, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
1. How decisions are made has a lot to do with how effective they turn out to be. Discuss the
ethical decision-making in detail and provide examples or scenarios.
1. Introduction
The effectiveness of decisions is intrinsically linked to the manner in which they are reached, making
the study of ethical decision-making essential for both individuals and organisations. Every day,
people confront situations requiring choices that affect not only their own wellbeing but also that of
colleagues, communities, and society at large. How decisions are made—whether through careful
ethical deliberation or hasty, self-interested reasoning—determines their outcomes and long-term
consequences. Ethical decision-making provides a structured approach to navigating moral dilemmas,
ensuring that choices align with principles of right conduct, fairness, and responsibility (Trevino &
Nelson 2021). This assignment examines ethical decision-making in detail, exploring its definition,
challenges, reasoning processes, and foundational principles, with particular attention to the principle
of moral goodness and its application through practical examples.
2. Definition of Concepts
2.1. Ethics
Ethics, derived from the Greek word ethos, refers to the discipline concerned with what is morally
good and bad, and morally right and wrong (Velasquez et al. 2015). It is the branch of philosophy
that systematically examines questions about how human beings should live, what constitutes
virtuous conduct, and which standards ought to guide actions and judgments. Ethics deals with
fundamental issues of practical decision-making, including the nature of ultimate value and the
criteria by which human actions can be evaluated (Rachels & Rachels 2019). In contemporary usage,
ethics also refers to the moral principles and rules of conduct recognised by particular groups or
professions, such as medical ethics or business ethics (Beauchamp & Childress 2019). Importantly,
ethics is not merely about following laws or religious teachings, nor is it simply adopting the
majority view; rather, it involves developing one's own moral compass to increase human wellbeing
and minimise harm (Singer 2011). Ethics operates at multiple levels—personal, organisational, and
systemic—each cultivating responsibility for how actions impact the world (Johnson 2018).
2.2. Ethical Decision Making
Ethical decision making is a cognitive process that considers various ethical principles, rules, and
virtues to guide or judge individual or group decisions and intended actions (Rest 1986). It involves
evaluating and choosing between moral dilemmas by applying ethical frameworks to determine the
right course of action (Jones 1991). This process enables individuals not only to decide what they
ought to do but also to analyse whether others' decisions are right or good (Trevino & Nelson 2021).
Ethical decision making requires moving beyond automatic, habit-driven responses to engage in
conscious, rational reflection about the consequences of actions on individuals and society
(Bazerman & Tenbrunsel 2011). It encompasses considering the interests of multiple stakeholders,
weighing competing harms and benefits, and making choices that uphold integrity and responsibility
(Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell 2019). Effective ethical decision making integrates
meta-cognition—thinking about one's own thinking processes—to overcome natural tendencies
toward egotism, prejudice, and self-justification, thereby cultivating honesty, self-knowledge, and
concern for others (Haidt 2012).
1. How decisions are made has a lot to do with how effective they turn out to be. Discuss the
ethical decision-making in detail and provide examples or scenarios.
1. Introduction
The effectiveness of decisions is intrinsically linked to the manner in which they are reached, making
the study of ethical decision-making essential for both individuals and organisations. Every day,
people confront situations requiring choices that affect not only their own wellbeing but also that of
colleagues, communities, and society at large. How decisions are made—whether through careful
ethical deliberation or hasty, self-interested reasoning—determines their outcomes and long-term
consequences. Ethical decision-making provides a structured approach to navigating moral dilemmas,
ensuring that choices align with principles of right conduct, fairness, and responsibility (Trevino &
Nelson 2021). This assignment examines ethical decision-making in detail, exploring its definition,
challenges, reasoning processes, and foundational principles, with particular attention to the principle
of moral goodness and its application through practical examples.
2. Definition of Concepts
2.1. Ethics
Ethics, derived from the Greek word ethos, refers to the discipline concerned with what is morally
good and bad, and morally right and wrong (Velasquez et al. 2015). It is the branch of philosophy
that systematically examines questions about how human beings should live, what constitutes
virtuous conduct, and which standards ought to guide actions and judgments. Ethics deals with
fundamental issues of practical decision-making, including the nature of ultimate value and the
criteria by which human actions can be evaluated (Rachels & Rachels 2019). In contemporary usage,
ethics also refers to the moral principles and rules of conduct recognised by particular groups or
professions, such as medical ethics or business ethics (Beauchamp & Childress 2019). Importantly,
ethics is not merely about following laws or religious teachings, nor is it simply adopting the
majority view; rather, it involves developing one's own moral compass to increase human wellbeing
and minimise harm (Singer 2011). Ethics operates at multiple levels—personal, organisational, and
systemic—each cultivating responsibility for how actions impact the world (Johnson 2018).
2.2. Ethical Decision Making
Ethical decision making is a cognitive process that considers various ethical principles, rules, and
virtues to guide or judge individual or group decisions and intended actions (Rest 1986). It involves
evaluating and choosing between moral dilemmas by applying ethical frameworks to determine the
right course of action (Jones 1991). This process enables individuals not only to decide what they
ought to do but also to analyse whether others' decisions are right or good (Trevino & Nelson 2021).
Ethical decision making requires moving beyond automatic, habit-driven responses to engage in
conscious, rational reflection about the consequences of actions on individuals and society
(Bazerman & Tenbrunsel 2011). It encompasses considering the interests of multiple stakeholders,
weighing competing harms and benefits, and making choices that uphold integrity and responsibility
(Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell 2019). Effective ethical decision making integrates
meta-cognition—thinking about one's own thinking processes—to overcome natural tendencies
toward egotism, prejudice, and self-justification, thereby cultivating honesty, self-knowledge, and
concern for others (Haidt 2012).
