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Ethical Principles, Quick Tests, and Decision-Making Guidelines
Ethical Principles, Quick Tests, and Decision-Making Guidelines
Outline
1. Decision criteria for ethical reasoning 2. Ethical relativism: A self-interest approach 3. Utilitarianism: A consequentialist (results-based) approach 4. Universalism: A deontological (dutybased) approach 5. Rights: An entitlement-based approach 6. Justice: Procedures, compensation, retribution
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Why?
These twelve questions can help individuals:
Openly discuss the responsibilities necessary to solve ethical problems Facilitate group discussions Build cohesiveness and consensus Serve as an information source Uncover ethical inconsistencies Help a CEO see how managers think Increase the nature and range of choices
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A simple but powerful question can be used throughout your decision-making process in solving ethical dilemmas:
What is my motivation for choosing a course of action?
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Problems include:
Moral rights are based on legal rights and the principle of duty. Rights can override utilitarian principles. The limitations of rights include:
Can be used to disguise and manipulate selfish, unjust political interests and claims Protection of rights can be at the expense of others Limits of rights come into question
The principle of justice deals with fairness and equality. Two recognized principles of fairness that represent the principle of justice include:
Equal rights compatible with similar liberties for others Social and economic inequality arrangement
Compensatory Retributive Distributive Procedural
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Justice, rights, and power are really intertwined. Two steps in transforming justice:
Be aware of your rights and power Establish legitimate power for obtaining rights
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