Ethics Assignment
What is the right thing to do?
Read Petroski’s selection on the Hyatt Regency Hotel disaster. On Friday, collaborate on
the ethical problems presented in the chapter and make a list of them. Also, list the power
structure that might have been in place. Who made the decision to modify the plan?
Whose decision was it to go ahead with the new plan? Can a lowly engineering worker
make suggestions to the supervisor? There are more situations like these. Think them
through in your group.
As a group, respond to the following questions:
1. should anyone be held responsible for the tragedy?
2. should anyone have come forward to warn of any dangers (if dangers were
perceived)?
As an individual, write a paper in which you address the following:
1. address each of the ethical problems from your group work
2. decide what should have been done
3. explain what you would have done if you had questions about the new design
4. sum up by explaining what you think is the one overriding ethical principle that
drives your decisions
The following information is designed to help with your struggle.
http://onlineethics.org/codes/
Some Steps to Thinking Ethically and Being Ethical
1. Clarify
Determine precisely what must be decided. What are the alternatives? Eliminate any
impractical, illegal or improper alternatives.
Try to develop at least three ethically justifiable options. Examine each option to
determine which ethical principles and ethical values are involved.
Who are the stakeholders? Are there risks or stewardship issues to do with local, global
or cosmic environments?
2. Assess
Separate facts from beliefs, desires, theories and opinions. Assess the influence of
personal and/or collective worldviews on assumptions about 'fact'.
Assess the credibility of the sources of information and the motivations of the
stakeholders.
With each alternative ethical option attempt to predict likely consequences taking note of
linear cause-and-effect vs. systems thinking. Carefully consider the benefits, costs and
risks to each stakeholder.
3. Decide
Are there some right vs. wrong choices?
Classify any ethical dilemmas involving right vs. right choices and evaluate the viable
alternatives by prioritizing the ethical values so that you can choose which values to
favour.
Which stakeholders will be helped the most and harmed the least?
Ask yourself questions based on ethical guidelines and principles of ethical thinking.
4. Implement
Develop a plan to implement your decision in a way that maximizes the benefits and
minimizes the costs and risks. Involve as many stakeholders as possible during
implementation.
5. Monitor
Monitor the effects of decisions and be prepared to take alternative action based on new
information. Since decisions are often based on incomplete information and predicted
consequences they may either fail to produce the predicted consequences or they may
produce unforeseen consequences.
6. Reflect
Review you decision making process. Will do it Differently next time? Were you fully
aware of your own values and worldview during the process? What feedback should you
seek?
Reference: Making Ethical Decisions - Josephson Institute of Ethics
http://www.hent.org/world/rss/files/ethics/ethics_steps.htm