Ethical Decision Making Framework

Running head: MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
Moral Dilemma Analysis Report
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1MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
Introduction
The individuals are at times, required to make certain decisions especially in the
organizational environment, on a regular basis. Working in a company often requires the
employers to follow an ethical framework or model, at the times of making decisions.
Organizational leaders are needed to be consistent at their ethical decision making
procedures. An organization’s chosen course of actions can affect all the business aspects
which include marketing, customer relationships, financial investments and others (Walker,
Sque and Long Sutehall 2017). The organizational ethics are needed to be kept in front of the
managerial processes and all throughout their levels by using a decision making framework.
An ethical decision making framework can be employed easily in order to ensure the ethical
actions of a company. Moreover, a solid framework should adequately address the issues,
which the organizations face on a daily basis (Martinez and Wueste 2016).
The ethical decision making framework helps in providing step-by-step, fair
procedures in order to help and guide the staff members, board members and other employees
(Sque, Walker and Long Sutehall 2014). The report addresses a moral dilemma, using the
framework of ethical decision making. It mentions about a company which meets its service
deadlines by making the workers work beyond their eight hour paid shift. The staff members
are well aware of this and are working unpaid overtime in order to ensure their job security.
Being the manager of the company, it has been seen that this practice is becoming a part of
the organizational culture. Moreover, it appears that even the Chief Executive Officer of the
company is aware of these issues as well.
Ethical Decision Making Framework
Framework Public Company Colleagues Individual Clients Industry

2MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
Benefits of
this action?
Avoiding
disruption
of services
where the
workload is
difficult to
share among
the entire
work force.
A company
is able to
deal with
busy
periods,
staff
shortages,
cover the
absence of
staff and
staff
shortages
without
having the
need to hire
new staff.
A more
flexible
work
environmen
t is created
if
employees
agree to
work
overtime.
Increased
opportunity
of earning
for the
employee
who works
overtime as
well as for
the
employer.
Clients do
not face
disruption
of work.
The clients
receive
uninterrupt
ed service
even after
the
stipulated
shift time
of the
employees.
The
industry
also
benefits if
the
employees
employed
in the
industry
work
overtime.
The
productivit
y of the
industry
increases
which
ultimately
results in
the
profitability
of the
industry in
concern
Harm
caused by
this action?
Working
even after
the
stipulated
The
companies
have to bear
the premium
Regular
long
working
hours can
Increased
fatigue due
to working
overtime
The clients
are required
to pay an
additional
Although
apparently
it seems
evident that

3MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
shift time
for the
additional
monetary
benefits is a
practice that
adverse
affects the
quality of
life of the
people. It
has also
been
reported that
working
overtime
ultimately
results in the
creation of
negative
health
consequence
s. It also
results in
increased
occupational
injuries.
expense of
overtime
rates which
are
generally
higher than
normal
wage rates
have a
negative
impact on
the entire
workforce.
The long
hours of
work can
adversely
affect the
health of
the
employees
and can also
disrupt the
work life
balance of
such
employees.
can cause
absenteeism
and lead to
unsafe
working
practices.
amount if
they seek
the services
of
employees
who work
overtime
due to
increased
wage rates
of overtime
workers.
There is a
high
probability
that the
services
received by
the client
will be of
substandard
quality due
to the
fatigue and
burnout of
the
employees
who work
the
productivit
y of the
industry
increases
with if the
employees
work
overtime,
however in
reality the
quality of
the work or
services
provided by
the
employees
to the
industry
gets
compromis
ed due to
the fatigue
caused by
the long
work hours.
Therefore
the industry

4MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
overtime. suffers a
detriment.
Benefits if
action is
universalize
d?
If the
practice of
working
overtime is
universalize
d, it will
have a
positive
impact on
the public
due to the
increased
availability
of the
services and
reduced
disruption
of services.
The
companies
will be more
productive
due to the
overtime
work of the
employees.
If the
practice of
working
overtime is
universalize
d, there is
an increased
chance of
the
expansion
of the
business of
the
company
due to
increased
profitability.
If the
practice of
overtime
work is
universalize
d, it will
help in the
creation of
a more
flexible and
cooperative
work
environmen
t for all.
The
employee
who will
work over
time after
their
stipulated
shift hours
will have an
opportunity
to earn more
if they
choose to
work
overtime.
The clients
will receive
active
feedback
from the
employees
about the
work
delegated
to them
even after
the
stipulated
shift time
of the
employees
The
productivit
y of the
industry
will
increase.
Harm if The balance If the Resentment Quality of The quality The

5MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
action is
universalize
d?
between the
work and
family life
would be
adversely
impacted.
practice of
working
overtime is
universalize
d, the
companies
will be
required to
compensate
employees
by
providing
overtime
wages due
to the slack
in the pace
of work of
the
employees
of
employees
if the
practice of
working
overtime is
withdrawn
can be
expected
and this
might result
in
inflexibility.
life is
compromise
d.
of the work
delivered to
clients is
compromis
ed if the
practice of
overtime is
continued
for a long
time.
Industry is
likely to
become
dependent
on the
additional
efforts
provided by
employees
in overtime.
Contradictio
n if
universalize
d?
If it is
universalize
d then the
internal
public will
get highly
affected.
Lack of
trust among
the
employers
and
employees.
Colleagues
will get
affected,
team morale
will lessen.
Quality of
life will
degrade
Clients will
get affected
as the
employees’
work
quality will
degrade
Industry’s
reputation
will get
maligned.
Used as
means to
No, not used
as means to
Yes, used to
end the
Exploitation
of the
Yes, it is
used as
Yes, used
as means to
Yes, used

6MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
end,
violating
their rights?
end organization
’s right of
minimum
wages
workers,
violating
their rights
means to
end the right
to quality of
work
the public’s
end against
exploiting
their money
as means.
Violating
rights, seen
as unjust,
action taker
has more
power?
Violation of
the workers’
rights as
they are
made to
work for
than
maximum
work hours
as
prescribed
by the law
It is a
violation of
rights of
employees
if they are
not given
overtime
pay
Colleagues
will also get
affected if
violation of
the law
occurs as
they work
in the same
organizatio
n.
Unjustified
actions will
lower the
individual’s
morale and
work flow.
Clients will
get less
impacted
The overall
industry’s
reputation
will get
damaged.
Summary
As indicated by Wood (2016), it is a matter of fact that when the employees of a
business organizations do overtime it brings in numerous advantage for the employees as
well as for the business organization; though it can potentially bring in some disadvantages
for both parties. As stated by Kossek, Thompson and Lautsch (2015), it can be said that if the
employees of a business concern get engaged in overtime works frequently that can
effectively give a boost to the productivity of the company which will automatically bring in
profitability for the concern. As predicted by Eberth, Elliott and Skåtun (2016), in this regard,
it can be said that the management of the business organizations can provide monetary

7MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
benefits to the employees and the employees can also get rewards like recognition at the
workplace that can effectively increase their motivation and loyalty towards the organization
they work for.
It can be said that the management of the business organization can also improve their
reputation in the market of operation if the employees start doing overtime as then the
customers will not face any types of delay or interrupted work and the overall effectiveness
of the general workforce of the business concern gets a major boost. In this regard, it is
worthwhile to mention that if some of the employees get engaged in over timing, it can
potentially increase the professional ability or the professional skills of those employees
(Kang, Matusik and Barclay 2017). The employees who frequently get engaged in over
timing in the workforce are seen to have huge loyalty for the company and their motivation to
work is seen to be on the higher side which is immensely beneficial for the company. As
predicted by Eberth, Elliott and Skåtun (2016), the aim of the management should be to retain
or to sustain this mentality of the existing workforce by rewarding them with either monetary
or recognition as a mean of benefit so they do not lose their motivation and loyalty towards
the organization.
In this regard, it should be mentioned that the there can be some negative impacts of
overdoing over times in the workplace and that includes numbers of factors that can
effectively reduce the effectiveness of the workforce or the overall organizational
performance. If some of the employees of the workforce gets engaged in working overtime
for a longer period of time it can have a negative impact on their health and that can
effectively refrain them from performing their daily tasks and at that point of time the
company starts losing their daily productivity. Doing overtime can affect the personal life of
the employees too and for that they can lose their motivation to work which can invoke
serious trouble for the management of the business concern.

8MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
As indicated by Wood (2016), it is also a matter of fact that due to extensive work, the
quality of the work gets compromised and that is not beneficial for the business organization
as it can potentially affect the reputation of the business concern. It can be said that the
management of the organization may get negative impacts if the majority of the employees of
the workforce intends to do overtimes in the workplace; a dependency on the higher income
can be installed among the minds of the employees of the concern and that can adversely
affect on the mentality and morale of the existing workforce of the company (Eberth, Elliott
and Skåtun 2016).
Therefore it can be stated that there are numerous advantages and disadvantages if the
employees do over time work in the workplace. Therefore, it should be the duty of the
management of the business organization to effectively analyze the situation and allow only a
number of people of their disposal or workforce to continue over timing as that can improve
the situation (Pausch et al. 2016). As indicated by Wood (2016), apart from that the
management can introduce a rotational shifts where each week a number of employees will
be able to do overtime shifts and in this way everyone will get chance to do overtime and that
would not bring in harmful effects that has been mentioned above.
Analysis
Business leaders and their companies need to remain consistent in their entire ethical
decision making procedure. A chosen course of action of the company has several
ramifications which affect their business infrastructure that include consumer relationships,
financial investments and marketing. The ethics of the companies are kept at forefront of the
processes all throughout the levels by using the decision making framework (Martinov
Bennie and Mladenovic 2015). According to Ferrell and Fraedrich (2015), decision making
framework is a tool that is easily employable and designed to ensure the ethical areas of the

9MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
company’s choices. Therefore, a solid framework helps in addressing the issues of the
organizations in the most effective manner.
Professional workers are often forced at their workplaces to work overtime without
extra payments. Moreover, they do so in order to keep their jobs. The employers are aware of
these facts and overlook the matter, in order to get benefitted. However, in this aspect an
ethical framework should be applied for ensuring the employees’ welfare and safety. It is
important to avoid the disruption of the services where the work pressure is difficult to share
among the work force. The companies must be able to deal with the busy periods, shortage of
staff members and absence of staff members. It is not ethically correct to pressurize other
employees and stuff them with work just to compensate the absentees’ work (Ford and
Richardson 2013).
Moreover, companies can hire new employees in order to distribute the tasks equally
among the employees. No employees should be entertained to serve extra hours for the
company and even if situation demands so, the employees must be paid extra for the hours
they are serving. The human resource managers should take care of these factors and design a
proper benefit or compensation structure, in order to provide the employees with the
necessary elements required at a workplace setting (Shapiro and Stefkovich 2016).
Moreover, working more than the stipulated shift timing for additional benefits can
also be seen as a practice which affects the quality of the workers’ life to a great extent. The
companies also have to bear premium expenses that are generally higher than the normal
wage rates. Regular working hours have a severe impact on the entire workforce of the
company and the longer hours the employee serve the company, the longer their health gets
affected. If this practice of working overtime at the companies gets universalized, then it will
have negative impact among the employees and their health (Crossan, Mazutis and Seijts

10MORAL DILEMMA ANALYSIS REPORT
2013). Therefore, it is unethical for the companies to promote such practices within the
workplace settings.
Conclusion
To conclude, making good ethical decisions is an important part of the organizations
and it requires extensive training for practicing such methods. The report has given an
overview of how the organizations promote overtime services of the workers, without any
payments. It is highly unethical for the companies to promote such factors and thus, an
ethical framework has been designed in order to analyze the situation, benefits and drawbacks
of the factor. There are several ethics and various ways to think about the right and wrong
and thus, the companies need to take care of these factors in order to keep their organizational
image intact. It is highly important for an ethical decision making framework, so that the
companies get highly benefitted on the long run.