Ethical Decisions in Organizations: What constitutes an ethical decision and what determines whether a specific decision is or is not ethical? Presented by: Maxie Carpenter “Sharing and Transferring Simple, Relevant, Compelling Knowledge and Experience!”

Encouragement!

Discussion Points 1.What role does vision play in ethical decision making? 2.What role do values play in ethical decision making? 3.What role does judgment play in ethical decision making?

A Parent’s Perspective!

A Student’s Perspective!

A Jaded Perspective!

Historical Culture-Shaping Ethical Decisions! 1929 – Black Tuesday – Great Depression 1932 – Tuskegee Experiment 1945 – Hiroshima & Nagasaki 1954 – McCarthyism 1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis 1970 – Vietnam 1980 – Fall of the Wall of Berlin Iraq 2007 – Subprime Mortgage Collapse 2008 – AIG Collapse 2008 – Bernie Madoff 2008 – US Financial Collapse Gulf Oil Spill

Tuskegee Experiment U.S. Public Health Service begins study with selection of 399 men diagnosed with syphilis 1945 Penicillin identified as effective treatment for syphilis 1965 Peter Buxton expresses concern about ethics of study to Public Health Service 1972 Jean Heller publishes news story exposing the study; Study ends 1973 Class action lawsuit filed on behalf of participants; $10 million settlement reached 1997 President Bill Clinton apologizes publicly to study participants and their families 2006 National Center for Bioethics is opened at Tuskegee University

Key Decision Makers Dr. Taliaferro Clark: Initiated study with aim of observing course of syphilis without treatment in African- American males and publishing the data Dr. Oliver Wenger: Senior officer of PHS for its syphilis programs; motivated by proving that syphilis presented differently in black males than white males

Key Decision Makers Dr. Thomas Parran: Surgeon General who pushed for continuation of study and denial of treatment to participants after cure found Dr. Raymond Vonderlehr: Dr. Clark’s successor who added a control group of 200 uninfected men to the study; when some of these men became infected, they were transferred to the infected group and denied treatment

Key Decision Makers American Medical Association: Was aware of the study and allowed its results to be shared at meetings; did not raise any objections to ethics of study Peter Buxton: An interviewer with the U.S. Public Health Service who repeatedly urged the PHS to stop the study; he eventually leaked the story to a journalist

Foundation of Ethical Decision Making! The Foundation is the Culture! –Culture is defined as a shared vision, a shared mission, and a set of shared core values. –It is an agreement between all the members of a group, a family, an organization; in short, any entity, that stipulates how we will all interact with, communicate with, and treat each other, and the basis upon which we will make decisions. –It is most often driven from the top of the decision- making tree.

What Role Vision? A vision of ethical practices and decision-making is a framework that describes how decisions are approached based upon the ideals of the organization. A vision for ethical decision-making provides an environment for on-going ethical dialogue that reinforces those ideals.

What Role Values? Values are the embodiment of what an organization stands for, and should be the basis for the behavior of its members. Values are what we, as a profession, judge to be right!

What Role Judgment? Judgment is the core nucleus of good Leadership. Judgment and Decision-Making are supported by one critical skill set that is rare at the executive level – Critical Thinking! Judgment is the basis upon which right and wrong decisions are made!

Basis for Judgment?

2 Primary Obstacles to Ethical Decision-Making! 1.Ego – Centric Leadership –The “I” is greater than the “They!” 2.Self-Interest –The risk of making the right decision is overwhelmed by the fear of losing control, wealth, power, prestige, etc., etc., etc. Imagine this: How strong does the culture of an organization have to be to influence the leadership to “do the right thing” on a continuum?

ETHICAL DECISIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS! THANK YOU!