Professional Environment: Ethical Dilemma Analysis and Decision Making

This report examines an ethical dilemma in a professional environment, using a case study involving a software developer, his manager, and a business firm. The report identifies the ethical dilemma, which centers on the manager's decision to potentially fire the employee for developing software without prior consultation, even though the software could benefit the company. The analysis proceeds through a four-step ethical decision-making process, including understanding the situation, isolating the ethical dilemma, conducting an ethical analysis using consequentialism, rights and duties, and Kant's categorical imperative, and finally, making a defensible ethical decision. The report concludes that the manager should not immediately fire the employee and instead should explore the software's benefits, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in the workplace and the need for a thorough decision-making process. The report highlights the roles of stakeholders, including the employee, the manager, and the organization, and underscores the importance of balancing individual rights and organizational responsibilities.

Professional Environment

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
QUESTION 1 Is there an Ethical Dilemma?...................................................................................3
QUESTION 2 Four-step Ethical Analysis and Decision Making Process......................................3
Step 1: Understand the situation.............................................................................................4
Step 2: Isolate major Ethical Dilemma...................................................................................5
Step 3: Ethical analysis...........................................................................................................5
Step 4: Making a decision......................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
A professional environment refers to a pattern which is adopted at a workplace that are
highly measurable and competent. It provides an efficiency in business operations that
organization can able to achieve its goals. A workplace is formed with combination of mature,
respectful and capable staff members who are working together for achieving the common goals
or objectives of a business firm (Andrade, 2013). The report presented here with throws light on
a case study of Transcript; and also about the ethical dilemma. Under this report, there is a
discussion about the four important stages of ethical analysis and process related to the ethical
decision making like understanding situation, isolating ethical dilemma, and ethical analysis and
deciding effective course of action.
QUESTION 1 Is there an Ethical Dilemma?
Ethical Dilemma refers to a situation under which there is two situations or options and
need to select only one among both of them. It is like a confusion what to do and what not to do.
There are several kinds of issues that can be on the workplace such as:
 If the behaviour and the attitude of employees is not good, then from this the
ethical issues can be created.
 The main ethical dilemma can be that if managers do not provide better working
conditions to its employees, then in this case they can leave the job.
 If in a company there are many ethical issues such as equal pay act,
discrimination etc. Then its impact will be bad and also the Ethical dilemma will
be created.
As per the case study of there was a mistake of Jill, Harry’s manager and he is working in a
Fabio business firm. He tried to provide best solutions of any type of problem. Yes, there is an
ethical dilemma because according to this case study his manager discharged him from the job.
The ethical dilemma in this case study is that Jill do the wrong thing and do not fire Harry.
Regarding this, Jill should believe on Harry and his capabilities (Ellis and et. al., 2014). This is
not the reason to fired Harry from Job. There is also an ethical dilemma, he should make the
software by taking a permission from her manager. The main stakeholders who are involved in
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Harry (Employee), Jill (Employer). There is a mistake of Jill, because Harry prepare that
software for the benefit of company and Jill must be believe on Harry.
QUESTION 2 Four-step Ethical Analysis and Decision Making Process
The process of decision making refers to the choice through determine decision collecting
data and information and also then assessing other or can say second method. It is necessary to
use a decision making process systematically. It is necessary to remove unethical choice and
choose a better alternative.
Step 1: Understand the situation
Before taking any decision it is necessary to understand the situation in a proper way. It is
a first step of decision making process. Under this stage, it is necessary to understand the
condition or situation in a best possible manner (Ford and Richardson, 2012). In this stage firstly
it is necessary to list and some relevant facts. Some realness is given below as above:
 Employer should understand the problem and issue of employee then take any
kind of decision.
 As per the case of Harry, the main relevant fact is that he used good resources in
making the software.
 Software is beneficial for the business firm and in the software there is a most
important feature and that is validation. With the help of this, the programmer
easy detects the virus.
 It is necessary to Jill, to understand the situation and condition of Harry.
After know about the relevant facts and among all these points which can be harmful:
 The relevant thing is that before doing anything, employee should consult with its
manager. (González-Torrente and et al., 2012).
 According to Harry point of view that software is beneficial for company but on
the basis of Jill perception it is dangerous for the security of Fabio.
 The main ethical issue is that Harry want to start his own company and he is not
taking care that in networking environment there is a complexity involved.
 According to case study, if employee sell software to any person then it will be
harmful and it is a relevant fact for company.
 It is the responsibility of Harry that before making this software, he should
consult with Jill and tell her the advantages or can say befits of that software.
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 It is the duty of employer is that, Jill should believe on Harry and try to use the
software which was developed by him.
Stakeholders are the important part of an organisation. In it includes managers,
employees, suppliers, creditors, shareholders etc. They invest in company for the purpose of
earning money. They take interest in the activities and functions of a business firm. In case of
Harry, the stakeholders are Harry (Employee), Jill (manager) and Fabio (Organisation). These all
are the stakeholders who are important for company. They all are beneficial for business. These
all are not equal, their positions and responsibilities are also different from each other.
Step 2: Isolate major Ethical Dilemma
Under this step it is necessary to know about the relevant and main ethical issues. Among
all the issues, there is a need of detect main ethical problems (Ioan and Ursu, 2010). There are
