Influence of Public And Private Morality OS 230

Influence of Public And Private Morality OS 230 Organizational Ethics Week 3

Quiz 1 Discussion

Nash’s Framework • • Define the issue, get the facts and remove the emotion How did it occur? – An intervening decision by software company • Where does Paula’s loyalties lay? – Her personal values • What is your intent in making this decision? – Conscious objective • How does intention compare with results? – Honorable motives do not guarantee positive results. Outcomes should reflect motivations? • • • Whom did decision injure? Can you engage parties in discussion before decision? Confidence in decision over long period? – Media, what were they told? How was disclaimer advertised? If media deceived, backlash is considerable. What about the WWF? • • Could you disclose your decision without qualm to boss, family or society? Under what conditions could you allow exceptions to your stand?

The Approaches Evaluate the options by asking the following questions: – Which option will produce the most good and do the least harm? (The Utilitarian Approach) – Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake? (The Rights Approach) – Which option treats people equally or proportionately? (The Justice Approach) – Which option best serves the community as a whole, not just some members? (The Common Good Approach) – Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I want to be? (The Virtue Approach)

Justice and Fairness • Aristotle – Treat equal people equally and unequal people unequally • "Individuals should be treated the same, unless they differ in ways that are relevant to the situation in which they are involved. " – Jack and Jill both do the same work, and there are no relevant differences between them or the work they are doing, then in justice they should be paid the same wages. If Jack is paid more than Jill because he is a man, or because he is white, then we have an injustice because race and sex are not relevant to normal work situations. • BUT there are differences we deem justifiable for treating people differently. – A parent gives their own children more attention and care in his private affairs than he gives the children of others – The person who is first in a line at a theater gets first choice of theater seats – The government gives benefits to the needy that it does not provide to more affluent citizens – Some are punished for crimes and others who are innocent are not – Those who exert more efforts or who make a greater contribution to a project receive more benefits from the project than others

Justice and Fairness APPLY THE PRINCIPLE STEP 1: What is the distribution? Who is getting the benefits and burdens in the situation: Do those who get benefits also share burdens? Do those with benefits share some of the burdens? These are factual questions. Once you know the distribution you can decide if it is fair or not. STEP 2: Is the distribution fair? Which criterion for distribution would be most fair in this situation and why would it be most fair in this situation? You have to defend the distribution and the criterion or reason for the distribution. STEP 3: If disagreement persists over which outcome is fair or over which criterion for inequality is best in the situation, then select a fair process to decide what is fair: an election, dispassionate judge, chance decided by a coin or paper-rock-scissors. STEP 4: Draw a conclusion • Will this action produce a fair distribution, and why?

Other Approaches Link in Course Documents The Utilitarian Approach • Ethical action is the one that provides the most good or does the least harm - the greatest balance of good over harm. • As applied to customers, employees, shareholders, the community, and the environment. • Ethical warfare balances the good achieved in ending terrorism with the harm done to all parties through death, injuries, and destruction.

Other Approaches Link in Course Documents The Rights Approach • Best protects and respects the moral rights of those affected. Humans have a dignity based on their human nature and their ability to choose freely what they do with their lives. • They have a right to be treated as ends and not merely as means to other ends. • The list of moral rights includes making their own choices, being told the truth, being free from injury and a right to privacy. • Argument that non-humans have rights

Child Abuse Case • The parties are the Police, DCF, the family and the Baby • Baby brought to ED with injuries and evidence of abusive head trauma (formerly shaken baby syndrome) • Baby raised by Mom and Stepfather but daycared by Aunt and her Husband • DCF can take kid for 96 hours but … – If action taken now, then all will lawyer up and child will return to Aunt and Husband possibly abusive situation – If no DCF action, child will return to Mom and Stepdad and possibly abusive situation. – Standing down can result in non-adversarial interviews that MAY guide on who child should not be in care of. • DCF obligated to protect the child but no resolution results in status quo and child at risk again • Police obligated to seek justice by finding those responsible but delay permits possible exposure for abuse • What decision would you make? • Discussion …

Other Approaches Link in Course Documents The Virtue Approach • Ethical actions ought to be consistent with certain ideal virtues that provide for the full development of our humanity. • These virtues are dispositions and habits that permit our highest potential of character and values like truth and beauty. • Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, tolerance, love, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. • It asks, "What kind of person will I become if I do this? " or "Is this action consistent with my acting at my best? "

Other Approaches Link in Course Documents The Common Good Approach • This approach suggests that interlocking relationships are the basis of ethical reasoning and that respect and compassion for all others - especially the vulnerable. • This approach also calls attention to the common conditions that are important to the welfare of everyone. This includes a system of laws, effective police and fire departments, health care, a public educational system, or even public recreational areas.

Your Homework • Your case presentations

Public morality in health care • • • Dr Jocelyn Elders former Surgeon General: Decries lack of preventive care on the part of individuals, doctors and government health-care programs. We spend almost 15 percent of GDP on very expensive sick care, almost a trillion dollars and less than 1% on preventive care Things that can make a difference: health education, prenatal care, immunizations, all of the things that really make the difference. " In the African American Community she singled out cancer mortality rates, the U. S. homicide rate ("eight times higher than any other country"), the spread of HIV, and the poverty and hunger suffered by children, as proof of health disparity. She decried sex education, as currently taught, as "too little, too late. " "Educate, educate, " she urged. • • • What about sex education? What about gun control? What about mandatory helmet laws? • 75% of all health care costs are spent in the last 3 years of life

Rion’s The Responsible Manager A simple framework … 1. Why is this bothering me? Is it really an issue? Am I genuinely perplexed, or am I afraid to do what I know is right? 2. Who else matters? Who are the stakeholders who may be affected by my decision? 3. Is it my Problem? Have I caused the problem or has someone else? How far should I go to resolve the issue? 4. What is the ethical concern – legal obligation, fairness, promise keeping, honesty, doing good, avoiding harm? 5. What do others think? Can I learn from those who disagree with my judgment? 6. Am I being true to myself? What kind of person or company would do what I am contemplating? Could I share my decision “in good conscience” with my family? , my colleagues? , with public officials?

Rion’s The Responsible Manager • Corporate Ethos - Values • Top Management Commitment – The avoidance of reprisals, 1 st awareness • Policy Guidance - What does it mean? Specifics • Staff Support - More than a code but also follow up, who do you call? • Training, Training – AND hire the right people. • If you’re the Boss - Recognize the Obstacles – wink, wink; learn to question; encourage the questions; make ethics a checklist item; don’t make decisions alone • If you’re not the Boss - Generate Consensus – One of the best ways to protect yourself and make the right decision. – Gray areas vs Bright Lines – Don’t make decisions alone

List of questions to determine if an action is ethical or not: • • • - Does the action conflict with the ethics policy? - Does the action conflict with the code of conduct? - Is the action legal or illegal? - Could the action cause prejudice or potential prejudice to the company or the employees? - Does the action require authorization? - Who is responsible for the action? - Does the action require dishonesty? - What emotions are involved with taking action? - Does the action require specific training?

Next Week • Week 3 DB closes Sunday midnight • Week 4 Quiz • Week 5 Homework (pick and approach and pick the questions) • Review Week 4 Assignments on BB • Week 4 Kidneys for Sale Discussion/Debate

Questions