The Mechanics of Ethical Decision Making: Individual versus Organizational This paper will consider the role of the individual in the ethical decision-making process within an organization. I will explain the dynamics which influence the individual’s decision-making. I will provide an overview of the ethical decision-making process. I will compare and contrast the individual vs. the organizational ethical perspectives of decision-making. I will provide my own perspective.
Unethical Organizational Behavior
The literature is abundant with examples of unethical decision making and unethical or even illegal behavior in corporate America. Examples of corporate wrong doing such as ENRON, WorldCom and DynCorp are just a few (Jackson, Wood, & …show more content…
Factors Affecting Ethical Individual Decision Making Individuals make decisions all the time. Ethical decision-making is a process of stages an individual goes through from the moment a moral issue arises until he or she engages in a given behavior. The process followed before engaging in ethical or unethical behavior is described by Rest’s Four-Component Model. Rest’s model, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013), states an individual facing a moral problem goes through four different stages: moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation and moral character. In moral sensitivity the individual must be aware of the existence of a moral problem before manifesting an ethical behavior. They should be aware their behavior will have an impact on other people (Hannah, Avolio, & May, 2011; Jones, 1991). It is a voluntary behavior. Rest and Narvaez, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013), highlight moral sensitivity involves imaginatively constructing possible scenarios and applying empathy and role-taking skills. Moral judgment, the second step is how individuals assess the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ of each …show more content…
Certain qualities enable individuals to execute the decision-making process effectively (Hannah et al., 2011). Ethical or moral competence is the set of knowledge, skills and abilities facilitate ethical behavior. According to Mele ́, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013) moral competencies are virtues which provide an example and promote the trust and willingness of people to follow the leader. Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013) proposed the four traditional cardinal virtues are universal moral competencies for management. Competence, as a virtue, is manifested across a diversity of
Unethical Organizational Behavior
The literature is abundant with examples of unethical decision making and unethical or even illegal behavior in corporate America. Examples of corporate wrong doing such as ENRON, WorldCom and DynCorp are just a few (Jackson, Wood, & …show more content…
Factors Affecting Ethical Individual Decision Making Individuals make decisions all the time. Ethical decision-making is a process of stages an individual goes through from the moment a moral issue arises until he or she engages in a given behavior. The process followed before engaging in ethical or unethical behavior is described by Rest’s Four-Component Model. Rest’s model, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013), states an individual facing a moral problem goes through four different stages: moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation and moral character. In moral sensitivity the individual must be aware of the existence of a moral problem before manifesting an ethical behavior. They should be aware their behavior will have an impact on other people (Hannah, Avolio, & May, 2011; Jones, 1991). It is a voluntary behavior. Rest and Narvaez, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013), highlight moral sensitivity involves imaginatively constructing possible scenarios and applying empathy and role-taking skills. Moral judgment, the second step is how individuals assess the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ of each …show more content…
Certain qualities enable individuals to execute the decision-making process effectively (Hannah et al., 2011). Ethical or moral competence is the set of knowledge, skills and abilities facilitate ethical behavior. According to Mele ́, as cited in Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013) moral competencies are virtues which provide an example and promote the trust and willingness of people to follow the leader. Morales-Sánchez and Cabello-Medina (2013) proposed the four traditional cardinal virtues are universal moral competencies for management. Competence, as a virtue, is manifested across a diversity of