James R. BrunetDENR’s Managers Forum

Archdale BuildingAugust 11, 2009

Do the Right Thing!Navigating Through

Ethical Dilemmas

Session OverviewI. What is Ethics?

A. DefinitionB. ElementsC. Four Levels of Ethics

II. Philosophical Bases of Ethical BehaviorA. VirtueB. PrinciplesC. ConsequencesD. Conscience

Session Overview

III. Ethical Decision MakingA. Short CutsB. Ethical Problem Solving Model

A. Definition “Refers to well-based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of obligations, principles, specific virtues, or benefits to society”

Adapted from Issues in Ethics, Center for Applied Ethics, Vol. 1, No. 1, October 1987

I. What is Ethics?

I. What is Ethics?B. Elements• Well-based standards: Ethics is knowable,

we can learn about ethics, not relativistic but enduring

• Involves determining right from wrong, good from bad

• Results in a suggested outcome, an appropriate behavior, action or inaction

I. What is Ethics?• Four Dimensions

1. Obligations/Duties The behavior expected of persons who occupy certain roles, e.g., soil

scientist, industry regulator, safety inspector, line supervisor Are there special responsibilities that accompany work done in the

name of the public? 2. Principles: unchanging moral certainties, external source3. Virtues: ethics of character, internal source4. Benefits to society: weigh costs and benefits, “greatest good”

• Requires individuals to take an active role in ethical reasoning, navigating through the sometimes conflicting obligations, principles, and virtues surrounding an ethical decision

I. What is Ethics?C. Four Levels of Ethics

1. Social• Oblige members of a given society to act in ways that

both protect individuals and further the progress of the group as a whole

• Formal and informal (e.g., Denmark during Nazi occupation)

2. Professional• Professional norms and obligations• Codes of Ethics (see ASPA code)

I. What is Ethics?C. Four Levels of Ethics

3. Organizational• May be formalized in a code (see NJ DEP

ethics.iit.edu/codes/coe/state.nj.env.protection.html• NC DENR Values in Strategic Plan 2008-09

– Duties» Accountability » “Spending authorized funds wisely and well”

– Virtues» Integrity» Respect

– Principles» Professional standards emphasizing efficiency, effectiveness and

quality – Consequences

I. What is Ethics?

C. Four Levels of Ethics3. Organizational (continued)

• Why is this important?– Employees are more productive working within an

ethical setting– Employees more likely to stay – less turnover– Protection against civil liability– Public demands ethical administration

I. What is Ethics?

C. Four Levels of Ethics3. Organizational (continued)

• What factors contribute to a favorable climate?

I. What is Ethics?

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Percent

Behavior ofManagement

Behavior of DirectSupervisor

PositiveReinforcement forEthical Behavior

Compensation Behavior of Peers

Factor

Factors Promoting an Ethical Workplace Environment, Deloitte & Touche, 2007 (n=1,041)

I. What is Ethics?C. Four Levels of Ethics

3. Organizational (continued)• Examples of positive ethical behavior

– Giving proper credit where it is due– Always being straightforward and honest when dealing with

employees– Treating all employees equally– Being a responsible steward of company assets– Recognizes and rewards ethical behavior of employees– Talking about the importance of ethics on a regular basis– Reporting or reprimanding other employees unethical behavior

I. What is Ethics?C. Four Levels of Ethics

3. Organizational (continued)• How to promote ethics in workplace—begin by

assessing the ethical climate– Bonczek (1999) 40 Item Ethical Climate Survey– Scoring 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Agree, 4=Strongly Agree– Values & Related Questions

» Accountability: 1, 7, 12, 16, 22, 27, 38» Fairness: 13, 20, 21, 31» Responsiveness/Customer Service: 4, 19, 28, 30, 34» Communication: 15, 29, 35, 36, 37» Integrity/Honesty: 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 40» Leadership: 2, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 39» Trust: 3, 14, 17, 32

I. What is Ethics?C. Four Levels of Ethics

4. Personal Morality• Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development• Milgram’s “Shock Experiments”

A. Virtue• A set of qualities that defines what a good person is; the

characteristics that mark one as a person of character and integrity

• “Virtues exist innately, as potentialities, within each individual, and they push for actualization in the life of the individual” (Hart)

• The Six Pillars of Character (Josephson Institute) – Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, Citizenship– Beyond these, Cooper (PAR, 1987, 324) adds rationality, prudence,

respect for law, self-discipline, civility, and independence

II. Philosophical Bases of Ethical Behavior

II. Philosophical Bases of Ethical Behavior

B. Principles/Deontology• Principles identify “kinds of action that are right or

obligatory.” Principles are universally and invariably applicable.

• These are an external source of moral guidance

• Source of principles for American public administrators – Basic cultural, social, and political values that define a society

and its system of governance (called “regime values”) such as democracy, freedom, property, etc.

– Principles imbedded in Constitutional amendments (due process, free expression)

– Principles that are widely accepted in western society including the sanctity of life, justice and truth telling

III. Philosophical Bases of Ethical Behavior

III. Philosophical Bases of Ethical Behavior

C. Consequences/Utilitarianism/Teleology• Utilitarianism holds that there are no moral principles which

provide justification for an action a priori. An action is right or wrong depending on its consequences.

• Preferred choice is that which produces the greatest good for the greatest number

• In cost-benefit analysis, the market model, and public choice, “what is right or wrong, what is moral or ethical is to be judged in terms of utility of consequences.”

• Ends justify the means

II. Philosophical Bases of Ethical Behavior

D. Intuition

• Gut feeling, sixth sense, “little voice,” conscience

• Innate, not learned

A. Short Cuts• Front Page News• Mirror Test• What would your mother think?

III. Ethical Decision Making Approaches

III. Ethical Decision Making Approaches

B. Ethics Problem Solving Model 1. Description2. Analysis3. Decision

Final Thoughts

“To be good is noble.To teach others to be goodis nobler…and no trouble.”

-Mark Twain