EAI
Ethical Decision Making
Ethics Awareness Inventory - Gain New Insight Into Your Ethical Perspective
APPLICATION — Ethical Decision Making
3
After becoming familiar with the Awareness and Articulation pieces of the A approach, you are ready
to move on to the third step in the process—APPLICATION. No matter which ethical perspective your
Ethics Awareness Profile identified as yours and no matter what your ethical style, the important thing
to understand is that we all face situations in which we must choose what we believe is “right.” Contrary
to some beliefs that we can remain “value neutral” in our research and studies, when faced with an
ethical decision, we all believe that there are “right” and “wrong” answers. This does not mean,
however, that we will all arrive at the same answer. Therefore, it is critical to develop a process to guide
us in our struggle to make ethical decisions.The ability to use your understanding of the basis for
making good choices (Awareness) and your ability to explain the principles behind your position
(Articulation) to move toward the most critical step in the process—APPLICATION or ACTION—
provides the key to sound ethical judgment. The answers to the questions associated with each of the
steps in the ethical decision making process outlined below will assist you to make the “right” decision.
No easy shortcut to Application or Action exists. Ethical decisions have a significant impact on the lives
of real people—not some faceless mass. Therefore, none of these steps can be neglected without
putting the ethical quality of your decision at risk.
Step One: Who Will Be Affected By My Decision?
9 Who are the people most immediately impacted by my decision?
9 Who else will be touched in some way by this decision—those not quite so obvious?
9 Who is strongly supporting a specific outcome? Why?
9 Who might have a strong opinion about this decision but lacks the power, money or status to be
heard?
9 Who is affected in the short-run, and who may be affected a year or more from now?
9 What opportunities have all these stakeholders had to be heard? What did they have to say?
9 Does my ethical decision making impact my family and friends? What do they think?
Step Two: What Would Be The Impact Of My Decision?
9 Have I compared a variety of alternative decisions?
9 What have all those who might be affected had to say about how each different decision might
impact them?
9 Have I gotten input from all stakeholders? What do I need to do to get input from those I have
not heard?
9 What evidence exists to support my conclusions regarding the impact of various decisions?
9 Have I tailored my fact finding to fit some preconceived result or desired outcome I prefer?
For more information on The Williams Institute:
www.ethics-twi.org
info@ethics-twi.org
480-517-1891
EAI
Ethical Decision Making
Step Three: What Ethical Perspective Is Reflected By My Decision?
9 What do I believe is the best ethical decision in this case?
9 What CORE belief underlies each of the alternative decisions I considered? What CORE belief
underlies my decision?
¾ Character?
¾ Obligation?
¾ Results?
¾ Equity?
9 Are there other factors that have influenced my decision making?
¾ Pressure from above?
¾ Pressure from peers?
¾ Interest groups?
¾ Personal financial gain?
¾ Chance to get ahead?
¾ Limited information?
¾ Convenience?
¾ Threats?
Step Four: Can I Justify My Decision on Ethical Grounds?
9 Is my decision fair to everyone involved? What is the ethical basis I used to determine its
fairness?
9 Do I feel uncomfortable or frustrated with my decision? If so, why? If not, why not?
9 If I were on the receiving end of this decision, would I feel that I had been treated fairly?
9 Does my decision fit my ethical perspective and style?
9 Would I feel comfortable having this story appear on the front page of my local newspaper?
Would I be able to justify my decision if I were interviewed?
9 What ethical justification would I use to explain my decision?
9 Would I use this case as an example to teach young people about making good ethical
decisions?
9 Have I rationalized my position in answering any of these questions?
For more information on The Williams Institute:
www.ethics-twi.org
info@ethics-twi.org
480-517-1891
EAI
Ethical Decision Making
ETHICAL AWARENESS …
Ethical Awareness is the key to sound ethical judgment. The answers to the questions posed in the
EAI Inventory will assist you to make the “right” decision, but it is important to remember that there is no
easy shortcut to ethical decision making. It requires you to make an important personal judgment about
a matter that will have a significant impact on the lives of real people—not some faceless mass.
Therefore, none of these steps can be neglected without putting the ethical quality of your decision at
risk. An examination of our ethical perspectives and styles reveals a moral responsibility for each of us
to uphold our CORE beliefs.
For more information on The Williams Institute:
www.ethics-twi.org
info@ethics-twi.org
480-517-1891