ETHICAL DILEMMA

·      ETHICAL DILEMMA

·         BY DR SHASHI AGAGRWAL

·       ETHICS

1.       IS OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. MEANS THE MORAL VALUES WHICH WILL DETERMINE AND DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT IS DESIRABLE AND WHAT IS UNDESIRABLE AND BETWEEN WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

2.       ETHICS ARE SET OF RULES AND  STANDARDS THAT GUIDE OUR BEHAVIOUR

3.       ETHICS MAY OR MAY NOT BE WRITTEN

4.       ETHICS ARE THE WELL GROUNDED STANDARD OF RIGHT  AND WRONG THAT DICTATE WHAT HUMAN OUGHT TO DO.

5.       PERSONAL ETHICS WHICH GUIDE OUR BEHAVIOUR

6.       PROFESSIONAL ETHICS WHICH GUIDE OUR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

·         DEFINITION OF ETHICS :

·         ETHICS IS THE SCIENCE OF JUDGING SPECIFICALLY HUMAN ENDS AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF MEANS TO THOSE ENDS. IN SOME WAY,IT IS ALSO THE ART OF CONTROLLING MEANS SO THAT THEY WILL SERVE SPECIFICALLY HUMAN ENDS

•    BUSINESS ETHICS

1.       SHOULD GOVERN THE DECISIONS AND ACTIONS OF BUSINESS PERSONS

2.       BUSINESS ETHICS INVOLVE APPLICATION OF MORAL STANDARDS TO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP AND TRANSACTIONS

3.       APPLIED ETHICS AND THEY INVOLVE THE APPLICATION OF MORALITY

4.       EXPECT THE BUSINESS FIRMS TO ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOUR THAT ARE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE AND ARE IN LARGE  INTERESTS OF THE SOCIETY IF ADHERED TO HONESTLY

•    ETHICAL DILEMMA

1.       ETHICAL PARADOX OR MORAL DILEMMA IS A PROBLEM IN THE DECISION MAKING BETWEEN TWO POSSIBLE OPTIONS,NEITHER OF WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ACCEPTABLE FROM AN ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE.

2.       ETHICAL DILEMMAS ARE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED CHALLENGES THAT CAN NOT BE EASILY SOLVED

3.       AN ETHICAL DILEMMA IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN ALTERNATIVES WHERE NO MATTER WHAT A PERSON DOES SOME ETHICAL PRINCIPLE WILL BE COMPROMISED. ANALYZING THE OPTIONS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES PROVIDE THE BASIC ELEMENTS FOR DECISION MAKING

4.       ETHICAL DILEMMA

5.       THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHEN THEIR IS NO SIMPLE CHOICE BETWEEN RIGHT OR WRONG

6.       DILEMMAS ARE COMPLEX WHEN MANAGERS HAVE NO CLEAR GUIDELINES EITHER IN LAW OR IN RELIGION. CHOICE ONE IS FACED IS CLEARLY OF THE RIGHT VERSUS WRONG

7.       ETHICAL DILEMMA ARE COMPLEX JUDGMENTS ON THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND THE SOCIAL PERFORMANCES OF AN ORGANIZATION.

•    DOUG WALLACE :

•    AN ETHICAL DILEMMA EXIST WHEN ONE IS FACED WITH HAVING TO MAKE A CHOICE AMONG THE FOLLOWING ALTERNATIVES :

1.       SIGNIFICANT VALUES CONFLICTS AMONG DIFFERENT INTERESTS

2.       REAL ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE EQUALLY JUSTIFIABLE

3.       SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES ON STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SITUATION

•   ETHICAL DILEMMA

•    ACCORDING TO RUSHWORTH KIDDER IN ETHICAL,THE TOUGHEST CHOICES ARE RIGHT VERSUS RIGHT FURTHER ADDS THAT THEY ARE GENUINE DILEMMAS PRECISELY BECAUSE EACH SIDE IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN ONE OF OUR BASIC ,CORE VALUES

•    FOUR SUCH DILEMMAS ARE SO COMMON TO OUR EXPERIENCE THAT THEY STAND AS MODELS,PATTERNS OR PARADIGMS THEY ARE :

1.       TRUTH VERSUS LOYALTY : CONFORMING TO FACTS OR REALITY SOMETIMES STANDS AGAINST ONE’S ALLEGIANCE TO A PERSON.CORPORATION ,GOVERNMENT ETC

