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Ethical Decision-making (ethical + decision-making)
Selected AbstractsEthical decision-making for knowledge representation and organization systems for global useJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2005Clare Beghtol In this article, ethical decision-making methods for creating, revising, and maintaining knowledge representation and organization systems are described, particularly in relation to the global use of these systems. The analysis uses a three-level model and the literature on ethically based decision-making in the social and technical sciences. In addition, methods for making these kinds of decisions in an ethical manner are presented. This multidisciplinary approach is generalizable to other information areas and is useful for encouraging the development of ethics policies for knowledge representation and organization systems and for other kinds of systems or institutions. [source] ETHICAL PROBLEMS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN ACUTE EPIDEMICS: THE PFIZER MENINGITIS STUDY IN NIGERIA AS AN ILLUSTRATIONDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2010EMMANUEL R. EZEOME ABSTRACT The ethics of conducting research in epidemic situations have yet to account fully for differences in the proportion and acuteness of epidemics, among other factors. While epidemics most often arise from infectious diseases, not all infectious diseases are of epidemic proportions, and not all epidemics occur acutely. These and other variations constrain the generalization of ethical decision-making and impose ethical demands on the individual researcher in a way not previously highlighted. This paper discusses a number of such constraints and impositions. It applies the ethical principles enunciated by Emmanuel et al.1 to the controversial Pfizer study in Nigeria in order to highlight the particular ethical concerns of acute epidemic research, and suggest ways of meeting such challenges. The paper recommends that research during epidemics should be partly evaluated on its own merits in order to determine its ethical appropriateness to the specific situation. Snap decisions to conduct research during acute epidemics should be resisted. Community engagement, public notification and good information management are needed to promote the ethics of conducting research during acute epidemics. Individual consent is most at risk of being compromised, and every effort should be made to ensure that it is maintained and valid. Use of data safety management boards should be routine. Acute epidemics also present opportunities to enhance the social value of research and maximize its benefits to communities. Ethical research is possible in acute epidemics, if the potential challenges are thought of ahead of time and appropriate precautions taken. [source] MODULE ONE: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH ETHICSDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2005UDO SCHÜKLENK ABSTRACT This module will introduce you to the ethical concepts underlying applied ethical decision-making in the area of research involving human participants. We will also learn what the issues are that people involved in research on research ethics are concerned with. Ethics without an understanding of historical and legal context makes arguably little sense. It is for this reason that this module will begin with a brief history of research ethics and ends with a brief overview of the relevant national and international guidelines pertaining to ethical issues in research involving human participants. [source] The alcohol industry and public interest scienceADDICTION, Issue 2 2010Kerstin Stenius ABSTRACT Aims This report argues that the growing involvement of the alcohol industry in scientific research needs to be acknowledged and addressed. It suggests a set of principles to guide ethical decision-making in the future. Methods We review relevant issues with regard to relationships between the alcohol industry and the international academic community, especially alcohol research scientists. The guiding principles proposed are modelled after expert committee statements, and describe the responsibilities of governmental agencies, the alcohol industry, journal editors and the academic community. These are followed by recommendations designed to inform individuals and institutions about current ,best practices' that are consistent with the principles. Findings and conclusions Growing evidence from the tobacco, pharmaceutical and medical fields suggests that financial interests of researchers may compromise their professional judgement and lead to research results that are biased in favour of commercial interests. It is recommended that the integrity of alcohol science is best served if all financial relationships with the alcoholic beverage industry are avoided. In cases where research funding, consulting, writing assignments and other activities are initiated, institutions, individuals and the alcoholic beverage industry itself are urged to follow appropriate guidelines that will increase the transparency and ethicality of such relationships. [source] Addressing complex ethical issues in the treatment of children and adolescents with eating disorders: application of a framework for ethical decision-makingEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 3 2001Ronald S. Manley Abstract Ethically problematic situations frequently arise in the care of children and adolescents with eating disorders. The younger person with anorexia nervosa can often deteriorate quickly, therefore the child who is in denial with respect to the seriousness of her condition and/or markedly ambivalent regarding renourishment is at grave risk. Involuntary treatment is likely to be a consideration during such a medical crisis. In this paper we outline an ethical decision-making framework that can assist the clinician in engaging the young patient and her family well in advance of a crisis, so that decisions can be made at a time when recourse to establishing incompetency or enforcing involuntary treatment are unnecessary. We have adopted a narrative approach in our application of the decision-making framework, and safety is emphasized as the central concept underlying the application of this model. Finally, a number of recommendations are made regarding application of the ethical decision-making framework with younger persons. