Ethics in Decision Making Essay

stopping point devising or the serve rise of choosing among alternatives is practiced by al just about all singulars (Mingst, 2001). In almost every situation nation is machinate about with the desire of making endings whether it is as simple as choosing what clothes to obtain up to biography changing creams like deciding on a particular c argoner path. This winsome of act is not al focal points as simple as it looks like peculiarly when decisions are perceived match to particular factors that affect it. The choices that a person do are ofttimes influenced by many factors and one of which is the idea of morals.Ethics is a set of standards that directs an singular on how to act in certain situations. The idea of ethics is often confused with feelings, law, religion, science, and cultural norms. These concepts influenced ethics in one way or another but these are not synonymous with it. good standards are derived from five sources namely utile onslaught, Rights get along, Fairness or justness Approach, Common Good Approach, and Virtue Approach (Santa Clara University, 2007).The Utilitarian Approach emphasizes the idea that honorable action gives greater good and minimal disability. This shape up is after the results of particular decisions that it should strived to give more advantageous effects rather than unfortunate consequences. A good example of this is ethics in corporation that send to produce more beneficial results for everyone in the company (Santa Clara University, 2007). The Rights Approach is a source of ethical standards that gives high regards in respecting and protecting the moral rights of those bulk concern.This can be rooted from the idea that the very essence of an individuals humanity that enables him/her to bewilder decisions for oneself entitled each one of them to a sense of dignity. Based on this dignity, their rights as individuals should be given ascribable importance. These rights also come with its cor responding 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 base on the arguments of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers that all equals should be treated every bit.Ethical actions should treat individuals equally but if there is inequality then there should be a defensible standard as to much(prenominal). A corporate environment is a best example of such shape up because workers are paid according to their productivity and contribution 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 times larger than the others which make such disparity unfair for some (Santa Clara University, 2007).The Common Good Approach gives value in the importance of life. They believe that the very idea of life is good which is why ethical actions should contribute to the well-being of that life. The intermingling of s ocietal 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 determine to come through the full development of human beings. These virtues are needed in order to reach the full potential of ones character. Questions like What kind of person pass on I become if I do this? or is this action unchanging with my acting at my best? are taken into consideration in this approach (Santa Clara University, 2007). These aforementioned sources of ethics could be applied in the routine of decision making especially with the individuals or decision masters that are touch on within the process.Decision shaping machines pay off divers(a) motivations and characteristics that affect their choices . There are two types of motivation namely the in-order-to motives and the because-of-motives. The in-order-to motives justifys that a decision maker depart choose a particular decision in order to fulfil a certain objective (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 th e other 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 possible 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 strike the decision maker to make choices that will uphold 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 rational actor plays a vital power in the decision making wherein that individual is well-aware of the list of available alternatives an d able of calculating each options possible results and has the freedom of choice to select the one with the highest preferential value.However, the biographical knowledge 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, cordial 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 divers(prenominal) people more complicated.A population would flummox various and sometimes conflicting interests and basically different decisions. In such case, the in-chief(postnominal) factor for this diverse population to successfully arrive at a most advantageous decision is to acquire consensus. Consensus building is an important factor for the decision making process of a diverse population. Since they have numerous interests and motives they need to be able to arrive at a decision that everybody will benefit from even if it means having to compromise at times.In doing so, they also need an remove attraction 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 notwithstanding not that easy to manage which is why a rational and appropriate leader is still needed that would be able to make break 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 influenced 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 Framework for Thinking Ethically. Retrieved 14 May 2008, from http//www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework. html. Mingst, K. (2001). Essentials of International Relations. New York W. W. Norton & Co.