CASE STUDY
IN ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

Assignment Overview
Employers are looking for employees with critical-thinking skills and an ability
to think ethically, and make wise choices. Having wisdom and being
trustworthy are components of having an ethical foundation. There is a
growing need to address the problem of lack of ethics in the workplace.
Ethical decision making using an ethical framework provides a positive
strategy to take into the workplace, or into daily interactions in the world.

This assignment requires you to identify and examine an ethical dilemma that
could be resolved using ethical decision making through the framework of
ethics. This is a multi-part assignment with each part separately graded, and
due in a different week during the course. Refer to the weekly overview
folders for details on specific deadlines.

Note: Topic selection must be approved by instructor before beginning Part 2
of this assignment.

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Assignment Instructions

Part 1: Selection of Topic
1. Select a topic dealing with an ethical dilemma.
2. Provide justification for your topic selection.
3. Submit your proposed topic for approval to your instructor.

Part 2: Propose Real-Life Scenario or Case Study:
Application of steps 1–2 (Seven-Step Process in Moral
Choices)
Gathering of Information
1. Write a paper that describes an ethical dilemma.
2. Describe a scenario where there is a primary ethical dilemma—a
situation where there is definitely a question of ethics; the heart of the
issue is ethical in nature. Include the essential facts by describing the
following:
a. What is the situation?
b. Who are the parties involved?
c. Where does the situation take place?

(Note: You may not copy an ethical dilemma online or another source, this
must be original work.)

Identify Ethical Concerns / Identify the relevant virtues
and principles to the situation
3. Identify the primary ethical dilemma and related ethical issues by
responding to the following:
a. Why is this an ethical issue?

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b. Are there any related situations that deal with the same or similar
ethical issues?
c. What areas need further research?
d. Why is this issue important to you?
e. Support your answers with authoritative academic sources.
Part 3: Ethical and Biblical Framework Research:
Application of steps 3–5 (Seven-Step Process in Moral
Choices)
View your ethical dilemma from Part 2 through the lens of two ethical
frameworks: one of your selection and the other from a Christian worldview.

Determine what virtues/principles have a bearing on the
case
1. Write a paper which applies an ethical and Christian framework to your
ethical dilemma.
2. Select an ethical framework from the following:
○ Emotivism
○ Teleological Ethics
○ Utilitarianism
○ Egoism
○ Principle-Based Ethics
○ Relativism
○ Virtue Ethics
3. Describe the basic principles of your selected ethical framework that
have bearing on the scenario from Part 2.
4. Apply your selected ethical framework approach to the scenario from
Part 2

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5. Evaluate the effects that your selected ethical framework has on the
scenario from Part 2.

List other considerations
6. Apply the principles of an ethical-Christian worldview framework to the
scenario from Part 2.
7. Evaluate the effects your ethical framework has in relation to Christian
principles?
○ In your response, consider these biblical passages that speak
about Christian virtues:
● Matthew 5:1–10
● I Corinthians 13:1–13
● Galatians 5:22–23 (compare to Galatians 5:19–21)
● Ephesians 4:25–32
● Colossians 3:1–14
○ Biblical law:
● 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17)
● The Two Great Commandments (Matthew 22:34–40)
○ Support your writings with authoritative academic sources.
Part 4: Final Ethical Decision: Application of steps 6–8
(Seven-Step Process in Moral Choices)
Comparison and Application
1. Write a paper that analyzes the implications of your ethical framework
to your ethical dilemma.
2. Compare your selected ethical framework to the Christian worldview
ethical framework.
a. Identify basic similarities.
b. Identify basic differences.

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3. Compare two other approaches from the list with your ethical
principles by considering the following:
a. Do you agree with any of the ethical principles from the two
frameworks? Explain your reasoning.
b. Are there any other ethical principles that you personally follow?

Consider the consequences
4. Select your approach.
5. Evaluate the possible implications of applying your chosen approach.
● Support your predicted implications to your approach.
● Consider the following implications in your response:
○ Moral
○ Relational
○ Financial
○ Social

Make a Decision
6. Justify and rationalize your chosen approach.
7. Consider the outcomes of your decision.

Assignment Scope
Part 2 – Propose Real-life scenario or case study: Application of steps 1-2
✓ Citation requirements (2)
✓ Word count (300 – 500)
✓ APA formatting

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✓ Identify at least 2 additional sources, aside from the Bible and the
textbook, that guide the research.

Part 3 – Ethical and Biblical Framework research and application of the steps
3-5 of 7
✓ Citation requirements (2)
✓ Word count (1,200-1,400)
✓ APA formatting (for each part)
✓ Plagiarism submission

Part 4 – Final Ethical Decision: Application of the steps 6-7 of 7.
✓ Citation requirements (2)
✓ Word count (250-500)
✓ APA formatting (for each part)
✓ Plagiarism submission

Assignment Requirements

Part 1 – Selection of Topic: Yes/No
● Selected topic involves an ethical dilemma
● Provides rationale for topic selection
● Submits selection on time

Part 2 – Propose Real-Life Scenario or Case Study: Application of Steps 1–2
(Seven-Step Process in Moral Choices)
● Description of a scenario where there is a primary ethical dilemma: a
situation where there is definitely a question of ethics; where the heart
of the issue is ethical in nature

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● Identification of the primary ethical dilemma and related ethical issues

Part 3 – Ethical and Biblical Framework Research and Application of the Steps
3–5 (Seven-Step Process in Moral Choices)
● Selection of an ethical framework and description of principles for the
selected ethical framework which have bearing on the scenario from
Part 2
● Application of the selected ethical framework approach to the scenario
from Part 2
● Evaluation of the effects that the selected ethical framework has on
the scenario from Part 2
● Application of the principles of a Christian worldview / ethical
framework to the scenario from Part 2
● Evaluation of the effects that the Christian principles have on the
scenario from Part 2
● Comparison of selected ethical approach to Christian worldview /
ethical framework
● Comparison of alternative approaches with your ethical principles

Part 4 – Final Ethical Decision: Application of the steps 6–7 (Seven-Step
Process in Moral Choices).
● Description of a unique or chosen approach based upon your
comparison of your two ethical frameworks
● Justification and support of the chosen approach
● Evaluation of possible implications of applying the chosen approach