Question 1

A leader can have a fundamental effect on other people and since this effect can be long-lasting, profound, and substantial. Is it true that ethical leadership attempts to frame decisions in a manner that helps leaders to reach an ethically sound outcome?

Accepted Answer

Ethical leadership focuses on making decisions based on moral principles and values, aiming to guide actions toward ethically sound outcomes that are beneficial and fair for all involved.

Question 2

The word 'ethic' has its roots in ancient Greek with the original meaning of the word ethikos being linked to habit or custom. How do we know whether we act in accordance with our internal ethical compass?

A) To help us answer the question: 'What is the best way to live my life?' with questions such as 'should I eat an extra biscuit as this might make me fat?'
B) To show us to have weak principals or by attempting to look like Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela.
C) To combine a number of ethical judgements into a broad 'system' to generate a framework for ourselves so that we may conduct ourselves well.
D) To allow us to debate the full philosophical dimensions associated with the world of ethics into how the use of ethics has transmuted into the world of leadership.

C

Accepted Answer

C is correct because it suggests creating a comprehensive ethical framework to guide our actions, aligning with the idea of acting in accordance with an internal ethical compass. This approach involves synthesizing various ethical judgments into a cohesive system to inform our behavior.

Question 3

We can combine a number of ethical judgements into a broad 'system' to generate a framework for ourselves so that we may conduct ourselves well. Does this explanation provide a correct understanding of ethical frameworks?

Accepted Answer

Ethical frameworks are indeed systems composed of various ethical judgments and principles that guide individuals or groups in making moral decisions and conducting themselves in a manner consistent with their values.

Question 4

The basic ethical frameworks include sets of ideas. What might be descriptions for these differing sets?&#10;A) 'Ethical egoism' suggests that a person should act so as to produce the greatest wealth and outcome for themselves.&#10;B) Utilitarianism suggests it is an ethically right to allow wealth to count for more than the life of the unfortunate person who might be next in line.&#10;C) 'Ethical altruism' suggests individuals have a moral obligation to help themselves. To be ethical we must act in a manner that produces the best outcome for ourselves and not others.&#10;D) Teleological approaches look at at the consequences of an action and Deontological frameworks consider the intention of the person making the decision.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The basic ethical frameworks include sets of...

Question 5

Kohlberg's (1984) framework may help in understanding what is the right thing to do when facing an ethical dilemma. What best describes the framework and assistance it provides?&#10;A) It builds on Piaget's (1932) work and works only for young male adults aged from 10 to 16.&#10;B) The framework devises six stages of moral development within a broader framework of three distinct levels to determine ethical responses to a complex or wicked dilemma.&#10;C) The Framework features Heinz's Dilemma which is a case study about which tinned options were available to to young males aged 10 to 16.&#10;D) The framework outlines Pre-conventional where laws are social contracts and can be hedonistic as the right thing is driven by social norms.

Accepted Answer

Kohlberg's framework of moral development outlines six stages within three levels (pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional) to help understand how individuals might approach ethical dilemmas, not limited by age or gender.

Question 6

Is it correct that Gilligan claimed that as Kohlberg's research - focused on women, it reflected their values-such as 'justice'-to the exclusion of masculine values?

Accepted Answer

Gilligan argued that Kohlberg's research, which was primarily focused on men, overlooked feminine values such as care and responsibility, emphasizing instead masculine values like justice.

Question 7

Is it true that as a member of a profession-such as an accountant, doctor, or manager-individuals need to abide by certain rules, codes, and behavioural standards just as a member of any exclusive club should?

Accepted Answer

Professionals such as accountants, doctors, and managers are bound by specific codes of ethics, standards, and rules that govern their conduct, similar to how members of an exclusive club must adhere to its rules and standards. These professional guidelines ensure accountability, integrity, and quality of service within their respective fields.

Question 8

The challenge for leaders is to establish exactly what is acceptable in terms of behaviour, and what is not. Why do leaders not act ethically?&#10;A) Often the expected behaviours are not explicitly stated but forms part of a broader psychological contract with the organization. The closest many businesses come in terms of articulating their expectations is by a set of 'values' which are often wrapped up in their vision or mission statement.&#10;B) The ethical challenge arises when there is gap between an individual's undeclared values and the observed behaviour of the organization. For an individual to be sure of what should be decided in any given situation, there needs to be little guidance from the business.&#10;C) Narcissistic and self-absorbed individuals can be encouraged to exploit favourable (to them) environments for their own ends. This can produce long-term gains for an organization and the individual.&#10;D) Barclays Bank had published 'The Barclays Way' to help leaders take part in Libor Rigging. The purpose of these kinds of documents is to help individuals to follow unethical behaviours within the business.

Accepted Answer

Leaders may not act ethically because expected behaviors are often not explicitly stated, leading to ambiguity. Organizations may only articulate expectations through broad values in mission statements, which may not provide clear ethical guidance.

Question 9

No organization via its declared values and mission statements would explicitly declare it intends to rob, mislead, lie and cover up mistakes. What is whistleblowing and how might it avoid poor organisational practices?

A) 'Whistleblowing' is a mechanism where scandals ranging from banks manipulating key financial instruments, companies dumping toxic chemicals, hospitals covering up multiple deaths and prisoners being abused may encouraged as the employee alerts the company how to get away with these acts.
B) 'Whistleblowing', which is a mechanism where the whistle-blower will have tried to report their misgivings to their colleagues and superiors but they will either have been ignored or the issue being examined will not have been resolved and allows the superiors to punish the whistle-blower for annoying their colleagues.
C) 'Whistleblowing' is a mechanism through which an individual under certain circumstances can raise awareness of poor, bad, or illegal practices to a broader audience to prevent its future enactment.
D) 'Whistleblowing' is a mechanism where scandals ranging from banks manipulating key financial instruments, companies dumping toxic chemicals, hospitals covering up multiple deaths and prisoners being abused may be encouraged and to alert the company which employee cannot be trusted to keep quiet about such scandalous acts.

Accepted Answer

'Whistleblowing' involves reporting unethical, illegal, or harmful practices to someone in a position to take corrective action, thereby potentially preventing future misconduct. It is not about helping organizations cover up wrongdoings or punishing the whistleblower, but rather about exposing and addressing issues for the betterment of the organization and society.

Question 10

The battle for the hearts and minds of the broader stakeholder community is at the core of the matter. There are laws to protect the whistle-blower and organizational procedures to make the process possible within the business. What best describes why workers do not blow the whistle more often?

A) There are stories of leaders not being ostracized at work nor former colleagues closing ranks, nor corporate bullying, nor dismissal from roles held, and not being subjected to inquiries for gross misconduct where they have continued to carry out illegal activities.
B) Organizations can wield very large budgets and experts to counter where they believe there is an inference of perfidy from a disgruntled employee. Staff who had raised a concern said they felt unsafe after they had done so and feared being victimized.
C) Organizations can wield very large budgets and recognise disgruntled employees often raise whistle blowing claims to attain compensation through whistle blowing settlements. Ex-staff who had raised a concern said they felt safe after they had done so and did not fear being victimized but saw whistle blowing as a profitable exercise.
D) There are stories of employees not being ostracized at work or former colleagues closing ranks, nor corporate bullying, nor dismissal from roles held, and not being subjected to inquiries for gross misconduct where they have continued to carry out malicious whistleblowing activities because they know they are protected in law.

Accepted Answer

Choice B accurately reflects the fear of retaliation, such as victimization, that discourages employees from whistleblowing, despite existing protections.

Deck 10: Ethical Leadership