Discussion: Making Ethical Decisions

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In this week’s TED Talk, Julian Burnside, Australian attorney and human rights activist,urges his listeners to stand up for justice.How does an ethical administrator balance the rights of individuals with those of the larger community? While ethical dilemmas present themselves in many forms, Kidder noted the category of “individual versus community” is one of the most challenging.

This week, you will apply Cooper’s prescriptive ethical decision-making model, to the case of Oxfam, to Kidder's example of the public health disaster in residential care facilities (or to another case study), based upon your own direct experience.

Reference:

Kidder, R. M. (1995/2005). Overview: The ethics of right versus right. InHow good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical living(12–29). Harper. https://erhsnyc.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2013/2/12/49529080/Good%20people_%20tough%20choices.pdf

To prepare:

• Review each of this week’s Learning Resources, including the TED Talk video,Julian Burnside:
  What is Fair and What is Just?
  

By Day 3

Write and posta briefing paper(approximately 300–400 words)that applies Cooper’s prescriptive ethical decision-making model to a case study in which there is a conflict of authority or conflict of interest. The case study can be well known or known only to a few. It may be an event that merited headlines, or it may be relatively unknown. What lessons can you, as a Walden student, learn from this example?

Note:Use the “Core Components” and “Checklist” sections of Herman’s “White Papers and Briefing Books: A Communications Program Workshop” as a general guide. You do not need to include an Executive Summary or Appendices for this Discussion.

Reada selection of your colleagues' postings.

By Day 5

Respondto at least one of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

• Explain how you would support the person who stood up for justice and/or how you would follow their example in your own profession if the opportunity arose.


• Ask probing questions, including why the answers to your questions are important.


• Respectfully challenge something found in your colleague’s briefing paper, providing support for your views from the literature.

Note:

For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues' postings. Begin by clicking on theTo Participate in this Discussionlink, and then selectCreate Threadto complete your initial post. Remember, once you clickSubmit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts—and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clickingSubmit!

Returnto this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 3 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 3 Discussion