Chonko, "A Framework for Ethical Decision Making"

SOURCE FOR THE PROCEDURE

THE PROCEDURE ITSELF

1. Outside the organization
   1. What factors external to the organization (e.g., gender) shape the ethical context?
   2. What are the facts and the ethical issues from this vantage point?
2. Inside the organization
   1. What is the current level of moral development of the organization and the immediate work group?
   2. What factors internal to the organization (e.g., existing policies) shape the ethical context?
   3. What are the facts and the ethical issues from this vantage point?
3. Ethical agents
   1. Who are the significant others and what are their interests?
   2. What are their levels of moral development?
   3. What virtues or vices are being developed?
   4. What is their level of ego strength, independence, internal or external locus of control?
   5. What praiseworthy intentions do they indicate?
   6. What praiseworthy feelings to they exhibit?
   7. Do they inspire trust and team commitment?
4. Ethical acts
   1. What if everyone acted like this?
   2. Would you regard this action or these means as right in private and in public?
   3. What are your values that apply to this action?
   4. Is this action in compliance with legitimate rules?
   5. Are important contractual duties fulfilled and obligations met by this action?
   6. How would you handle potential conflicts of rights?
5. Ethical results
   1. Who stands to gain and lose and in what proportions?
   2. What are the costs and benefits to all significant others in the short run and long run?
   3. What future precedents will be set by the action?
   4. What action results in the greatest dispersion of positive results?
6. Alternatives
   1. Have you considered all the major alternatives and their combinations?
   2. What are the likely consequences of all the alternatives in the short run and long run?
   3. Have all significant others affected by the decision had a say about the situations and the recommended solution?
7. Recommended decision and justification.
   1. What are your principal reasons for recommending this solution over others?
   2. Can you give a responsible and reasonable justification for your decision to those who may disagree with you?
8. Implementation and control
   1. What practical steps and timetable are needed to put your decision into effect?
   2. Who will be responsible for implementing the decision?
   3. How will you know if the recommended decision has achieved the desired result?
   4. Are there specific measures of progress toward the desired goal?
   5. What are your obligations for continued quality control?

WALT'S CHECKLIST

• This method is most useful when the DECISION-MAKER ...
  • can tolerate ambiguity, complexity or conflict [steps 1, 2 and 4f]
  • cultivates personal virtues [step 3c]
  • has easy access to stakeholders [step 6c]
  • has keen insight into human motivation [step 3]
  • has plenty of time for investigation and analysis [steps 5 and 6a]
  • is skilled in causal or consequential reasoning [steps 5a, 5b and 6b]
  • is skilled in dialectical reasoning or debate [step 7b]
  • is skilled in the application of general ethical principles to specific cases [steps 4 and 5d]
• This method is most useful in a SITUATION ...
  
  • that will change little over time
  • where an optimal decision is required
  • where much is at stake
• This method is most useful when STAKEHOLDERS ...
  • share ethical codes or policies [step 4]
  • share ethical principles [step 4, 5d]
  • share values [step 4c]

Index