Ethics in Decision Making Essay

Decision making or the process of choosing among alternatives is beneficial by almost all individuals (Mingst, 2001). In almost e rattling positioning people is faced with the idea of making conclusivenesss whether it is as simple as choosing what clothes to buy up to life changing choices like deciding on a go badicular c beer path. This pattern of act is non al focusings as simple as it looks like curiously when finishs atomic number 18 perceived according to particular factors that extend to it. The choices that a person read are often influenced by many factors and one of which is the idea of ethics. moral philosophy is a set of tireds that directs an individual on how to act in true situations. The idea of ethics is often confused with feelings, law, religion, science, and cultural norms. These concepts influenced ethics in one way or a nonher but these are not synonymous with it. Ethical standards are derived from five sources namely useful nuzzle, Rights Approac h, legality or rightness Approach, coarse Good Approach, and Virtue Approach (Santa Clara University, 2007).The Utilitarian Approach emphasizes the idea that ethical action gives great better and token(prenominal) harm. This approach is after the results of particular determinations that it should strived to give more advantageous set up rather than adverse consequences. A earnest physical exercise of this is ethics in corporation that aim to produce more beneficial results for e reallyone in the accompany (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Rights Approach is a source of ethical standards that gives high regards in seeing and protect the moral rights of those people concern.This can be rooted from the idea that the very essence of an individuals humanity that en ables him/her to make determinations for oneself entitled separately one of them to a sense of dignity. Based on this dignity, their rights as individuals should be given due importance. These rights as well come with its corresponding duties and one of which is to respect the rights of other people as well (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Fairness or Justice Approach is based on the arguments of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers that all extend tos should be treated equally.Ethical actions should treat individuals equally but if in that respect is inequality then there should be a defensible standard as to such. A corporate environment is a best example of such approach because workers are paid according to their productivity and piece to the company, which is perceived as fair. However, there is contention when it comes to the CEOs of companies because their salary is many quantify larger than the others which make such disparity unfair for some (Santa Clara University, 2007).The uncouth Good Approach gives value in the importance of life. They believe that the very idea of life is nifty which is why ethical actions should contribute to the well-being of that life. The intermingling of societal relationships as well as the respect and care for others especially the marginalized are emphasized. Furthermore, this approach also highlights the importance of conditions that bring common good (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Virtue Approach is considered as a very ancient way of looking at ethical actions.Certain virtues are to be followed in drift to attain the full development of human beings. These virtues are call for in order to reach the full potential of ones character. Questions like What kind of person volition I become if I do this? or is this action consistent with my acting at my best? are taken into consideration in this approach (Santa Clara University, 2007). These aforementioned sources of ethics could be utilise in the process of finish making especially with the individuals or conclusiveness masters that are involved within the process.Decision makers have various motifs and characteristics that affect their choices. Ther e are two types of motivation namely the in-order-to motives and the because-of-motives. The in-order-to motives explains that a decision maker will choose a particular decision in order to accomplish a certain target area (Mingst, 2001). Ethics could highly influence this kind of motivation especially in terms of the Utilitarian, Virtue, and Common Good approaches.The Utilitarian approach is manifested in the in-order-to motives because if an individual will make a decision based on an objective of producing more good rather than harm then it already fulfils an ethical action in the Utilitarian perspective. In terms of the Virtue approach, ethics is seen in the motivation of the decision maker when the choices made are based on an objective that helps the development of an individual towards its full potential. The Common Good approach also asserts ethics because actors are influenced to choose decisions that will bring about the greater good to the most number of people.On the ot her hand, the because-of-motives arises from the unconscious or semiconscious motives or impulses arising out of previous life experience or inner values, interests, or drives of the decision maker (Mingst, 2001). Ethical action becomes practicable in the decisions made by an individual based on the ideas of the Rights Approach and the Fairness or Justice Approach. The Rights Approach exemplified the moral rights of the people that should be respected and protected. These rights motivate the decision maker to make choices that will push these values.Similarly, the Fairness or Justice Approach also influences the motive of the decision maker by putting in mind the idea of what is equal from what is not especially if such idea is something that the individual values or has interests on. According to the assumptions of the Decision Making Theory, a sage actor plays a vital role in the decision making wherein that individual is well-aware of the angle of inclination of available alt ernatives and capable of calculating each options contingent results and has the freedom of choice to select the one with the highest preferential value.However, the biographical noesis of the decision maker has a crucial role in the choices that will be made. Factors such as a persons educational background, religion, life experiences, mental and physical health as well as other activities could explain the interests and values of the decision maker (Mingst, 2001). An individual decision maker is already influenced by numerous factors that affect its decisions which make decision making for a collective entity of diverse people more complicated.A population would have various and sometimes conflicting interests and basically opposite decisions. In such case, the important factor for this diverse population to successfully dumbfound at a most advantageous decision is to take away consensus. Consensus building is an important factor for the decision making process of a diverse p opulation. Since they have numerous interests and motives they contract to be able to arrive at a decision that everybody will benefit from even if it sum having to compromise at times.In doing so, they also need an appropriate draw that would collaborate their interests. A democratic form of leadership is a good example of how the process of decision making takes place in a diverse population (Bissessar, 2004). The interests of its citizens are represented through party system as well as by elected political leaders. However, numerous party systems is still not that easy to manage which is why a rational and appropriate leader is still needed that would be able to make legal decisions for its citizens.The decision maker is the most important part of the decision making process. The motives, interests as well as the background of this rational actor are vital in order to understand the choices that are made. Being the case, ethical standards is also one of the factors that infl uenced these decisions.This also applies in the decision making of diverse population because they need consensus building in order to embody their various and sometimes conflicting interests. In doing so, it also need an appropriate leader that would collaborate their interests and implements the decision.Ethical standards and the other factors that influence the decision maker have a big part in the selection of sound decisions.ReferencesBissessar. A. M. (2004). Globalization and Governance Essays on the Challenges for Small Countries. North Carolina McFarland. Santa Clara University. (2007). A modelling for Thinking Ethically. Retrieved 14 May 2008, from http//www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework. html. Mingst, K. (2001). Essentials of International Relations. vernal York W. W. Norton & Co.