UNIT 1: MORAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Moral Decision-Making Process
The principle of utility states that an ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and
minimize harms.
Moral Awareness
You are more likely to recognize moral issues when…
● Peers consider it morally problematic
● Moral language is used when problem is presented
○ Situations can be framed in different ways
○ Positively or negatively
○ Neutral or euphemistic languages keep individuals from think about the
implications of a decision
● Decision could cause serious harm to others
Sound Ethical Decision-Making
1. Gather the facts
a. historical facts, facts concerning situations that you should know.
b. Easier said than done3lots of uncertainty3may be unavailable
2. Define the ethical issues
a. Don't jump to solutions3usually multiple ethical issues
b. Consequentialist would think in terms of harms or benefits
- Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something
is right by what its consequences are. For instance, most people would agree
that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person's life,
consequentialism says it's the right thing to do.
, c. Virtue ethics approach: would think about issues in terms of community
standards; focuses on the integrity of the actor’s character, motivations, and
intentions to be a virtuous person.
3. Identify the affected parties(Stakeholders)
a. Both consequentialist and deontological thinking involve ability to identify parties
affected by parties
i. Deontologist focuses on doing what is right based on broad, absolute and
universal moral principles or values4a <Rule-Based Ethic= such as
following the Ten Commandments
b. Kohlberg3theory of moral reasoning3called this skill role taking4> putting
yourself in others’ shoes
c. Rawls’ veil of ignorance asks you to do this too
d. As you think of more parties, more issues will come to mind
e. Stakeholders: all individuals/groups who has a stake in decision/action
i. Some may not even be born yet
4. Identify the consequences
a. Think about potential consequences for each party3can’t identify all (just
probable ones or ones with big negative impact even if not probable)
b. Obviously derived from consequentialist approaches
c. Long-term vs. Short-Term Consequences
i. Are you confident that your behavior will be considered ethical over a long
period even if things change?
d. Symbolic consequences
i. Every decision sends a message; it stands for something4what if it’s
misunderstood?
e. Consequences of Secrecy
i. If decision is made in provide to avoid some negative reaction, think about
if it were to ever become public3think about disclosure rule
5. Identify the obligations
a. Identify duties and obligations and why
i. Ex: Pat shouldn’t break her promise to her boss4trust will be broken
6. Consider your character and integrity
a. Ask yourself what a person of good integrity would do
b. Might be helpful to identify relevant moral community3what would it advise
c. Disclosure rule: A useful decision-making rule based on the broader community
as a guide.
- Ex: <How would you feel if your behavior appeared publicly in the New
York Times?= … If it doesn’t look good for our behavior to appear in
a public outlet, don’t do it.
- Easy to do quickly
d. Keep your reputation4industries are smaller than you think
7. Think creatively about potential actions
, a. Don’t assume your only options are A or B4> there is a C
8. Check your gut
a. We’re all wired to be empathetic and to desire fairness
b. If your gut is sending you red flags3give the situation another look3don’t let your
gut make the decision for you though
Group and Organizational Pressures
The Pygmalion effect (p. 201): appeals to people’s desire to do what’s right. It is also likely to
get people to think on how they achieve their goals, not just whether they’ve achieved them.
● Group norms
○ <Everyone’s doing it=
■ Can be said by individuals or groups
○ Rationalizing unethical behavior
■ Excuses for the behavior
○ Pressure to go along
■ Trying to convince you, if they don’t do it alone, then it is more justified
● Organizational effects
○ Rewards and punishments
■ Ppl are more likely to respond well to rewards and punishments
■ Rewards are often tied with explicit goals
■ Goals focus attention on the desired outcome and they lead individuals to
strategize about how to achieve goals that have been set.
■ However, intense focus on attaining a task goal can distract people from
ethical goals.
■ If the manager only focuses on the ends and neglects the means, then
there it a fatal flaw in this system
○ Roles at work
■ People enter work organizations in a state of <role readiness=. In this
state, they are more likely to engage in behaviors that are consistent with
their organizationally prescribed role, even if those behaviors violate other
values they hold.
■ Ppl are sometimes expected to play different roles that may make
competing demands on them, causing internal conflicts and stress that
may be resolved via unethical behavior such as lying.
■ Deindividuation: only fulfilling the function the organization gave you to
fulfill.
■ Whistle-blowing (reporting the misconduct of others) is sometimes
prescribed for individuals in certain jobs (support ethical behavior).
