There are occasions in our professional life when we get caught in an ethical dilemma. In such predicaments, how to arrive at an ethical decision assumes significance?

Ethics is considered to be the code of moral principles and values that govern the behaviors of a person (organization) with respect to what is right or wrong. In other words, an ethically accepted decision is both legally and morally acceptable to the larger community.

A dilemma is a predicament in which the decision-maker has to choose between two options of near or equal value. In addition, the dilemmas may result from options which are not well defined, or from solutions which may create additional possible or known problems and harm for the problem carrier or for others.

An ethical dilemma implies that there may be some question about more than one course of action with differing outcomes. Ethical dilemmas may emerge where there is concern for the client's well being / company’s interests or a conflict of interest in which there is a question of the appropriateness of an action and whether such action is in the client's / company’s best interest.

I am describing below two real-life scenarios of ethical dilemmas and the decisions taken to get out of dilemmas:

Ethical Dilemma

The project work of gas pipeline expansion was going on. An agreement with the contractor for execution of work had been finalized. One of my friends working in the same company as Engineer had finalized the terms and conditions of the agreement between the contractor and our management. My friend, who was working on behalf of our company, had fixed the rate for contractual work.

When I was on way to site where the work was going on, I met my friend and asked him about his welfare. He said that he was okay and started discussing with me about the terms and conditions of the agreement finalized recently. I evinced interest in his discussions and requested him to show me the terms and conditions of the agreement. He assured me to oblige the next day.

I met him the next day. The entire agreement was before me. I went through the contents of the agreement in its entirety. I smelt a foul game in the agreement. My friend had quoted the higher rate as I was also aware of the prevalent rate in the market. On investigation of the matter, I was shocked to know that my friend had quoted the higher rate with the ulterior motive of benefiting him as well as the contractor. I also came to know that there was understanding between my friend and the contractor. It had been agreed between the two that excess money as a result of high rate would be shared amongst the two. The ratio agreed was 50:50.

I was stunned as to what to do. I was in ethical dilemma. There were only two options left before me. Either I could have reported the matter of involvement of my friend as well as the contractor in the shabby deal or I could have suppressed the matter at my level. Reporting the matter against my friend could have entailed his wrath and enmity whereas reporting the matter against contractor could have led to termination of contract and stoppage of work. In case of non-reporting, our company could have made losses. I had to take a strategic ethical decision.

I arranged a personal meeting with my friend in which I explained to him explicitly about his willful involvement in a shabby deal with the contractor. I also explained to him as to how to benefit himself and the contractor, he had quoted higher rate as compared to the market rate and how as a result of his action, the company will have to incur huge losses. I also informed him to let me know all such cases wherein he was involved for his personal gains. I also prevailed upon him to reduce the approved higher rate and keep the same in conformity with market rate. He apologized for his wrong doing and promised not to involve himself in such activities in future. He also talked to the contractor and made him agree to reduce the rate. The contractor’s rate was reduced and kept at par with market rate. The chance of losses to the company was scuttled.

Ethical Decision:

I decided not to help initiate any disciplinary action against my friend as he was a prized asset of our organization. Had his services been terminated, the company would have lost a very good, efficient, and hard-working employee. I also did not help initiate any action against the contractor as that could have resulted in disastrous consequences in the form of termination of contract and thereby stoppage of the crucial project work of our organization.

When confronted with an ethical dilemma, we need more than a code of ethics for guidance. We may also need some understanding of how to make right decision about the best course of action.