Making Ethical Judgments And Describe How The Individual Pe

Making Ethical Judgmentsand 2 Describe How The Individual Person Dev

Ethics provides the tools for making ethical judgments, and helps develop the habits that result in morally good behavior. Good behavior requires the ability to make moral decisions. In this chapter, a model is presented to help individuals make ethically sound choices. Making ethical judgments involves three steps: (1) gathering relevant factual information, (2) selecting the moral norm(s) that most help to make the decision, and (3) making the ethical judgment on the rightness or wrongness of the act or policy. These judgments are often challenging because facts may be unclear and norms disputed, leading to perceptions of ethics as ill-defined or subjective. Nonetheless, ethical decision-making is crucial for establishing trust and integrity, especially in business contexts.

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Ethical judgments are fundamental to fostering morally upright behavior in individuals and organizations. As highlighted, making such judgments involves a systematic process: collecting pertinent facts, identifying the appropriate moral norms, and evaluating the act’s moral standing. This process underscores the importance of both knowledge and reflective reasoning in ethical decision-making. Understanding the dimensions and challenges of ethics is essential for navigating complex moral dilemmas, especially in a competitive business environment where conflicting interests and norms frequently arise.

A pertinent example is the case of an executive padding her expense account. Research indicates that a significant majority of business leaders view this behavior as unethical, primarily because expense accounts are designated to cover genuine work-related expenses, not personal gains. Despite cultural differences—whether in the United States or Japan—there is a consensus that such behavior is unacceptable. This consensus demonstrates that ethical standards transcend cultural boundaries, emphasizing common moral principles such as honesty and fairness.

The core reason padding expense accounts is viewed as unethical relates to principles of justice and fairness. Justice calls for equitable distribution of benefits and burdens within society, affirming that benefits like expense reimbursements should be based solely on legitimate expenses. When individuals manipulate such systems for personal gain, they undermine fairness and erode trust within organizations. Moreover, ethical norms such as rights and duties, justice, and care guide individuals toward correct moral judgments by honoring human dignity, fairness, and interpersonal relationships respectively.

The norm of rights and duties, rooted in the philosophies of Immanuel Kant and John Locke, underscores individual rights to honor and property. Kantian ethics emphasizes that individuals should act according to maxims that can be universally applied, which forbids exploiting expense accounts for personal benefit. Conversely, Locke’s emphasis on property rights supports the notion that one’s rightful property—here, legitimate expenses—should not be arbitrarily appropriated. These frameworks serve as guiding principles for evaluating business conduct, ensuring that actions align with moral duties owed to oneself and others.

In recent decades, there has been a recognition of the norm of caring, which emphasizes relationships and responsibilities arising from interpersonal connections. Unlike idealized notions of autonomous individuals, caring ethics suggest that moral obligations are profoundly influenced by relational contexts. For example, the moral dilemma faced by a manager considering whether to report a coworker’s misconduct involves balancing loyalty, honesty, and concern for the organization’s integrity. This norm, often associated with female moral development as discussed by Gilligan, stresses that ethical decisions must consider the impact on others and the importance of compassion and responsibility within relationships.

Applying these normative frameworks in a global business environment introduces additional complexities. Different cultures possess varying norms and practices, which can challenge the universality of ethical principles. Efforts to establish international standards seek to identify shared values—such as honesty, respect, and fairness—that can guide multinational corporations. Scholars like Velasquez argue that a comprehensive approach, integrating rights, justice, utilitarianism, and caring, offers greater flexibility and applicability across diverse cultural contexts. Such an integrative model promotes global ethical coherence while respecting local particularities, facilitating more effective and morally consistent international business practices.

In confronting ethical dilemmas, overriding factors such as coercion, ignorance, or lack of information may mitigate individual responsibility. For example, in the case of managers pressured by higher authorities to falsify sales, coercion reduces culpability, highlighting the importance of understanding context in ethical evaluations. Similarly, uncertainty or insufficient information about a situation can justify withholding judgment until more facts are available. Recognizing these factors ensures a nuanced approach to ethical decision-making, emphasizing fairness and compassion and avoiding unjust blame.

In conclusion, ethical decision-making is a complex but essential aspect of personal and professional conduct. It requires careful consideration of facts, moral norms, and contextual factors to reach morally sound judgments. By embracing principles derived from rights, justice, caring, and utilitarianism—as well as understanding the influence of overriding factors—individuals and organizations can navigate moral dilemmas more effectively, fostering trust, integrity, and social responsibility in a globalized world.

References

• Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Translated by Marvin Farber, 1948.
• Locke, J. (1689). Two Treatises of Government.
• Gilligan, C. (1982). In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development. Harvard University Press.
• Velasquez, M. (2012). Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases (7th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Baumhart, R. C. (1961). How Business People View Business Ethics. Harvard Business Review.
• Kidder, R. M. (2005). Moral Courage: Courageous Action in the Face of Oppression, Tyranny, Threat, or Habit. Jossey-Bass.
• Turiel, E. (1983). The Development of Social Knowledge: Morality and Convention. Cambridge University Press.
• Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2010). Business Ethics (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Donaldson, T., & Werhane, P. H. (2008). Ethical Issues in Business: A Normative Approach. Prentice Hall.
• Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, S., & Meyer, M. J. (2019). Thinking Ethically (12th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.