Business decision from ethical dilemma

In making the right decisions from an ethical dilemma, one must be sensitive to the current ethical conflicts present and should have a strategy to explore the ethical nature of the decision arrived upon, and should also weigh and consider the impacts these decisions will make. There are three frame works that govern the decision making of traditional ethical issues, which are consequentialist, duty and virtue (Wilhelm, 2012). Consequentialist suggests considering all possible outcomes, both directly and indirectly. The outcome whose consequences are most favourable would be the best choice. Duty framework considers the obligations and responsibilities of concerned parties in given situations by aiming at things that ought to be done and those that should not be executed. The definition of ethical conduct is through doing the right thing as stipulated in the duties of a person (Jungers & Gregoire, 2016). Finally, the virtue framework involves the activities where individuals focus on identifying either negative or positive character traits, which could act as sources of motivation. The concern is doing what is expected as a virtuous person in a given situation.
The selected ethical framework is the duty framework. The included principles are ethical conduct and obligations to execute the correct action. As such, rules have to be established, which are in accordance to the expectation of people for a duty done in the correct manner (Stockall & Dennis, 2015). Further, there is inclusion of the principle of respect and equal treatment of all people with dignity. However, the framework has the exclusion of the principle of making a choice, especially on which duty that an individual should follow in order to do a thing when presented with two duties that are conflicting.
Personal values are represented in the selected framework through an indication of what is done to bring about success in society by delivering quality services at the workplace. Further, integrity, transparency, honesty, and faithfulness act as the key obligations for the execution of assigned tasks in the working organizations (Oliver & Hioco, 2012). They are the driving forces in determining what should be done and how it should be done to achieve the desired outcomes or success.
The development of the framework focused on framing the choice or situation being faced at a personal level in accordance to the specific features being presented. Thus, all the frameworks were evaluated and their benefits and limitations analyzed. The analysis facilitated in ensuring that the correct framework was selected and adopted. Moreover, the framework focuses on personal character and values, which are upheld to ensure equality for all and effective service delivery in the organization (Wilhelm, 2012). Obligations and duties are also considered as the key elements, which can contribute to the attainment of success or failure of an organization. Hence, there is an extreme focus on using this framework to solve a personal case study.
The development of the framework focused on asking questions and getting answers from all the three frameworks. Such included developing ethical questions, which the frameworks should answer. The consequentialist framework assisted in understanding that the best consequences in the most good should be produced by an ethical person (Jungers & Gregoire, 2016). On the other hand, the virtue framework assisted in focusing on the development of personal character and understanding how a virtuous person should react in given situations. The principles of both consequentialist and virtue frameworks offer insights on what a duty and obliged person should engage in doing in society to achieve the desired success and outcomes.

2. Describe a difficult ethical decision related to your personal or work life.

The ethical issue involves the duties to accomplish in the work environment. After getting the job as the sales rep in the company; Gleken Limited, the supervisor began asking for the execution of duties, which were not part of the personal responsibilities for working in the firm. There is a lot of work, which one is expected to do than it was stated. The hiring instructions gave 10 percent of the work for the employee while in the company one is doing an additional 90 percent of the duties. At start, one is on a probation status and can easily be fired without any full notice for such an action. Moreover, there is strong hatred to what one has to do has the additional work and there is no hope of coping up with additional instructions (Stockall & Dennis, 2015). On informing the supervisor, the response is that all the work has to be done and there is no room for negotiations.
The circumstance that surrounds the ethical choice is whether to quit the job and continue working. Quitting the job is a choice, which has bad feelings and negative impact because there will be the loss of skills, experience and knowledge, which could be gained from the work environment (Wilhelm, 2012). Further, quitting could indicate the loss of income. On the other hand, continuing to work is unethical because it contradicts the personal value of transparency. As such, the organization was not clear and transparent enough on the duties and responsibilities of the employees.
The key pressure was the desire to earn income and gain skills and experience in the work environment (Edwards et al., 2011). The loss of the job would translate to the loss of income, which has negative impacts. Such source of income would assist in meeting individual needs and paying for education. Further, skills and experience are vital elements for one to acquire in any career in order to guarantee job security in the future. These enhance the achievement of success and maintaining the business challenges, which individuals could face in the market environment.
The cultural influence is that other players belong to a different ethnic group. As such, they lack the understanding of respecting values and desires of other people in society, especially in the work environment where there is a requirement for individuals to execute their duties as expected (Jungers & Gregoire, 2016). Moreover, culture dictates the success level of persons in society by determining what should be accomplished and what should not be in a given time-frame.
Changing circumstances have a significant impact in the decisions being made. As such, economic hardships and desire for further education present a significant motivation to keep on working in the organization in spite of the presented differences (Wilhelm, 2012). Personal assumptions were that the supervisor was giving additional work because of bad attitude to individual ethnic background. As such, people from other races have no right for equal treatment and respect for their roles in organization as compared to the native individuals.
The decision was difficult to make because it was after a long struggle and search for a job opportunity and this was the first chance obtained (Oliver & Hioco, 2012). Further, there was a need to gain the experience and skills, as well as source of income. The principles and values in conflict were honesty, transparency, integrity and faithfulness at work. The supervisor was not willing to adhere to the job specifications for the provided tasks, but was only concerned and what matters to organization success and not individual success.

