Ethical Decision Making

FACTORS AFFECTING ETHICAL DECISIONS

UNCERTAINTY OF INPUTS CENTRALITY OF WORKFLOW

POWER

CONTROL OF ETHICAL CONTINGENCIES

BEHAVIOR

SUBSTITUTABILITY OF ACTIVITIES

PREVENTIVE ROUTINIZATION

COPING ROUTINIZATION

A General Framework of the Ethical DecisionMaking Process

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECISION MAKER

ETHICAL SITUATION

DECISION

OUTCOMES

SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES

Elements of the Ethical Situation

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECISION MAKER

ETHICAL SITUATION

DECISION
SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES

OUTCOMES

* Opportunity

* Ethical decision history * Moral intensity of the situation

Elements of the Ethical DecisionMaking Process

ELEMENTS OF THE DECISION
PERCEIVED ETHICAL PROBLEM

Characteristics of Decision Makers

Ethical Situation

DECISION Significant Influences

Outcomes

Information acquired Information processed

Ethical decision history Expectations Sent and received roles Ethics norms (personal & those of others)

PERCEIVED ALTERNATIVES, PRODUCT, PRICE, PROMOTION, DISTRIBUTION INFO

JUDGMENT

Information acquired Information processed

PERCEIVED CONSQUENCES

Probability of consequences Desirability of consequences

Individual Characteristics of the Decision Maker that Influence the Ethical Decision-Making Process
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECISION MAKER

ETHICAL SITUATION

DECISION
SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES

OUTCOMES

* Achievement motivation * Need for affiliation * Ego strength * Locus of control

* Knowledge * Experience * Risk taking

Significant Influences on the Ethical Decision-Making Process

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECISION MAKER

ETHICAL SITUATION

DECISION
SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES

OUTCOMES

* The organization * Work * The law * Economics * Professionalism

* Technology * Significant others; customers, peers, immediate supervisor, top managers, family, friends, other opinion leaders

Outcomes that Result from the Ethical Decision-Making Process

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECISION MAKER

ETHICAL SITUATION

DECISION
SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCES

OUTCOMES

* Performance * Rewards * Satisfaction

* Feedback * Promotions * Learning

VENN DIAGRAM MODEL FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN A CORPORATE ORGANISATION

AREA 1--Profitable and ethical. Probably legal too. PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY

Ethical responsibility

AREA 3--Legal and ethical but not profitable. FIND WAYS FOR PROFITABILITY.

4
2

Legal responsibility

Economic responsibility
AREA 2--Profitable and legal. PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY

AREA 4--Profitable, legal, ethical: GO FOR IT