ETHICAL ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK

ETHICAL ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK

1. Recognize the Ethical Issue

· Could this decision be damaging to someone or to some group?

· Is this decision about more than what is legal or most efficient? How?

· What is the ethical issue?

2. Get the Facts

· What are the most relevant facts?

· What is not known but would be relevant?

· What individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome?

3. Evaluate Alternative Actions

· What are the options or choices for action?

· Evaluate each of the options in the context of the individuals and groups

· Utilitarian Approach

· Which option will produce the most good and the least harm?

· Rights Approach

· Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake?

· Fairness or Justice Approach

· Which option treats people equally?

· Common Good Approach

· Which option treats the community as a whole?

· Virtue Approach

· Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I want to be?

4. Make a Decision and Test It

· Considering all the alternatives, which one option best addresses the situation? Why?

· What would [my parents, my religious leader, my friends, a TV audience] reaction be to my decision?

5. Act

· How can my decision be implemented with the greatest care and attention to all the stakeholders?

6. Comparison with Business Evaluation

· Evaluate each of these options in the following context:

· Is it legal?

· Impact to business/company in terms of efficiency, profitability, reputation and other relevant parameters

· What would the reaction of my boss/manager at work be?

· What upside potential or downside risk do I get or do I take?

· What decision would you make?

· If your decision is different than that you would make from an ethical point of you, how do you reconcile this?