, but they help determine the parameters in ethical decision making.

Decision making

When making decisions, it is essential to be sensitive to ethical issues. Discussion and dialogue is an integral part of the decision-making process especially if the moral issue at hand is controversial.

The framework for ethical decision making.

Recognizing the ethical issue.

Identify if the decision at hand is dangerous to someone or a group, does the decision involve a good or bad alternative or does it involve both good factors or either bad factors? Also, consider if the decision is more legal or is more efficient.

Getting proper information.

Get the facts right, learn the situation as such facts and evaluations will help in making a decision. It is essential to also consider the outcome and concerns.

Consider other actions

Weigh your actions by asking the following questions; Which option produces the most good and causes the least harm to the people? (Utilitarian approach).

What choice puts first the human rights? (Rights approach).

Which option treats all people equally? (Justice approach).

And which option serves the community? (Common good approach).

After making the decision test it

After considering the approach and the best option to address the issues, examine the final possibility and analyze people's response towards it. Testing an option will also involve reflecting on the outcome, how does the decision achieve the best for citizens?

Finally, decision making in business ethics is a process that should involve all stakeholders to ensure that all parties achieve the desired outcomes and factors like religion, and customs are considered. Planning and outlining a good structure will help in achieving the best during decision making.

References

Andre.C, Meyer. M.J, Shanks.T, Velasques.M. (2010), Retrieved from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/

https://www.universalclass.com/articles/business/a-look-at-business-ethics.htm

A framework for ethical decision making, (2015 August 1), https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/a-framework-for-ethical-decision-making/

Ethical business practices, (2002), http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/cadbury-schweppes/ethical-business-practices/the-importance-of-ethics-in-business.htm