1. Ethical Principles Applied to Sport Management Chapter 6

2. Introduction: Ethics
Ethics: The systematic study of the values guiding our decision making
Ethics reflect how we believe people should behave and how we want the world to operate.
Ethical Reasoning:
The process of making a correct and fair decision
Depends on our values or the values of the organizations for which we work

3. Ethical Dilemma vs Decision Making
Practical conflict involving equally compelling values or social obligations
Solved when we articulate which commonly held values we admire most
Ethical Decision Making:
Requires consideration of how actions will affect other groups and individuals

4. Morality vs Morals Morality: Concerned with values that guide behavior
The list of those actions people ought to do or refrain from doing
Morals:
Fundamental baseline values that dictate appropriate behavior within a society

5. Ethical Considerations
Decisions that affect diverse groups of people with conflicting interests (e.g., athletes, fans, media, community, businesses)
Sport managers face ethical dilemmas on daily basis.
Sport managers’ decisions about ethical dilemmas tend to fall under greater public scrutiny than managers in other industries.
Ethical analysis involves a systematic process of reasoning:
Weighing pros/cons of two or more seemingly valid choices that reflect equally cherished values

6. Ethical Decision Making Process (Hums and MacLean, 2013)
Identify the correct problem to be solved.
Gather all the pertinent information.
Explore codes of conduct relevant to your profession or to this particular dilemma.
Examine your own personal values and beliefs.
Consult with your peers or other individuals in the industry who may have experience in similar situations.

7. Ethical Decision Making Process (cont.) (Hums and MacLean, 2013)
List your options.
Look for a “win-win” situation if at all possible.
Ask yourself this question: “How would my family feel if my decision and how I arrived at my decision appeared on the Internet tomorrow?”
Sleep on it. Do not rush to a decision.
Make your best decision, knowing it may not be perfect.
Evaluate your decision.

8. Ethical Considerations: Codes of Conduct
Code of Conduct:
Most visible statement of ethical philosophy and beliefs of an organization
Need exists for establishing solid ethical climates in corporations
Code of conduct outlines and explains the principles under which an organization or profession operates.
Codes of conduct should be clear and straightforward and encourage employees to understand the goals they are trying to accomplish.

10. Ethical Considerations: Codes of Conduct (cont.)
How do you create an effective code of conduct?
Codes need to avoid being too vague (DeSensi & Rosenberg, 1996)
Codes should be based on a few overriding principles that can be used to deal with a variety of ethical dilemmas faced by members of the organization (Fraliegh, 1993)
Codes should clearly state to whom they apply. If codes are to be influential, leadership and membership within the organization must accept and be willing to adhere to the prescribed standards.
Codes should contain consequences for violations (DeSensi & Rosenberg, 1996)

12. Ethical Considerations: Morality
Some ethical dilemmas are about choosing between right and wrong or two opposing choices.
Social practices depend on people upholding certain baseline values.
Morals are seen as coming from higher order or common sense.
Many moral values in society are codified in laws, but moral behavior cannot always be legislated and people cannot be forced to act morally.

13. Ethical Considerations: Morality in the Workplace
Absolutism: Moral precepts are universal; applicable to all circumstances
Relativism: What is moral depends on the situation
Commercial moral rules: Rules of the marketplace guide activities such as sales and marketing
Noncommercial moral rules: Occupations demand loyalty to an oath of office or professional standards to guard against selling out

14. Ethical Considerations: Morality and Multiple Roles
Specific jobs in sports do not reside completely in either the commercial or the noncommercial sphere.
Process of making a moral choice, of deciding what is right and wrong, involves understanding the parameters of acceptable behavior in the context of one’s multiple roles in society.

15. Ethical Considerations: Morality and Corruption
Immoral behavior violates our basic assumptions and corrupts our social institutions.
An immoral decision can lead to systemic corruption that can destroy a sport enterprise.
Corruption usually occurs when people hop from one set of moral precepts to another.
One feature of corruption is that it is systemic.
Examples: PED use in cycling and MLB

16. Ethical Considerations: Moral Reasoning and Work
Contemporary society is characterized by innovation, which continually presents new ethical dilemmas.
Periodically need to assess whether our current practices are in keeping with values that underlie a just society
Moral and ethical principles evolve over time.

17. Key Skills: Ensuring Morality in the Workplace
Rules designed to protect integrity of sports operate uncomfortably alongside business structure underwriting sports.
Organizations can help individuals make moral choices by establishing standards, encouraging self-examinations, providing support structures, and enforcing codes.

18. Key Skills: Self-Examination
An effective tool to remind people of ethical actions and express institutional concern for ethical issues
Ask employees to think about hypothetical ethical dilemmas.
Accreditation programs (NCAA)

19. Key Skills: Forum for Moral Discourse
Communication is critical to decreasing corruption and resolving ethical dilemmas.
Employees should be encouraged to get together to discuss where and how they face specific problems.
The process takes pressure off individuals and clarifies issues at stake.
Decisions should be reviewed only after they have been made.

20. Key Skills: Consequences
Employees need to know there are consequences for immoral behavior.
If people understand that corruption comes with certain risks, they are less likely to engage in immoral acts.
Discipline must meet two criteria. It must be:
Meaningful
Enforceable

21. Summary
Sport managers need to be aware of the importance of morality and ethics in the sport workplace.
Their daily decisions affect many people, ranging from athletes to team owners to fans.
Incorporating codes of ethics, self-examinations, forums for moral disclosure, and statements of consequences for ethical violations helps ensure that sport managers and employees make the “right” decisions.