some major issues, their consequences and also their solutions:
 The first issue is that without consult with manager Harry cannot make that
software. It can be dangerous for company's security or can bring the virus in the
systems. So, it was necessary that he should discuss with his manager Jill, tell him
about the benefits of software.
 In case of Harry, his manager refuse to buy that system and after that for the
purpose of money making to any person. Its consequences are that someone can
use the software wrongly.
 The major effect on company is that, there is negative reputation of employer
along with the company is created in front of Harry and he disappointed.
Step 3: Ethical analysis
a) Consequentialism- The harm is that if Harry will sell software to any person then it is
harmful and in case if employee discuss with his manager and they ready to purchase
then it could be beneficial for company. If Jill will purchase, then it helps in
increasing the security of company. The harm can be arising when employee do any
illegal thing ad activity like in case, Harry make the software and use in an illegal
way. If in case, the benefit issues can be created if Harry should tell Jill about the
software and also employer used it for increasing the security of company.
A) If in case, Step 2nd is done, then Harry will be harmed.
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B) If action in Step 2nd is not done, then in this case, Jill will be harmed.
C) The alternative result is that Jill should believe on Harry and about this She can
consult with the security expert of Organisation about software and also try.
D) If action in Step 2nd is done then in this case, Jill will be in benefit.
E) If in case Step 2nd is not done, then bin this case, harry will benefit.
F) The alternative result is that, if 2nd step is not done, then Harry will be beneficial
and not discharged from company.
b) Rights and duties- There are abridged rights and neglected duties:
Manager’s rights and duties:
 Employer has the right to terminate employee if they doing any unethical activity.
 It is the duty of a manager Jill is to ask the reason to their employees regarding
software.
 Manager has the duty to understand the consequences of that software before fired
employee from Job (Lo, 2012).
 Regarding this, it is the duty of manager is to consult with its security expert, who
can give Jill good guidance.
 Manager cannot neglect the work of employee.
Employee’s rights and duties:
 Harry has the right to sell its software to anyone.
 It is the duty of Harry to consult with their manager about making a system.
c) Kant's Categorical Imperative-
H. According to the case study of Harry, Jill is disrespect.
I. If action in step 2nd is not done then in this case Harry will be disrespect.
C. In this, manager should know the advantages of software and then try to use.
K. In this, employee Harry will be treated unlike others.
L. Jill will be treated unlike others.
M. It is necessary to treated Harry unlike treated others.
N. Yes, the benefit is that consequences and main issues will be detected.
O. If any person will not take any actions then there will be no benefit and also
problems will arise.
P. Alternative preference is that everyone take actions.
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d) Discussion- From all these points in this step, it has been discussed that Jill
cannot terminate Harry immediately without know the benefits of that software
(Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2016). Employee made that system for the purpose of
bring some improvement in the security of Fabio business firm. There is an
unethical issue that manager is not like that software and feel that it is harmful for
company. On the other hand, for making money Harry tries to sell out their
system to people by giving them offer and it is an unethical issue.
Step 4: Making a decision
a) Defensible ethical decision- The ethical decision can be that before terminating
employees or refusing to buy the software, managers should consult with their security experts
about the consequences and advantages of system (Slade and Prinsloo, 2013). Manager should
take some time in firing Harry. According to my point of view, Jill should try or check the
software by consulting with experts and should not fire Harry because he prepares software for
the benefit of company or also increase the level of security.
b) Steps needed to execute defensible decision making- There are some stages are
included such as:
 In the first step, it is necessary to identify the relevant facts. Manager should ask
the reason behind making software.
 After that, there is a need to make a list of many option. Jill, should consult with
their companies’ security experts.
 Employee need to be tells employer about the benefits of software.
 See that other stakeholders will affected or it is beneficial for them.
 If result will be good, then it is ethical to use that software to tight the security of
company.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that there is a dilemma and Jill cannot fire
Harry without knowing the advantage of software which was made by him. In this present
business report also studied about the various stages of ethical decision making process by
consist two different case study of Harry.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Andrade, F. H., 2013. Time management in the busy professional environment: take that first
step. Gastroenterology. 145(1). pp.36-38.
Ellis, H. J and et. al., 2014, October. Learning within a professional environment: shared
ownership of an HFOSS project. In Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference on
Information technology education (pp. 95-100). ACM.
Ford, R.C. and Richardson, W. D., 2013. Ethical decision making: A review of the empirical
literature. In Citation classics from the Journal of Business Ethics (pp. 19-44). Springer
Netherlands.
González-Torrente, S and et al., 2012. Perception of evidence-based practice and the professional
environment of Primary Health Care nurses in the Spanish context: a cross-sectional
study.BMC health services research. 12(1). p.227.
Ioan, C. C. and Ursu, C., 2010. NOISE POLLUTION IN THE PROFESSIONAL
ENVIRONMENT: MEASURES TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. Environmental
Engineering & Management Journal (EEMJ).9(10).
Lo, B., 2012.Resolving ethical dilemmas: a guide for clinicians. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Shapiro, J. P. and Stefkovich, J. A., 2016.Ethical leadership and decision making in education:
Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge.
Slade, S. and Prinsloo, P., 2013. Learning analytics: Ethical issues and dilemmas. American
Behavioral Scientist. 57(10). pp.1510-1529.
Thiel, C. E and et. al., 2012. Leader ethical decision-making in organizations: Strategies for
sensemaking. Journal of Business Ethics. 107(1). pp.49-64.
Woiceshyn, J., 2011. A model for ethical decision making in business: Reasoning, intuition, and
rational moral principles. Journal of business Ethics. 104(3). pp.311-323.
Online
The Importance of a Professional Working Environment, 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<https://bankslaw.com/the-importance-of-a-professional-working-environment/>.
[Accessed on 5th September, 2017].
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