Moral Decision-Making Process
The principle of utility states that an ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and
minimize harms.
Moral Awareness
You are more likely to recognize moral issues when…
● Peers consider it morally problematic
● Moral language is used when problem is presented
○ Situations can be framed in different ways
○ Positively or negatively
○ Neutral or euphemistic languages keep individuals from think about the
implications of a decision
● Decision could cause serious harm to others
Sound Ethical Decision-Making
1. Gather the facts
a. historical facts, facts concerning situations that you should know.
b. Easier said than done3lots of uncertainty3may be unavailable
2. Define the ethical issues
a. Don't jump to solutions3usually multiple ethical issues
b. Consequentialist would think in terms of harms or benefits
- Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something
is right by what its consequences are. For instance, most people would agree
that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person's life,
consequentialism says it's the right thing to do.
, c. Virtue ethics approach: would think about issues in terms of community
standards; focuses on the integrity of the actor’s character, motivations, and
intentions to be a virtuous person.
3. Identify the affected parties(Stakeholders)
a. Both consequentialist and deontological thinking involve ability to identify parties
affected by parties
i. Deontologist focuses on doing what is right based on broad, absolute and
universal moral principles or values4a <Rule-Based Ethic= such as
following the Ten Commandments
b. Kohlberg3theory of moral reasoning3called this skill role taking4> putting
yourself in others’ shoes
c. Rawls’ veil of ignorance asks you to do this too
d. As you think of more parties, more issues will come to mind
e. Stakeholders: all individuals/groups who has a stake in decision/action
i. Some may not even be born yet
4. Identify the consequences
a. Think about potential consequences for each party3can’t identify all (just
probable ones or ones with big negative impact even if not probable)
b. Obviously derived from consequentialist approaches
c. Long-term vs. Short-Term Consequences
i. Are you confident that your behavior will be considered ethical over a long
period even if things change?
d. Symbolic consequences
i. Every decision sends a message; it stands for something4what if it’s
misunderstood?
e. Consequences of Secrecy
i. If decision is made in provide to avoid some negative reaction, think about
if it were to ever become public3think about disclosure rule
5. Identify the obligations
a. Identify duties and obligations and why
i. Ex: Pat shouldn’t break her promise to her boss4trust will be broken
6. Consider your character and integrity
a. Ask yourself what a person of good integrity would do
b. Might be helpful to identify relevant moral community3what would it advise
c. Disclosure rule: A useful decision-making rule based on the broader community
as a guide.
- Ex: <How would you feel if your behavior appeared publicly in the New
York Times?= … If it doesn’t look good for our behavior to appear in
a public outlet, don’t do it.
- Easy to do quickly
d. Keep your reputation4industries are smaller than you think
7. Think creatively about potential actions
, a. Don’t assume your only options are A or B4> there is a C
8. Check your gut
a. We’re all wired to be empathetic and to desire fairness
b. If your gut is sending you red flags3give the situation another look3don’t let your
gut make the decision for you though
Group and Organizational Pressures
The Pygmalion effect (p. 201): appeals to people’s desire to do what’s right. It is also likely to
get people to think on how they achieve their goals, not just whether they’ve achieved them.
● Group norms
○ <Everyone’s doing it=
■ Can be said by individuals or groups
○ Rationalizing unethical behavior
■ Excuses for the behavior
○ Pressure to go along
■ Trying to convince you, if they don’t do it alone, then it is more justified
● Organizational effects
○ Rewards and punishments
■ Ppl are more likely to respond well to rewards and punishments
■ Rewards are often tied with explicit goals
■ Goals focus attention on the desired outcome and they lead individuals to
strategize about how to achieve goals that have been set.
■ However, intense focus on attaining a task goal can distract people from
ethical goals.
■ If the manager only focuses on the ends and neglects the means, then
there it a fatal flaw in this system
○ Roles at work
■ People enter work organizations in a state of <role readiness=. In this
state, they are more likely to engage in behaviors that are consistent with
their organizationally prescribed role, even if those behaviors violate other
values they hold.
■ Ppl are sometimes expected to play different roles that may make
competing demands on them, causing internal conflicts and stress that
may be resolved via unethical behavior such as lying.
■ Deindividuation: only fulfilling the function the organization gave you to
fulfill.
■ Whistle-blowing (reporting the misconduct of others) is sometimes
prescribed for individuals in certain jobs (support ethical behavior).
