Topic: Ethical Decision Making Model: A Case Study
Date:
Class:
Behaviour Observed: Student’s participation in group work
Name
Observation
Ethical Decision Making
Name:
Problem Recognition:
 Students have looked at the situation, identified the actors, the benefits and harms
to each actor, the rights that may be exercised and the rights that may be denied
by each affected party.
5
4
3
2
1
Identification of Alternative Courses of Action:
 Students have thought of a variety of courses of action to the situation or ethical
dilemma.
5
4
3
2
1
Evaluation of Alternative Courses of Action:
 Students have considered the following questions in their evaluations:
1. Which alternative course of action respects the rights and dignity of the
affected parties and can be universally applied.
2. Which alternative course of action will produce the most good and the least
harm?
3. Which course of action will allow you to be at peace with yourself, proud of
your decision, and confident that it would be defensible?
4. Which course of action violates no cultural norms, mores, or laws?
5
4
3
2
1
Estimation of Probabilities:
 Students have identified consequences that have a relatively high probability of
occurring.
5
4
3
2
1
Calculation of Expected Values:
 Students have calculated the expected results of the various alternatives.
5
4
3
2
1
Justification of the Course of Action Chosen:
 Students express themselves in a coherent, comprehensive and defensible manner.
5
4
3
2
1
Ethical Decision Making

Step One: Problem Recognition
Gather information to identify the decisions and issues that are involved in the situation.
Look at the situation and identify the actors, the benefits and harms to each actor, the
rights that may be exercised and the rights that may be denied by each affected party.

Step Two: Identification of Alternative Courses of Action
This requires creative thinking. You must analyze not only the obvious and the possibly
conflicting courses of action in the situation or ethical dilemma, but also think of other
possible options to creatively resolve the dilemma.

Step Three: Evaluation of Alternative Courses of Action
You must consider the following questions:
1. Which alternative course of action respects the rights and dignity of the
affected parties and can be universally applied.
2. Which alternative course of action will produce the most good and the least
harm?
3. Which course of action will allow you to be at peace with yourself, proud of
your decision, and confident that it would be defensible?
4. Which course of action violates no cultural norms, mores, or laws?

Step Four: Estimation of Probabilities
Consider the consequences of each alternative course of action. Try to identify
consequences that have a relatively high probability of occurring.

Step Five: Calculation of Expected Values
Consider financial, ethical and other costs and benefits of each alternative course of
action.

Step Six: Justification of the Course of Action Chosen
It is necessary to express your decision in a coherent, comprehensive, and defensible
manner. You must explain the details of how the ethical issues involved were weighed in
order to reach the most ethical decision possible. You must also reflect on the
consequences of the decision in order to assess your decision and learn what can be done
differently next time.
Professional Development Plan Template
Topic ___________________________
Teacher _________________________
1. Professional Target
Preparation and Debriefing
Date ______________________________
Observer___________________________
2. Steps to Achieve Target
 I will ensure that the students
understand the ethical decision
making process.
 Students will have 10 minutes to
debrief the case and the decision
making process.
 Students will reflect on the case and
the decision making process.
3. Instructions for the Observer: Please record the following.
Data Collection:
1. List the questions I asked or the activities I initiated to prepare the students for the
case study assignment.
2. What opportunities did I provide for students to share their thoughts and ideas
about the case study?
3. What opportunities did I provide for students to share their thoughts and ideas
about the ethical decision making process?
4. What questions did I ask that allowed students to reflect on the case and the
ethical decision making process?
Ethical Decision Case
Kevin Baker, President of United Health Media Services (UHMS), is considering banning smoking on
the company premises. UHMS is a public health publishing and media company located in
Bloomington, Indiana. Mr. Baker (age 48, a non smoker, likes supported facts, is concerned about
employees’ opinions, and checks employee attitudes on various topics) feels a smoking ban may
reflect society’s values about good health. In addition, Mr. Baker is concerned about at 21% increase
in insurance premiums at UHMS. Furthermore, Mr. Baker thinks banning smoking in the workplace
will help the company project a more positive image (after all, UHMS is in the public health education
and media business).
Besides considering a smoking ban in the workplace, Mr. Baker wonders whether he should prohibit
employee smoking all together. He read about the Weyco case (a Michigan based benefits services
company that requires its employees to quit smoking, or else lose their jobs) in the news. Mr. Baker
thinks Howard Weyers’s (Weyco’s President) reasoning that “smokers drive up health care costs and
are less productive” makes sense; however, Mr. Baker is not sure about the ethical and legal
ramifications of such a decision. Mr. Baker has asked you, the Director of Employee Relations, to
investigate the effects of smoking and second hand smoke, smoking ban related legislation and
programs, and the feasibility and ethicality of a hiring/firing rule base on smoking habits. He wants a
formal report containing your analysis and recommendations.
You administered a questionnaire to all 412 company employees in order to obtain information about
employee current smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking. Eighty percent pf the questionnaires
were completed and returned. An analysis of the date show that 27% of the make employees currently
smoke, and 13% of the female employees smoke. More importantly perhaps, is the fact that 41% of
those employees who smoke have submitted smoking related health insurance claims during the
previous year, while only 9% of the non smokers submitted smoking related claims in the same period.
Almost half (43%) of the smokers have tried to quit without success. Attitudes about smoking
restrictions at the workplace and beyond are mixed, but with smokers predictably favouring less
restriction on their smoking habits and non smokers favouring more restrictions.
Source: Journal of Applied Research for Business Instruction. Volume 4, Issue 3, 2006.