Cooper\'s Ethical Decision-Making Model

COOPER'S ETHICAL MODEL

Cooper's Ethical Decision-Making Model

The ethical decision-making model: Application to the workplace

According to Cooper (2012), ethical decision-making encompasses different 'levels' of analysis. The first, expressive, level is based upon gut instincts. Often, these may run counter to formal ethical systems, since they may be based upon impulses of disgust or prejudice. Conversely, our favorable feelings for certain employees may bias us in one way or the other. Next, the moral rules level, is precisely what it sounds like -- analyzing decisions solely based upon existing moral rules or conventional wisdom. These moral rules may not be formally stated or conceived of in a consistent fashion and may even be ethically questionable. For example, a company may tend to hire males to do heavy lifting rather than females, based upon subjective perceptions of competence in the job interview. The next level, the ethical analysis level of moral decision-making, is an appeal to principle, rather than gut moral instincts. Finally, the post-ethical level one might ask: why should I be moral in this particular instance?

When confronted with an ethical dilemma at work -- such as seeing a colleague who feels she is sexually harassed -- it is only natural to react on an expressive level. "That's terrible that this is happening to you! You must do something about that right now!" On another, expressive level there may be fears about the anger and divisiveness such an allegation will cause. After this instinctive reaction to conflict, the moral element may become activated in the brain (although Cooper notes that all dimensions may be firing off in the mind at once, and not everyone proceeds linearly through the different levels). Moral codes that affect the interpretation of the harassment scenario may be the fact that it is morally wrong that someone should have to suffer everyday at work or that the harassed individual should report the aggravating party to prevent the offending supervisor from harassing other women. In fact, that is one of the motivations behind many women cite when they come forward -- when they hear about another woman being harassed on the job, they feel a moral responsibility to come forward that they did not feel when it was just happening to them. However, from the point-of-view of the harassed victim's colleague, if she is not willing to speak out under any circumstances, her fellow administrator may feel conflicted and bound by another moral code of not interfering with another person's business. Ethical principles that may be used when speculating about coming forward about the colleague's harassment might include company policies which demand that employees come forward when they see violations of conduct. And post-ethical principles may include such values as creating a harmonious workplace -- or a workplace supportive of women and historically-discriminated against groups.