3. Apply your ethical framework

On the personal case, the duty framework is applied, which indicates that one has the obligation to perform the duties assigned in the workplace (Edwards et al., 2011). As such, the ethical problem of having to do extra work than it was in the original agreement is addressed by continuing to work because that is the best option. Thus, one has the obligations and duties to work as guided by the supervisor in the organization. The aim is to perform the correct action in accordance to the expectations of people. However, the supervisor should also focus on treating employees with equal respect and dignity in the work environment. Thus, the best course of action is to continue working in spite of the bad outcome of working at extra duties than the assigned ones during the hiring process.
At a personal level, there is a great harm since one is doing extra work without compensation of the same, yet this information was not provided in the initial stages for the employment. Thus, there will be lack of motivation, which could hinder the attainment of business success (Wilhelm, 2012). The other important issue is that the supervisor does not focus on equal treatment of all employees. Individuals from other cultural backgrounds tend to be subjected to extra duties as compared to persons from the same ethnicity. These matters create conflict of interest, which does not lead to the attainment of success in running the organization of the firm.
The decision-making criteria was based on the utilitarian approach where the focus was on determining the action, which could do the most good while causing minimum harm. Thus, the aim was doing the best thing by continuing to work in the company while avoiding the harm of being fired and losing the opportunity to earn income and gain skills and experiences, which are vital for the career (Stockall & Dennis, 2015). Furthermore, there was adherence to acting on personal values, which focus on integrity at the workplace to sustain the achievement of success for the organization. Moreover, there was direction of the attention to the existing duties before the determination of the obligations and the assessment of the situation. Thus, there was no failure to do the assigned duty by the supervisor.
However, it would be good for the supervisor to engage in the rights of all by respecting all the individuals and treating people in a proportional and equal manner in the organization (Jungers & Gregoire, 2016). Such an action would serve all the employees in an equal manner and not specific individuals who belong to the same ethnic background.
The presented case could have being resolved through the duty framework by consulting with the supervisor, as well as other senior managers in the organization. The aim should be to convince these individuals that there is a need to focus on addressing the key problem of duties and obligation of employees in the company (Wilhelm, 2012). Such is because when employees are aware of their responsibilities, it becomes easier to avoid any form of conflict, which could emerge when supervisors engage in telling workers what to do. Having clear and direct duties, which are not added during the workplace, is a good way to indicate the transparency level of the organization and supporting the growth and development of the firm with minimal challenges in the business environment.

4. Assess how you might apply a different or more complex decision-making process in the future.

From the case study, it is clear that the situation is associated with bad management or recruitment. As such, the circumstance is an ethical dilemma, which is linked to the poor management and supervision in the organization (Edwards et al., 2011). In such a case, a person can go to the interviewer or the human resource department to file complaints or seek assistance in relation to the work situation. The aim is to solve the problem in an amicable manner.
The case study also indicates the issue of cultural bias in the organization where supervisors tend to apply different treatment approaches and options to segregated groups of people in society (Oliver & Hioco, 2012). Consequently, it becomes impossible to have a clear linkage of the events, which should contribute to solving the eminent problem among employees. The outcome of this is the poor motivation or lack of good performance level among the workers. In addition, such a circumstance could develop because on failure to have a good hiring and recruitment strategy for the organizations.
In the future, the decision to remain in the organization will not be made. The new course of action would be to use the consequentlist framework, which focuses on producing the most good of all. Thus, a utilitarian approach will be embraced, which will assist in ensuring that the problem is solved for all employees and not for specific persons. Such will involve presenting the matter to the human resource department without any fear of intimidation for the action being taken.
The application of the ethical framework of duty would involve engaging the human resource managers in a discussion of the key problem that juniors are facing from seniors in the work environment. Such includes an understanding of what needs to be done to solve the issue successfully and achieve the best outcome from the business activities (Oliver & Hioco, 2012). Moreover, the supervisor will be approached for a consultation on the reason for the change or the presentation of more duties as compared to what was included in the initial instructions during the hiring process.
Personal thinking on ethical-decision making has changed from not focusing on the duty and solving individual problems to aiming at having a long-lasting solution, which other generations can enjoy. Moreover, now there is a need to focus on broader perspectives and good for all instead of individualized issues and matters in society (Edwards et al., 2011). The ethical framework changes in how the approach will be used in addressing complex ethical decisions by having stringent measures, which aim at solving problems at hand. Further, duty framework will be used to take bold positions and present arguments, which will help in solving the prevailing problems in organization in an effective manner without any form of fear on intimidation in society.

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