Organisational Context
There are many facets for the organisational context in which an individual operates. The organisational culture is a system of shared norms, values, and expectations that exist throughout the organisation (Deal and Kennedy, 1999; Schein, 2004). As such, organisational culture includes both formal codes of ethics and non-codified expectations of behaviours that may influence ethical choices (McCabe et al., 1996).
Other variables include obedience to authority and the responsibility for consequences. For instance, executive leadership is important in setting the tone at the top, and is integral to organisational culture (Trevino, …show more content…
The decisions needed for organizations, managers and leaders in ethical dilemma is fit into Janis and Mann’s characterisation of consequential decisions (1977). Janis and Mann present a clear definition of consequential decisions as decisions that:
‘‘…include those that evoke some degree of concern or anxiety in a decision maker about the possibility that he may not gain the objectives he is seeking or that he may become saddled with costs that are higher than he can afford, either for himself personally or for a group or organisation with which he is affiliated.... Also included are uncertain risks as well as known costs with regard to money, time, effort, emotional involvement, reputation, morale, or any other resource at the disposal of the decision maker or his organisation. These risks or potential losses are perceived as threats to important utilitarian, social, or ethical goals within the decision makers’ value system’’ (1977: …show more content…
Decision-makers who follow all of these procedural criteria are judged to have made a vigilant information search and will reach the best decision under the circumstances. Janis and Mann (1977) do not present the decision result as good or bad. Rather the omission of one of the criteria leaves the decision process open to defect. The decision-makers use the following seven criteria to the best of their abilities and within their information processing capabilities when conducting a vigilant information