Blanchard and pearl’s model suggest ‘it is easy to charge
ahead without thinking and then rationalise your behaviour after
the event. But the fact of the matter is THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO
DO A WRONG THING”.
- Gather the facts
- Define the ethical issues
- Identify the affected parties (stakeholders)
- Identify the consequences
- Identify the obligations (principles, rights, justice)
- Consider your character and integrity
- Think creatively about potential actions
- Check your gut
- Decide on the proper ethical action and be prepared to deal
with opposing arguments.
1 - GATHER THE FACTS :-
- Don’t jump to conclusions without the facts
- Questions to ask: Who, what, where, when, how, and why.
- However, facts may be difficult to find because of the
uncertainty often found around ethical issues
- Some facts are not available
- Assemble as many facts as possible before proceeding
- Clarify what assumptions you are making
2 – DEFINE THE ETHICAL ISSUE(S)
- Don’t jump to solutions without first identifying the ethical
issue(s) in the situation.
- Define the ethical basis for the issue you want to focus
on.
- There may be multiple ethical issues – focus on one major one
at a time.
3 – IDENTIFY THE AFFECTED PARTIES
- Identify all of the stakeholders
Who are the primary or direct stakeholders?
Who are the secondary or indirect
stakeholders?
- Why are they stakeholders for the issue?
Perspective-taking -- Try to see things through the
eyes of those individuals affected
4 – IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
- Think about potential positive and negative consequences for
affected parties by the decision (Focus on primary stakeholders to
simplify analysis until you become comfortable with the
process).
- What are the magnitude of the consequences and the
probability that the consequences will happen.
- Short term vs. Long term consequences – will decision be
valid over time.
- Broader systemic consequences – tied to symbolic and
secrecy
- Symbolic consequences – Each decision sends a message.
- Secrecy consequences – What are the consequences if the
decision or action becomes public?
- Did you consider relevant cognitive barriers/biases?
- Consider what your decision would be based only on
consequences – then move on and see if it is similar given other
considerations.
5 – IDENTIFY THE RELEVANT PRINCIPLES, RIGHTS, AND JUSTICE
ISSUES
- Obligations should be thought of in terms of principles and
rights involved
A) What obligations are created because of particular ethical
principles you might use in the situation?
Examples: Do no harm; Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you; Do what you would have anyone in your shoes do in the
given context.
B) What obligations are created because of the specific rights
of the stakeholders?
What rights are more basic vs. secondary in nature? Which help
protect an individual’s basic autonomy?
What types of rights are involved – negative or
positive?
C) What concepts of justice (fairness) are relevant –
distributive or procedural justice?
- Did you consider any relevant cognitive barriers/biases?
- Formulate the appropriate decision or action based solely on
the above analysis of these obligations.
6 – CONSIDER YOUR CHARACTER & INTEGRITY
- Consider what your relevant community members would consider
to be the kind of decision that an individual of integrity would
make in this situation.
- What specific virtues are relevant in the situation?
- Disclosure rule – what would you do if the New York Times
reported your action and everyone was to read it.
- Think about how your decision will be remembered when you are
gone.
- Did you consider any relevant cognitive biases/barriers?
- What decision would you come to based solely on character
considerations?
7 – THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT POTENTIAL ACTIONS
- Be sure you have not been unnecessarily forced into a
corner
- You may have some choices or alternatives that have not been
considered
- If you have come up with solutions “a” and “b,” try to
brainstorm and come up with a “c” solution that might satisfy the
interests of the primary parties involved in the situation.
8 – CHECK YOUR GUT
- Even though the prior steps have argued for a highly rational
process, it is always good to “check your gut.”
- Intuition is gaining credibility as a source for good
decision making – knowing something is not “right.” • Particularly
relevant if you have a lot of experience in the area – expert
decision-making.
9 – DECIDE ON YOUR COURSE OF ACTION AND PREPARE RESPONSES TO
THOSE WHO MAY OPPOSE YOUR POSITION
- Consider potential actions based on the consequences,
obligations, and character approaches.
- Do you come up with similar answers from the different
perspectives?
- Do the obligation and character help you “check” the
consequentialist preferred action?
- How can you protect the rights of those involved (or your own
character) while still maximizing the overall good for all of the
stakeholders?
- What arguments are most compelling to you to justify the
action ethically? How will you respond to those with opposing
viewpoints?