Week 6 Flashcards
what is descriptive ethics?
Theory that describes how ethical decisions are actually made in business, and explains what factors influence the process and outcomes of those decisions.
what are the decision making steps?
- Recognising and formulating the problem
- Determining desired outcomes
- Identifying alternative courses of action
- Analysing and evaluating alternative actions
- Deciding on one course of action
- Implementing the action
- Evaluating the outcome
what is the first stage in Rest’s model (1984)?
- Awareness
- Becoming aware that there is a moral issue at stake. Also referred to as interpreting the situation, sensitivity, or recognition.
- individual factors such as personality, personal values and situational factors that include structural and cultural aspects affect this awareness
what is the second stage in Rest’s model (1984)?
- Judgement
The decision-making itself, sometimes called moral evaluation or moral reasoning.
- managers make decisions in two types of way -> rational vs emotional/ intuitive (Schwartz, 2016) - Rational approach
- Appropriate selection of moral framework
- Moral reasoning to determine appropriate application and analysis of the problem - Emotional or intuitive responses
- Grasping moral truths by perception
- Moral reasoning providing “after the fact” justification
what are the four aspects of decision making for managers?
- internal, what is the impact on self
- instrumental, what is the impact on the organisation
- relational, impact on others
- ethical, moral framework
= all dimensions are needed for ethical judgement
what is stage 3 of Rest’s model (1984)?
- Intent
Moral intent is established, which may be referred to as moral motivation, decision, or determination, the commitment to act according to one’s moral values
- affected by individual factors, situational factors, reason, intuition
what is Stage 4 of Rest’s model (1984)?
- Behaviour
Acting on these intentions through one’s behaviour, can be referred to as action or implementation.
what are the individual factors that affect ethical decision making (schwartz, 2016)?
These are the unique characteristics of the individual actually making the relevant decision. These include factors that are given by birth (such as age and gender) and those acquired by experience and socialization (such as education, personality, and attitudes).
what are the situational factors that affect ethical decision making (schwartz, 2016)?
These are the particular features of the context that influence whether the individual will make an ethical or an unethical decision. These include factors associated with the work context (such as reward systems, job roles, and organizational culture) and those associated with the issue itself (such as the intensity of the moral issue or the ethical framing of the issue)
what is Kohlberg’s (1969) theory of cognitive moral development (1969)?
Kohlberg developed CMD theory to explain the different reasoning processes that individuals would use to make ethical judgements as they matured through childhood into adulthood
what is the first stage (2 levels) to CMD theory?
Level1 pre-conventional: The individual exhibits a concern with self-interest and external rewards and punishments, they are concerned with their own interests and define right according to whether there is fairness in the deals they make to achieve those interests
what is the second stage (levels 3&4) to CMD theory?
Stage 2 Conventional: The individual does what is expected of them by others, individuals’ consideration of the expectations of others broadens to social accord more generally, rather than just people around them
what is the third stage (levels 5&6) to CMD theory?
Stage 3 Post-conventional: The individual is developing more autonomous decision-making based on principles of rights and justice rather than external influences.
what is personal integrity?
An individual’s adherence to a consistent set of moral principles or values.
- something that affects managers and helps explain dilemmas as to why they struggle to make decisions in certain situations.
