Download 09/08: EthPrescriptive

WHAT’S RIGHT?
PRESCRIPTIVE APPROACH
Ethical Dimensions of Leadership
Virginia Tech MBA
Andrew Watson
Tighten Up
• Description of transition into this chapter/meeting
• Song by Archie Bell & The Drells
• We might listen to Tighten Up, or watch some of a 3-minute video
• Back to the course! Ch. 2 is prescriptive, and includes:
• Statements about what we should do
• Eight steps to sound ethical decision making
• Back to Archie!
• “Don’t you get too tight”
• The statements come from a variety of approaches to ethics
• Next chapter/meeting is descriptive
Agenda
• Tighten Up slide (and Title slide) came before this one
• Barclays case
• Prescriptive approach to “What’s right?”
• Actually, prescriptive approaches
• Break somewhere round here
• Eight-step process
• Preventive medicine
• Pinto Fires case
• Looking ahead
Barclays Case
• How did your impression of the scandal, and of Barclays’ role in
it, change as you read the case? Why?
• What is LIBOR?
• What is the LIBOR scandal?
• How scandalous is it? Why?
• What was Barclays role in the scandal?
• Who are the other key actors in the case?
• Banks? Regulators? Other organizations? Specific individuals?
• Comments on the LIBOR reforms (on p. 13 of case)?
Prescriptive Approaches
• Authors
• “We certainly don’t intend to offer a philosophy course here”
• Ethical dilemma
• Multiple “right” values in conflict
• Layoff example
• Outline “major contemporary approaches”:
• Consequences
• Principles
• Integrity
Consequentialist Theories
• Focus on consequences of decisions
• Utilitarianism: maximize benefits, minimize harm
• Arguments for?
• Arguments against?
• Descendants:
• Stakeholder theory
• Utility theory
Deontological Theories
• Focus on values, principles, etc.
• But which principles?
• Do we need to order the principles?
• Do people have rights?
• If so, what are they?
• The Golden Rule
• “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
• Kant’s Categorical Imperative
• “Act as if the maxim of thy action were to become… universal”
• Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance
• Develop rules as if you don’t know how you’d be affected
Virtue Ethics
• Focus on personal integrity
• Intention to be a good person…
• as defined by a relevant moral community
• Such as a profession
• Should management be a profession?
Step One Of Eight
• 8-step process for “sound ethical decision making in business”
• Step One: Gather the Facts
• What qualifies as a fact?
• What theories explain the facts?
• What does it take for a theory to acquire the force of fact?
• Newton’s theory of gravitation
• Theories of vaccination, global warming,…
• Let’s look at all eight steps
• Which are most difficult?
• Which are most interesting?
• How does each relate to the rest of the chapter?
Eight-Step Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Gather the facts
Define the ethical issues
Identify the affected parties
Identify the consequences
Identify the obligations
Consider your character and integrity
Think creatively about potential actions
Check your gut
Preventive Medicine
• “Your mission is to be as prepared as possible before you run
into a problem”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Code of ethics, and policies
Ask questions relevant to ethical issues
Network within your organization
Network outside your organization
• How does this come from the book?
• Snap decisions
• Snappiness may act against ethics
Pinto Fires
• Case question from the text
• Process: 8-step from text
• Perspective: Ford recall coordinator
• What other processes and perspectives might we use?
Looking Ahead
• Next meeting/chapter takes a descriptive approach to the
“What’s right” question
• Due from you before we meet next week
• Ch. 3 of text
• Skim up to the heading Toward Ethical Action
• Toward Ethical Action: read this section carefully
• It includes a reflection on Pinto from someone who was involved
• Discussion questions: come to class prepared to discuss any 3 of the 10
• Due from me before 6am on Saturday
• I don’t think that there is anything further
Standard Closing
• Anything else I should say to the whole class?
• Rest of evening
• Safe home
• Enjoy
• Anything you’d like to discuss with me?
• As individual or group