2. Ethical Decision is one that engenders trust, and thus indicates
responsibility, fairness and caring to an individual.
Ethical decision-making refers to the process of evaluating and choosing
among alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical principles.
The process of making ethical decisions requires:
• Commitment:The desire to do the right thing regardless of the cost
• Consciousness:The awareness to act consistently and apply moral convictions to daily behavior
• Competency: The ability to collect and evaluate information, develop alternatives, and foresee
potential consequences and risks
3. Good decisions are both ethical and effective:
• Ethical decisions generate and sustain trust; demonstrate respect, responsibility, fairness and
caring; and are consistent with good citizenship. These behaviors provide a foundation for making
better decisions by setting the ground rules for our behavior.
• Effective decisions are effective if they accomplish what we want accomplished and if they
advance our purposes.A choice that produces unintended and undesirable results is ineffective.
4. Recognize an Ethical Issue
1. Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some group? Does this
decision involve a choice between a good and bad alternative, or perhaps between
two “goods” or between two “bads”?
2. Is this issue about more than what is legal or what is most efficient? If so, how?
5. Get the Facts
3. What are the relevant facts of the case? What facts are not known? Can I learn more
about the situation? Do I know enough to make a decision?
4. What individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome? Are some
concerns more important?Why?
5. What are the options for acting? Have all the relevant persons and groups been
consulted? Have I identified creative options?
6. Evaluate Alternative Actions
6. Evaluate the options by asking the following questions:
•Which option will produce the best and do the least harm? (The UtilitarianApproach)
•Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake? (The RightsApproach)
•Which option treats people equally or proportionately? (The Justice Approach)
• Which option best serves the community as a whole, not just some members? (The
Common Good Approach) •Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I wan
7. Make a Decision andTest It
7. Considering all these approaches, which option best addresses the situation?
8. If I told someone I respect—or told a television audience—which option I have chosen,
what would they say?
Act and Reflect on the Outcome
9. How can my decision be implemented with the greatest care and attention to the concerns
of all stakeholders?
10. How did my decision turn out and what have I learned from this specific situation?
8. REFERENCE:
Lavin CharlemagneG. et. al. (2012). Ethics for I.T. Professionals. Mindshapers Co., Inc. Intramuros
Manila, Philippines https://www.academia.edu/7865560/Responsabilities_of_c
omputing_professionals_toward_society IT Job Descriptions retrieved from https://bit.ly/3kFDP0X
Compiled by: MARICEL D. ERAMA, LPT, ED.D.
Faculty, College of Information andTechnology Education
