AC 1.4 At least two distinct ethical theories and views should be considered in decision making.

Utilitarianism is an ethical philosophy that focuses on the outcome in order to define what is right and wrong (Driver, 2009). It is one of the most frequently used persuasive tactics in the subject of normative ethics, and it is also one of the most effective. A choice that is most ethical is defined as one that results in the greatest amount of good, according to this viewpoint. It is possible to use this concept to inform and influence excellent decision making when the decision is in the best interests of the majority of employees or the organisation as a whole. As an example, the Covid 19 pandemic has impacted countless organisations, prompting the deployment of low-wage labour to compensate for the damage. In this situation, human resource professionals must choose between laying off employees and hiring new staff at a cheaper cost. Despite the fact that this is unethical, it will improve the long-term viability of organisations, particularly those that have been impacted by the pandemic. Justice, as well as any sense of individual rights, are excluded from this worldview.

Kantianism, often known as Kant’s moral theory, on the other hand, maintains that specific actions are prohibited regardless of the outcome. It is a deontological moral theory in which the focus is placed on an individual’s moral obligation rather than the outcome of a particular action or inaction (Chonko, 2012). Individuals’ ability to act morally in accordance with universal categorical imperatives is founded on the principle of moral responsibility. As a result of this concept, decisions should be made in light of an individual or a society’s moral and ethical duties. Because of this, the decision will be ethical (Chonko, 2012).

Influence of Theories in decision making.

A lot of what people think about when they make decisions has an impact on how they make decisions. In order to make good ethical decisions, you need to pay attention to what you do. HR should be in charge of most of an organization’s ethical responsibilities, even though the theories are broken up into three frameworks. Concomitantist: This is a type of ethical framework that is based on ethical theories. Duty: This is a type of ethical framework based on ethical theories. Virtue: Using the three frameworks to think about a situation before making a decision helps the person who makes the decision have a clearer picture of the matter at hand and come up with a sound decision that takes into account the ethical implications and the people who are involved (Bonde and Firenze, 2011). In the figure below, you can see a summary of different ethical theories, as well as their benefits and drawbacks.

Ethical Theories, Illustration 3 (Source: www.pagecentertraining.psu.edu, 2020)