Parameters of ethic decision making
Introduction
Any business involves undertaking of various activities that at times may involve issues
touching on legal matters. In the event of such legal issues, there is requirement to look for
solutions that are viable so as to ensure smooth running of the business. The approach of such
issues includes articulation of such approaches as Rawls’ theory. This paper analyses the Rawls’
theory approach to ethical decision making in business as well as other approaches that are
generally applicable in resolving ethical dilemmas. The viable approach has been identified and
the analysis of its application to ethic dilemma given.
Evaluate the parameters of various ethical decision-making approaches; including
comparing and contrasting the different decision-making approaches
Many people usually have distorted thoughts about the attributes of institutions that seek
to articulate justice. It is this deficit that prompted Rawls’ to come up with the perspective of
ethic decision making that has widely been acknowledged. Before the reception of Rawls’
theory, there had been other approaches to justice such as the utilitarian approach. Kaminitz
(2013) notes that; the utilitarian approach holds the view that people should seek the greatest
possible good for the majority of the people. This approach has been applied in varied ethical
issues that require justice. At times, it can be said to have brought calmness, to the majority but
the question of ethics in the approach of the issues remain unresolved under the utilization of this
approach. This view emanates from the realization that; even the majority could be wrong. Even
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in a thousand against one, the one could be on the right ground. The usage of the utilitarian
approach in resolving legal issues remain unstable and not justified especially in the wake of
realization of internal structures of justice.
Rawls’ approach of resolving ethical dilemmas touch on reasoned social justice. The
word reasoned here is used on a powerful note in the sense that the social justice is not the usual
social justice as applied in utilitarian approach of ethical dilemma. Rather, there is the element of
reasoning such that logical dimensions are applied. In regard to this approach, there is no
consideration of majority rather it is about the agreements made by a society on reasoning terms.
Although there is acknowledgment that it is difficult to find a common agreement in a society,
there is usually the element of agreement in any given society. This agreement is not based on
majority numbers; rather it is strictly pegged on reasoning.
Cohen (2010) discloses that; the gist of Rawls’ approach is attached to justice as a crucial
aspect of social institutions. The social institutions must always aspire to articulate justice in the
society. The approaches of the social institutions in solving ethical dilemma must be oriented
towards fairness. There cannot be solving of ethical issues without articulation of fairness. This
is because; if this element lacks in the articulation of issues in the social institutions, there cannot
be realization of justice. The exercise of fairness in the social institutions, in attempts to achieve
justice must be oriented to reasoning and should not in any way orient towards the majority on
purely the grounds of majority. Social institutions are meant to articulate various virtues in the
society. By the stipulations outlined in the Rawls theory, fairness is the most basic virtue that the
social institutions should attempt to articulate. When the social institutions articulate fairness, it
becomes possible fort the other virtues to be articulated too.
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In order to identify the institutions with justice, it calls for logical approach to the issues
such as what institution people with logic would seek to align to. Relating the justice of the
institutions to people because, the whole idea of the justice is based on people. Without offering
the service to people, how much justifiable an institution is, would not matter. However, the
consideration of what people with logic would choose is based on the availability of freedom and
democracy for doing the same. If the people could make choice of a particular institution based
on logic and when they have full democracy and independence to do so, then there is high
likelihood that such an institution would articulate justice and fairness.
Analyze an ethical dilemma using an ethical decision-making approach, and justifies the
ethical decision-making approach selected
Ethical dilemma denotes situations in which the involved individual needs to take a
decision on the best course of action. In most of the situations, there are clear pointers to the
aspects of breaching one area of interest if one course of action is chosen over the other. There is
a contractor interest of two issues, such that; if one is considered, the other side has to suffer. IT
therefore requires articulation of one’s ethical grounds in order to ensure that the right decision is
arrived at. Such situations are very common in business undertakings. In most of the situations,
you find that the ethical issues are contradictory o the profitability orientation of the business.
There is therefore the need to cultivate the ethical ground in which one takes stand.
Ardelean (2015) asserts that; although the primary goal of a business is to make profits,
there is always the need to apply ethics in the course of the undertakings. This is in alignment
with the Rawls theory of resolving ethic dilemmas. There is logic in articulating the ethics in
business undertakings. The Rawls theory is the suitable approach here because, the focal point in
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this approach is not the majority, but it is fairness based on logic. In the event of such dilemma
as utilization of expensive drainage systems in an industry so as to prevent damage to the
environment, Rawls theory would articulate for the conservation of the environment despite the
cost incurred by the business. This should be actualized despite the resistance that may come
from management. Assess the resolution your ethical decision-making approach suggests for
your issue
Assess the validity of the resolution suggested by the approach, and provides examples that
demonstrate how the resolution would work
Mandle (2013 acknowledge that; in the event of the businesses that seek to articulate
ethical decisions, Rawls theory would become handy. This is in contrast to other approaches
such as the utilitarian argument. The utilitarian argument would have it that those that are
involved in decision making in the business should consult with the rest so as to find their wish
and therefore articulate the ethical decision to the views of the majority. This may appear like the
right approach to issues, but as noted earlier, the majority are not usually right. In the approach
of such an issue, the involved personnel should consider the parameters of Rawls theory
whereby; the logical articulation of the aspect in a fair and justice manner is regarded. The
approach would work out in the sense that the logical aspect of the whole issue would be
considered. For instance, the long term impact of the conservation of environment could earn the
business a better reputation and translate to more profit in the future. Even if there were no profit
prospects, the logic of the whole issue speaks fairness and justice in taking the path of
conserving the environment. This is in line with Rawls theory.
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References
ARDELEAN, A. (2015). Study regarding the Clarification of Ethical Dilemmas in Financial
Audit. Audit Financiar, 13(125), 75-90.
Cohen, M. (2010). The Narrow Application of Rawls in Business Ethics: A Political Conception
of Both Stakeholder Theory and the Morality of Markets. Journal of Business Ethics,
