Ethical Dilemma

Ethics
 plural but sing or plural in constr :the
discipline dealing with what is good and
bad and with moral duty and obligation2
a: a set of moral principles : a theory or
system of moral values
Dilemma:
 an argument presenting two or more
equally conclusive alternatives against an
opponent
OR
a problem involving a difficult choice
 Ethical Dilemma is:

 NOT a choice between right and wrong

 IS a choice between two things that could
both equally be right
 A situation that, although offering potential
benefits, is unethical.
For Example
 Deciding whether to lie about harboring a
criminal in your home who committed a
double homicide.
 THIS IS NOT A ETHICAL DILEMMA –
WHY?
 Deciding, in Nazi Germany, to lie about
harboring Jews in your home knowing they
would be killed if you turned them in.
 THIS IS A ETHICAL DILEMMA –
WHY?
Example:
“When a used car salesman tells you, ‘This is
the car for you,’ you fully expect the salesman
to be motivated primarily by self-interest:
he wants to sell you the car to put a few
dollars in his pocket.”
 “But when an audiologist tells you, ‘This is
the hearing aid for you,’ you assume that
recommendation stems from the
audiologist’s independent judgment that
this particular hearing aid would be best for
you.”
 “The used car salesman is a businessman;
the audiologist is a ‘professional.’
Professionals distinguish themselves from
‘mere’ businessmen or tradesman by
holding themselves to a higher standard
than self-interest.”
 “Because professionals ‘profess’ to hold the
client’s or patient’s interest paramount,
clients or patients seek out professionals
and repose their confidence in them in order
to find the added measure of safety and
comfort inherent in such relationships.”
Characteristic of ethical dilemma
Choice between equally undesirable
alternative
Different courses of action possible
Involves valid judgments about action or
consequences
Data will not help resolve issue
Different sources (psychology, theology) offer
resolution
Unfavorable outcomes will result
Choices have for effecting on person,
relationship and
society
Resources which must be allocated are finite or
 Solving an Ethical Dilemma

When making a decision we must consider:

• The people and things that will be affected, not only
ourselves.
• The values that deal with the problem and its
solution.
• The means used and the goals we want to
accomplish.
Therefore, in every moral
act there must be:
 Conscience of the reasons for doing it (Why do I do this
action?).
 • Conscience of the intentions (What for?).
 • Conscience of the means (How am I going to do it?).
 • Conscience of the possible outcomes (What do I wish to
accomplish?).
 • Conscience of the results (What happened in reality?)
and the consequences (Were there any negative effects?).
Checklist for dealing with ethical
dilemmas
 Step 1. Recognize the ethical dilemma.
 Step 2. Get the facts.
 Step 3. Identify your options.
 Step 4. Test each option: Is it legal? Is it right? Is it
beneficial?
 Step 5. Decide which option to follow.
 Step 6. Ask the “Spotlight Questions”: To double check
your decision.
 “How would I feel if my family found out about my decision?”
 “How would I feel if the local newspaper printed my
decision?”
 Step 7. Take action
Ethics and Work
The Wall Street Journal reports:
• 36% of workers calling in sick are lying.
• 35% keep quiet about co-worker
misconduct.
• 12% of job resumes contain falsehoods.
• Managers are more likely than other
workers to report wrongdoing.
• Managers with 0–3 years experience feel
most pressure to violate personal ethics.
Ethical philosophy
 There are three different ethical
philosophies that individuals follow under
different situations in an organizational set-
up.

 These are- utilitarianism, individual rights,

and justice.

 Organizations attempt to ensure that their

employees behave ethically by using
control systems
 The individual rights philosophy deals
with safeguarding the rights of individuals,
such as the right to be informed, right to
free speech, right to free consent, the right
to privacy, and the right to due process.

 Utilitarianism recommends that a course of

action that achieves the greatest good for
the greatest number of people is ethical
 Justice requires that the rules of the
organization be enforced fairly and
impartially. Individuals should be
accountable only for factors which are
under their control.

 Utilitarianism is the most commonly

followed ethical philosophy
Individual factors External Environmental factors

Ethical philosophy Organizational

& Position related
Decision ideology factors

Ethical
Decision
Making

Ethical
Decision
behavior
history

Reinforcement/
Reward systems
Whistleblowers
 Persons who expose organizational
misdeeds in order to preserve ethical
standards and protect against wasteful,
harmful, or illegal acts.
 Many whistleblowers were / are fired for

their actions.
 State and federal laws now offer some

protection
We have an increasing number of
dilemmas due to erosion of values
Mainly because:
 Dominance of economic considerations in the materialistic
world
 Exposure to much ethnic multi cultural and plural society
depicted in satellite
 Religion has been politicized and loss of faith
 Increased influence of western thoughts on younger
generations
 Relative ease of cutting corners
 Difficulty in thinking about consequences of alternate
courses
 Different from rashness or stubbornness.
The final test as to whether an
action is ethical or not are answers
to the following questions
1. If the answers are all negative, then the
chances are you are being ethical.
2. Is it in conflict with values deep religious
beliefs?
3. Does it hurt my conscience?
4. Do I feel guilty?
5. Will I feel bad to admit in public?
“Character doesn’t stay
at home
when we go to work”

A code of moral standards of conduct for

what is “good” and “right” as opposed to
what is “bad” or “wrong”.
 "If you refuse to fight this righteous war
then, shirking your duty and loosing your
reputation, you will incur sin. Nay, people
will also pour undying infamy on you;
infamy brought on a man enjoying popular
esteem is worse than death.“
Lord Krishna
 Quoting from Bhagavad Gita

 Karmanyeva adhikaraste maphaleshu kadachana

makarma phala heturbhu mate sangotswa karmani

 When we are dealing with management and

human action we cannot take absolute positions
on passions like greed and intolerance
Ethics
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