Ethics Perspectives

Ethics Perspective

Pamela Dixon

University of Phoenix

MGT 344

The Ethics Awareness Inventory refers to four characterizations based on ethical philosophy. These characterizations are character, obligation, result, and equity. The inventory not only analyze the characteristics of one’s perspective on ethics but “will assist you in the development of a deeper understanding of your personal ethical perspective and style.” (The William Institute for Ethics and Management). In this paper I plan to define character, obligation, result, and equity according to the Ethics Awareness Inventory and intend to explain how my ethical perspectives affect my home life as well as my career.

Character

A person with an ethical perspective base on character tends to base their ethical perspective on the good, rather than doing what is good. One relies on the ability of individuals to make sound moral judgments. Someone with this perspective have a tendency to value qualities such as honesty, wisdom, and integrity. These traits are more important to them than following the rules. One think an individual would be incapable of choosing between conflict and right or wrong if he or she does not already possess the character style.

Obligation

People with an ethical perspective based on obligation tend to base their ethical perspective on an individual’s duty or obligation to do what is morally right. (The William Institute for Ethics and Management). They believe that everyone has the right to be respected therefore, you do not support social traditions but think everyone has the right to make his or her on decisions. In judging whether a person’s actions are ethical, you look to the intent behind his or her action instead of focusing on the results.

Result

A person with an ethical perspective based on result bases his or her ethical perspective on the results or consequences of your actions. They believe that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Someone with this perspective goal is to achieve the greatest possible good for society and one look at concrete evidence when one is determining if an individual’s actions are ethical.

Equity

People with an ethical perspective based on equity believe no absolute standards of right and wrong and their approach to ethics tends to challenge all attempts to plan ideal social orders. They distrust any attempt to define universal principles and moral values and tend to reject the use of power or control to suppress opposition.

According to the Ethics Awareness Inventory, my ethical perspective was base on obligation and least likely to be based on equity. This mean I center my ethical perspective on “an individual’s duty or obligation to do what is morally right.” (The William Institute for Ethics and Management). Rather than focusing on results to determine if person’s actions are ethical, I focus on the intent behind that action. “In other words, to be considered to be ethical, one must choose how he or she act and what rules he or she is willing to following.

I agree that I base my ethical perspective on obligation and after learning what having an ethical perspective base on obligation meant made me identify why I choose to work in the medical field. The reason I say this because in the medical field one is obligated to do right by his or her patient and if he or she does not render adequate care his or her licenses could be revoked. You cannot allow a patient to suffer with pain and have the means of administering medicine and do not give the patient the medicine.

I work for the Dorn Veterans Administrative Medical Center and my coworkers along with myself have to provide the best care to each patient who comes into the operating room. Even though some of the patients are already on some type of life-support or just not in the best possible health, we can’t stop providing care because his or her life expectancy is approaching. For example, the operating room staff had a patient code (heart stop) on the operating room table while receiving a small bowel resection. This patient signed a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form prior to coming to the operating room.