2.       INDIVIDUAL VERSUS COMMUNITY :-RIGHT TO CONSIDER THE INDIVIDUAL BUT ALSO RIGHT TO CONSIDER COMMUNITY

3.       SHORT TERM VERSUS LONG TERM :_OBVIOUS TO PLAN FOR THE LONG TERM EVEN IF MEANS SACRIFICING THINGS IN THE SHORT RUN. IT IS RIGHT TO THINK ABOUT BOTH SHORT TERM AS WELL LONG TERM CONCERNS

4.       JUSTICE VERSUS MERCY :JUSTICE URGES TO STICK TO THE RULES AND PRINCIPLES AND PUS

•    FEATURES OF ETHICAL DILEMMA

1.       MOST ETHICAL DECISIONS HAVE EXTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THE DECISIONS OF MANAGERS HAVE AN IMPACT UPON OTHER BOTH WITH IN THE ORGANIZATION AND WITH IN THE SOCIETY. THAT IS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL WHEN DECISIONS ARE MADE FOR EXAMPLE BRIBES,POLLUTION AFFECTS ENVIRONMENT HEALTH,UNSAFE PRODUCTS

2.       MOST ETHICAL DECISIONS HAVE MULTIPLE ALTERNATIVES AND HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. SHOULD A MANAGER PAY A BRIBE. SHOULD A FACTORY POLLUTE AIR OR NOT ?

3.       MOST ETHICAL DECISIONS HAVE MIXED OUTCOME

4.       UNCERTAIN CONSEQUENCES

5.       HAVE PERSONAL IMPLICATION

•    EXAMPLES

•    THERE IS A CUSTOMER WHO WANTS TO PURCHASE TV

•    HE FINDS THE PRICE TOO HIGH

•    THE SALESMAN AWARE THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN GET IT CHEAPER FROM THE COMPETITOR. WHAT SALESMAN SHOULD DO

qSUPERVISOR IS INFORMED BY HIS SUPERIOR THAT X EMPLOYEE WILL  BE RETRENCHED. AND ASKED SUPERVISOR NOT TO TELL ANY ONE. X TELLS SUPERVISOR THAT HE IS TAKING NEW HOUSE NEAR THE ORGANIZATION. WHAT SHOULD SUPERVISOR DO

•    EXAMPLES

•    A TELLS HIS COLLEAGUES B THAT HE IS LEAVING THE ORGANIZATION FROM NEXT MONTH. YOUR BOSS TELLS YOU THAT PROMOTION IS GIVEN TO A INSTEAD OF B. WHAT SHOULD B DO ?

•    MORE EXAMPLES :

1.       TAKING CREDIT FOR OTHER’S WORK

2.       OFFERING A CLIENT A WORSE PRODUCT FOR YOUR OWN PROFIT

3.       UTILIZING INSIDE KNOWLEDGE FOR YOUR OWN PROFIT

•    APPROACHES TO ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

1.       ENDS BASED : THE UTILITARIAN APPROACH TO THE NEED BASED APPROACH. DO WHATEVER PRODUCES THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER.

2.       RULES BASED APPROACH :RESTS ON THE BELIEF THAT RULES EXIST FOR A PURPOSE AND MUST THEREFORE BE FOLLOWED. STICK TO THE RULES AND DON NOT WORRY ABOUT THE RESULT

3.       CARE BASED : PUTS LOVE FOR OTHER FIRST. DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO TO YOU.

·         METHODS TO RESOLVE ETHICAL DILEMMA

1. DEFINE THE PROBLEM AND DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS AN ETHICAL PROBLEM OR JUTS A BUSINESS DECISIONS
2. ISOLATE THE ETHICAL DIMENSION OF THE PROBLEM
3. DETERMINE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE DECISIONS AND ROLE
4. ISOLATE ILLEGAL ISSUES AND SEPARATE RIGHT VS WRONG
5. MAKE THE TOUGH CHOICE
1. TRUST VS LOYALTY
2. INDIVIDUAL VS COMMUNITY
3. SHORT TERM VS LONG TERM
4. JUSTICE VS MERCY

6. APPROACH
1. END BASED
2. RULE BASED
3. CARE BASED

7.       INVESTIGATE IF THERE IS ANY THIRD WAY OUT OF THE SITUATION

8.       MAKE DECISIONS AND TAKE ACTION

9.       REVISIT AND REFLECT ON THE DECISION

•    ETHICAL ISSUES AND DILEMMAS IN THE ORGANIZATION

•    JOSEPH H BOYETT AND JIMMIE T BOYET HAS CITED ETHICALLY QUESTIONABLE SITUATIONS AS EITHER PRACTISES INVOLVING OUT RIGHT ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS :

