Ethical Choices: How Managers Perceive their Decision-Making experiences in the face of Ethical Dilemmas

In recent years, organizations have been under an ethical microscope and large organizations have failed as a result of poor decisions by individuals within the organizations. Managers do not have the luxury of having a chart with the correct answers to every situation they will face in the course of their careers. Occasionally, they will encounter situations where they will have to make decisions that may not be in alignment with their own values. Major considerations are organizational context and personal ethical belief systems. When the two clash, ethical dilemmas surface and managers must find ways to handle them. The idea for the study that provided the material for this book evolved as a result of the author's own experiences with ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Through the voices of middle managers, Wanda, Cindy, Bill, Andrew, Walter, Greg, Paul, Mike, Sam, and Matt, themes emerge to help us understand factors that influence or impede the ethical decision-making process for managers in organizations.