Editor’s Note
Prof. Manas Chakravarty, teaches Human Resource Management at Globsyn Business School – which has always been considered to be one of the best MBA colleges in Kolkata. Prof. Chakravarty moved to academics following a distinguished career in the industry culminating in leadership roles. Prior to joining the faculty team at Globsyn Business School, he was the Associate Dean at ICFAI, Hyderabad and Dean at Unitedworld School of Business, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar. In addition to administrative and professional responsibilities, Prof. Chakravarty has delivered executive learning programs at leading corporate houses across the country and has been the program director of national and international conferences. Apart from academic writing, he also has a blog page in the Economic Times.
The managerial cadre owes its existence almost entirely to its role and responsibility in decision making. The criticality is not related to competence which is a given, or to choosing right over wrong which is obvious. It is about ethical dilemma of choosing one right over another.
Ethical dilemma arises because of two reasons. One, decisions have to be made based on facts that are open to conflicting interpretations. The other, entities impacted by decisions have conflicting interests. Each conflict is located in a context where the stance and stand of both sides are perfectly valid by themselves. Ethical decision making, therefore, cannot be simply left to pious thoughts and honest intentions. It calls for a strategic approach which is intellectually challenging and subtly nuanced.
For taking a strategic approach to an ethical dilemma, the issue has to be examined from all angles. To ensure that, ethicists suggest viewing the issue through several lenses focused on as many varying aspects as possible. For example, the “utilitarian” lens focuses on greatest good for greatest numbers, the “rights” lens focuses on issues such as privacy and freedom, while the “justice” lens focuses on equitable treatment.
To aid ethical decision making, research work in social sciences have proposed several approaches. One of them, which is simple but of practical value, is a framework for “thinking ethically” developed at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. This 10-point framework provides a step-by-step guide for identifying the ethical issue concerned, gathering facts, evaluating alternative courses of action, choosing an action course and testing it, and finally implementing the decision and reflecting on its outcome. The frame work requires the decision makers to find answers to several questions. They include questions like: Does the decision benefit people unevenly? Is enough information available to make a decision and have all relevant groups been consulted? The first stage of identifying the issue is very crucial because nothing in the situation may be immoral or illegal and yet present an ethical dilemma. Similarly, the last stage of reflecting on the outcome requires intense soul searching as it involves brutal assessment of the impact of one’s own decision.
As laid out above, ethical decision making in the world of business is a complex process which requires promotion by and support from all entities in the entire ecosystem. Academic institutions engaged in tertiary level management education have an important role to play. Apart from including the study of ethics as a substantive part of the curriculum, they should provide platforms where issues connected to ethical decision making are discussed and debated among academicians, business managers, public policy makers and various segments of civil society.
Towards this end, Globsyn Business School has dedicated the 10th edition of its annual International Vision Seminar to be held in February 2026 to the theme “Responsible Leadership: Shaping Future Leaders for Ethical Decision Making.” Deliberations of the seminar would serve the purpose of orienting participants towards the ways and means of pursuing ethical decision making.
Prof. Manas Chakravarty
Faculty – Human Resources Management
Globsyn Business School