1.       APPLICATION OF PERSONAL EXPENSES TO CONTRACT BUDGETS

2.       STEALING OF COMPANY’S PRODUCTS

3.       PRACTICE WHICH RECOGNIZED CORPORATE CODE

4.       POLICY LIKE GIFT GIVING

5.       PRACTICE OF DUMPING TOXIC WASTE INTO LOCAL RIVER

6.       THESE PRACTICE DEAL WITH BREAKING OF LAWS AND RULES OR CAUSING HARM

•    ETHICAL ISSUES AND DILEMMAS IN THE ORGANIZATION

1.       ETHICAL CONCERN IN BUSINESS ARE MORE PERVASIVE AND COMPLEX

2.       ARE PART OF ROUTINE PRACTICE OF MANAGEMENT

3.       DEAL WITH RIGHT OR WRONG DECISIONS

•    AREAS WHERE ETHICAL PROBLEM EXIST

1.       MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES AND PROCESSES ( PERFORMANCE EVALUATION,HIRING,FIRING,PROMOTIONS,ADMINISTERING PERSONAL SYSTEM,MANAGING RELATIONSHIP ON THE JOB)

2.       MANAGING EXTERNAL CONSTITUENTS FOR EXAMPLE CUSTOMERS,SUPPLIES AND PURCHASING ,SALES ETC

3.       MANAGING PERSONAL RISK VERSUS COMPANY LOYALTY

4.       OTHER

•    A STUDY CARRIED BY LEADING EXPERT BARBARA LEY TOFFLER

•    ISSUES

1.       ISSUE IS EASY TO NAME

2.       IT IS CONCEPTUAL NOTION AND NOT SPECIFIC IN SETTING

3.       GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT ISSUE IS ETHICAL

4.       DECISIONS ADDRESSES THE CLAIMS OF SINGLE STAKEHOLDER

5.       ADDRESS THE RIGHT AND WRONG,GOOD OR BAD OF ONE VALUE

6.       ASSUMES THAT INDIVIDUAL CAN DO THE RIGHT THING IF HE HAS INTENTION TO DO

•    DILEMMAS

1.       IT IS HARD TO NAME

2.       EMBEDDED IN A SPECIFIC CONTEXT

3.       DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT CASE INVOLVES ETHICS

4.       ADDRESS MULTIPLE

5.       ASSUME THAT INDIVIDUAL WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING BUT DON NOT KNOW OR DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT

·         FACTORS AFFECTING THE EMERGENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF ETHICAL DILEMMAS

·         ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS :

1.       POLICIES,RULES ,PROCEDURES

2.       CULTURE

3.       SYSTEMS

4.       THE WAY WE DO THINGS AROUND

•    INDIVIDUAL FACTORS :

•                MANAGER’S PERCEPTION OF THE JOB

1.       TASK REQUIREMENTS

2.       IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT RULES

3.       AVAILABILITY OF CHOICE

4.       UTILITY OF JOB

5.       LIKES AND DISLIKES

PERSONAL BACKGROUND AND CHARACTERISTICS

•    MANY ETHICAL DILEMMA SITUATIONS

1.       TAKING OFFICE SUPPLIES HOME FOR PERSONAL USE

2.       SEARCHING THE WEB FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES ON COMPANY TIME

3.       GOING TO PORNOGRAPHIC WEB SITES DURING LUNCH TIME

4.       USING THE OFFICE PHONE FOR PERSONAL USE

5.       CALLING IN SICK WHEN WE ARE HEALTHY

6.       HAVING YOUR ASSISTANT TELL SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE IN MEETING

•    VIEW POINT

1.       WRONG

2.       BORDERLINE

3.       TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

•    MANAGEMENT OF ETHICAL ISSUES AND DILEMMAS

•              QUESTION YOUR MOTIVES :

•               IS IT LEGAL IN LINE WITH THE POLICY

•               IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED

•               IN THE END HOW WILL I FEEL ABOUT MY SELF

•              PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH

•              BE YOUR OWN INVESTIGATOR REPORTER

•              KEEP YOUR COMMITMENT

•              LEARN TO SAY NO TO THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE NO TIME.TALENT OR SINCERE INTEREST

•              BUILD AND MAINTAIN YOUR INTEGRITY