INDIVIDUAL ESSAY
Introduction
The paper is intended to evaluate the importance of ethical decision making and to critically discuss the factors that affect the choice of an individual within the company (Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2016; Jones, 1991). Most of the managers and managements within the firms and organizations are now considering the importance of ethics in their practices and decision making (Samson & Draft, 2011).
Either it is business firms, business people or government; all are concerned about the ethics. Based on the scenario that Radax is the company of the manager’s best friend, yet the bids of the company are not supposed to be the best, it is important to understand the ethical concerns with the decision making of the manager in government establishment.
Therefore, the critical analysis of the situation under ethical concerns of decision making will help to understand that being a manager, what decision has to be made by the manager and what factors can impact his decision.
Various studies have been conducted in refer to the underlying issue of the paper that how the decision of the manager in the company can be influenced and what are the ethical concerns associated with the decision making.
Bowman (1976) in line with this issue has stated that managers within business and government have to consider ethics as important, and their decision must be based on the judgment of what is right and wrong.
However, the study did not consider the factors that can impact on the judgment of the individual in any situation and scenario. In line with this issue, various studies have focused on the investigation of the factors that can impact the judgment of individual and ethical decision making.
Daft (2006) has found in his book that there are various types of ethics include personal ethics, structure and system of the establishment, and many other factors can impact the ethical decision making of the manager.
The personal values are those that a manager brings as an individual. A study has stated that the values and culture of the organization can impact the decision making of the manager. In line with this statement, various studies have argued that there is a gap between the personal values of an individual and the values of the organization.
Lincoln & Holmes (2011) have investigated various factors affecting the ethical decision making. According to their model, the moral awareness leads the person towards moral actions. Morales-Sánchez & Cabello-Medina, (2013) have supported the idea of Lincoln & Holmes that these four morals play a very important role in ethical decision making. It shows that what awareness is available to the manager and how he analyzes that awareness directly result in his own moral actions.
Apart from these factors, Ford & Richardson (1994) in their review of the literature have found that many other factors impacts on the ethics and values of an individual. These factors include gender, profession, employment, age, nationality, religion and personality.
It means that beyond the moral factors, the personal characteristics and factors can also impact the decision making of the manager. It means the personal choices of the individual can impact on the overall ethical concerns of the decision in the context of the organization.
Cadbury (1987) has stated that as the manager’s decision within the company directly impacts many people include shareholders, employees, suppliers, etc. therefore, the manager must be honest, truthful and candid in decision making. It is very important for the employees in the company to understand their responsibilities that why one is provided with a specific job. It is simply an ethical process that can help the manager to understand and realize the values of all rather than preferring simply personal values.
The personal concerns of the manager can make him face the challenges and threats from the moral values of the organization. In line with this argument, the study has stated that the situation and conditions in which the manager is provided to make a decision also impact on the ethical decision making (Selart & Johansen, 2011).
The stress and pressures are found as the major factors impact on the ethical decision making of the manager. For suppose, being a friend, the personal morals, and values of a manager could make him take a decision in favor of his friend’s company. However, the stress from the government organization to bring the best bid for the computers’ supply pressurized him to take the decision for the best bids. It shows that how the moral values are being impacted by the stress on the manager.
Ethical decision making is one of the major concerns in the managerial practices within the organization. The manager within the government establishment can face various concerns of the ethics while going to make a decision about the bid of his friend’s company (Radax). Based on the analysis, it is found that the decision making is directly being impacted by the personal values, organizational values as well as the structure and system of the organization.
It means that manager before going to consider any decision has to consider the impacts of its decision on all the people and group and company within his premise. Along with these considerations, the manager has to consider his role in the company and his job responsibilities while making decisions about the bid of his friend’s company. At his job, he is an employee and part of the company more than a friend. Hence, the decision must keep aligned with all these impacts and concerns of the ethics.
Conclusion
Based on the critical analysis and discussion of the ethical decision making by the manager, it is concluded that manager should consider all the aspects of moral values, ethics and concerns of stakeholders while going to make a decision within the organization.
Although based on personal morals, the manager can consider favoring the bids of his friend’s company; however, apart from being a friend, he is responsible for making the government to ensure the best bids for the supply of the computers.
Favoring the bid of his friend can make the manager to face ethical issues of biasness. Hence, the codes of government establishment can make the manager to face greater challenges in the context of moral organizational values and culture.
List of References
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Cadbury, S. A. (1987). Ethical managers make their own rules. Harvard Business Review Case Services.
Daft, R. (2006). Organization theory and design. Cengage learning.
Ferrell, O. C., & Fraedrich, J. (2016). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision making & cases. Nelson Education.
Ford, R. C., & Richardson, W. D. (1994). Ethical decision making: A review of the empirical literature. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 205-221.
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Lincoln, S. H., & Holmes, E. K. (2011). Ethical decision making: A process influenced by moral intensity. Journal of Healthcare, Science and the Humanities, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 55-69.
Morales-Sánchez, R., & Cabello-Medina, C. (2013). The role of four universal moral competencies in ethical decision-making. Journal of business ethics, Vol. 116, No. 4, pp. 717-734.
Samson, D. & L.Daft, R. (2011). Management. Cengage Learning.
Selart, M., & Johansen, S. T. (2011). Ethical decision making in organizations: The role of leadership stress. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 99, No. 2, pp. 129-143.
