MGMT 372

Ethical Dilemma

Situations where two or more “right” values are in conflict

Deontological Approach

Focus on duties, obligations, principles, or rules

Virtue Ethics

Focus on integrity

Prescriptive Ethics

Focuses on how people SHOULD make ethical decisions

Descriptive Ethics

Focuses on how people DO make ethical decisions

What are the steps to sound ethical decision making?

1. Gather the facts

2. Define Ethical Issues

3. Identify affected parties

4. Identify the consequences

5. Identify obligations

6. Consider your character and integrity

7. Think about potential actions

8. Check your gut

What is the disclosure rule?

If you’d be embarrassed to post it on social media, don’t do it

What is Cognitive Moral Development?

Moral reasoning develops sequentially through three broad levels, each composed of 2 stages

What is the first level of moral development?

Preconventional - Individual is self centered and views ethics as rules imposed upon them

What is the second level of moral development?

Conventional - Individual is still externally focused on others, but is less self centered and has internalized the moral norms of society or segment

What is the third level of moral development?

Postconventional or Principled - Individual has developed beyond identification with others expectations rules and laws, and are able to make decisions more autonomously Look to justice and rights to make their decisions.

What is the locus of control?

An individual’s perception of how much an individual has control over his or her life events.

What is a External locus of control?

A person who believes that the outcomes of his or her actions are primarily the result of outside factors or luck/fate

What is an internal locus of control?

A person who believes that the outcomes of his or her actions are primarily the result of their own actions or efforts

What is the sixth, most recently added factor added to the personality model?

Honesty-humility - Those high in this are less likely to engage in counterproductive or unethical work behaviors

What is Machiavellianism?

Individuals who act in self-interested opportunistic, deceptive or manipulative ways in order to win no matter the cost to others

What is Moral Disengagement?

A mechanism that allows individuals to act in an unethical manner without feeling bad about it

What is euphemistic Language?

Labeling of actions in a way that minimizes the ethical overtones, e.g. problematic or troubled assets aren’t nearly as bad as “toxic”

What is Moral Justification

unethical behavior is thought to be okay because it contributes to some socially valued outcome

What is advantageous comparison?

Comparing ones own behavior to another’s in order to make own behavior more okay. e.g. “I’m not as bad as him”

What is displacement of responsibility?

Individuals reduce personal accountability by thinking of their actions as resulting from another persons dictation

What is diffusion of responsibility?

Individuals will reduce personal accountability by looking to others of the group (“It’s not my job”, “My team made the decision”)

What is distortion of consequences?

Individuals will think of negative consequences as less serious than they are (“its no big deal to fudge this number”)

What is dehumanization?

Individuals make those who would be harmed less worthy of ethical consideration because they are thought to be different, stupid or not human.

What is attribution of blame?

Individuals reduce personal accountability by laying blame on the victim (“They were asking for it”)

What are values?

An individuals unique most important things

What are people issues?

Ethical problems related to when people work together, such as privacy, discrimination, sexual or other harassment, or simply how people get along.

What is a conflict of interest?

When a person’s business judgement or objectivity is compromised or appears compromised because of a personal relationship the person has

What are the characteristics of fairness?

equity, impartiality and integrity

What is a “good soldier”

An individual who understands and follows the rules and policies of the organization, and they have good ethical compasses

What is a “loose cannon'“

An individual who has a good ethical compass, but does not know their corporations policies.

What is a “grenade”

An individual who knows their corporations policies, but does not care. they have own agenda and lack company or professional loyalty.