ORGL 2

Module 2: Ethics and Decision-Making

Ethics and Decision-Making

Dilbert and Ethical Decision

Dilbert in Scott Adam's cartoon strip above discovered that decisions have consequences. It's a great illustration of making ethical choices.

The various reflective frameworks provide a foundation for making better decisions. An interesting next question is: How do ethics fit into your decision-making process?

Ethics may be defined simply as "the social norm." Or, an internal guiding principle of what is right and wrong. Or, doing no harm. Or, harming the least. Or,helping the most. Or, treating people fairly. Defining ethics is not easy.

Ethics is a delicate balance between making choices and emphasizing values - yours, your culture, your profession, society's. We make ethical choices daily: sometimes unconsciously, sometimes we struggle with an ethical dilemma. Remember the ORGL case study about the Habitat for Humanity volunteer who learned that HforH uses products reputed to harm the environment? The comic strip drives home the point that our decisions have consequences, sometimes unintended.

Whether you are in the business world, academics, healthcare, law enforcement - whatever - your interpretation of ethics influences decisions you make. Likely you have studied ethics within your area of concentration for the ORGL degree.

Discussion

For this week's discussion, you'll be asked to define ethics according to your career field. How does this relate to one of the reflective concepts in the ORGL series? You may draw from a previous course or use online sources. Write a couple of substantive paragraphs and cite your sources.

Below are a couple of academic websites which discuss ethics and provide general guidelines for making ethical decisions. Remember that you are to locate either standards for your career field or area of concentration for this week's discussion.

• Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. 2014. "A Framework for Thinking Ethically." Santa Clara University
• Debris, Arthur. 2012. "Five Steps to Better Ethical Decision-Making." Psychology Today

You may use this link to access the discussion when you're ready to post: Module 2 Discussion: Ethics & Decision-Making

The Ethics Discussion Grading Rubric is the basis for grading.