Write a 4-5 page response where you select an ethical approach to address an ethical issue in the workplace.

Introduction

The word ethics usually evokes a strong emotional reaction or opinion from most business students, particularly as it has moved to center stage in business curriculum. Respecting all these emotions is a key focus throughout this course. Having a keen eye and observing your own reactions alongside the reactions of others in a nonjudgmental manner will serve you best as you pursue the objectives of this course.

In this course, you will begin to define the stakeholders, issues, and current perceptions surrounding business ethics and engage in the analysis of ethical dilemmas and your own beliefs to understand the challenges organizations must address as they approach ethics. You will also learn to identify issues and put them in a context or framework to facilitate management decision-making.

Central to the approach for studying business ethics is realizing that it is a gray area. As conditions, environments, people, and organizations change, their behaviors and the regulations that attempt to build fair standards in the world of business also change. No single approach is considered best for all situations, but studying the approaches and learning how to apply them to different ethical problems ultimately makes you a valuable voice at the table when participating in the solution.

You are strongly encouraged to question the material offered in this course and your own experiences and understandings. It is through questioning ourselves and our beliefs that we learn the multitude of gray areas that make up business ethics. As you uncover these hard-to-define zones, your perceptions and skills for analyzing the best solutions to ethical dilemmas increase.

Overview

In this assessment, you will direct your attention to personal ethical choices in the workplace. Motives are a key consideration in ethical decision-making. As you explore the various models and rationales used to make decisions on ethical dilemmas, think about the one that most suits you, your personality, and your own moral standards. In particular, refer to the four ethical approaches:

• Utilitarian.
• Deontological.
• Virtue.
• Communitarian.

Then identify an ethical issue that has impacted you and apply one of the ethical approaches to remedy the issue. This is an important exercise because the most crucial thing you can learn from this course is how to identify, analyze, and successfully resolve ethical dilemmas.

Instructions

Think of an ethical issue you have been a part of, either personally or professionally, such as nepotism, a data breach, inappropriate social media posts, or harassment/discrimination. Next, pick one ethical approach (Utilitarian, Deontological, Virtue, or Communitarian) and explain how you will use this approach to remedy the issue. Do not forget to describe the ethical issue.

Follow the steps below to complete your assessment. For all of these steps, make sure you provide examples and information from credible sources that will support your writing:

• Step 1: Compare and contrast the four ethical approaches.
• Step 2: Analyze the reasoning process behind an ethical decision.
• Step 3: Analyze ethical decision-making principles and actions.
• Step 4: Analyze cultural and environmental influences on ethical decision-making.
• Step 5: Evaluate a personal decision based on ethical decision-making principles.

Additional Requirements

Your submission should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Write in complete sentences free from errors that detract from the overall message. Communicate in an exemplary and professional manner through clear, concise, well-organized, and grammatically correct writing.
• Font: Arial, 12-point.
• Page length: 4–5 pages.
• Citations: Include complete citations of your sources. Review Evidence and APA for more information on how to cite your sources. You can also use the Writing Center, Writing Support, and Wayfinding the Writing Center [DOCX] as resources to help you with the writing process.

Review the assessment scoring guide for details on how your assessment will be graded.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Evaluate the parameters for ethical decision-making in 21st-century multi-cultural business environments.
  • Compare and contrast the four ethical approaches.
  • Analyze the reasoning process behind an ethical decision.
  • Analyze ethical decision-making principles and actions.
  • Analyze cultural and environmental influences on ethical decision-making.
• Competency 4: Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
  • Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.