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Decision-making about artificial feeding in end-of-life care: literature reviewJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2008Els Bryon Abstract Title.,Decision-making about artificial feeding in end-of-life care: literature review. Aim., This paper is a report of a review of nurses' roles and their perceptions of these roles in decision-making processes surrounding artificial food and fluid administration in adult patients. Background., Of all caregivers, nurses have the closest and most trusting relationship with severely ill patients and their families during the entire end-of-life care process. As a result, nurses become closely involved in complex ethical decision-making processes concerning artificial administration of food or fluids for these patients. Data sources., We searched seven electronic databases (1990,2007) and examined the reference lists of relevant papers. Review methods., This mixed methods review was conducted with guidance of the United Kingdom Centre for Reviews and Dissemination guidelines on systematic reviews. Results., Although their direct impact is limited, nurses play a significant indirect role during decision-making processes. Because of their unique position, they often initiate decision-making processes, function as patient advocates and provide guidance, information and support to patients and families. Although nurses considered their role to be very valuable, they felt that their role was not always defined clearly or appreciated. Whether nurses experience decision-making processes positively depended on several contextual factors. Conclusion., Given their knowledge and practice skills, nurses are in a prime position to contribute valuably to decision-making processes. Nevertheless, they remain sidelined. For nurses to receive sufficient recognition, their decision-making tasks and responsibilities need to be clarified and made manifest to other participants. [source] Reflective practice in nursing ethics education: international collaborationJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2004Carol J. Leppa PhD RN Background., The Internet provides the opportunity for international comparative study and collaboration when learning about ethics in clinical nursing practice. Aim., This paper aims to discuss Internet links developed between US and UK postregistration nursing students who were reflecting on clinical practice in order to explore how political and organizational structures of the health care system affect ethical decision-making. Discussion., An analysis is presented of the stages in developing an exchange course for students from these countries, which involved various combinations of classroom-based teaching, on-line discussions and international visits by students and teachers during its evolution. The strengths and weaknesses of the different methods are considered, and future developments identified. Conclusion., The Internet collaboration resulted in postregistration nursing students using reflection on practice in the study of ethics in clinical practice and an understanding of how systems structures and procedures affect ethical decision making. Internet-assisted teaching offers opportunities for collaboration, and student participants demonstrate sophisticated critical thinking in ethical decision-making. Issues of access barriers and motivation remain challenges to wider use. [source] Beyond a code of ethics: phenomenological ethics for everyday practicePHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010Bruce Greenfield Abstract Physical therapy, like all health-care professions, governs itself through a code of ethics that defines its obligations of professional behaviours. The code of ethics provides professions with a consistent and common moral language and principled guidelines for ethical actions. Yet, and as argued in this paper, professional codes of ethics have limits applied to ethical decision-making in the presence of ethical dilemmas. Part of the limitations of the codes of ethics is that there is no particular hierarchy of principles that govern in all situations. Instead, the exigencies of clinical practice, the particularities of individual patient's illness experiences and the transformative nature of chronic illnesses and disabilities often obscure the ethical concerns and issues embedded in concrete situations. Consistent with models of expert practice, and with contemporary models of patient-centred care, we advocate and describe in this paper a type of interpretative and narrative approach to moral practice and ethical decision-making based on phenomenology. The tools of phenomenology that are well defined in research are applied and examined in a case that illustrates their use in uncovering the values and ethical concerns of a patient. Based on the deconstruction of this case on a phenomenologist approach, we illustrate how such approaches for ethical understanding can help assist clinicians and educators in applying principles within the context and needs of each patient. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Management and Business Ethics: A Critique and Integration of Ethical Decision-making ModelsBRITISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2003Dean Bartlett This paper critically reviews the literature relating to the management of ethics within organizations and identifies, in line with other authors, a gap between theory and practice in the area. It highlights the role of management (both as an academic discipline and from a practitioner perspective) in bridging this gap and views managers, with their sense of individual ethical agency, as a key locus of ethics within organizations. The paper aims to address the theory,practice gap by surveying the business ethics literature in order to identify, draw together and integrate existing theory and research, with a particular emphasis upon models of ethical decision-making and their relationship to work values. Such an endeavour is necessary, not only because of the relative neglect of management practice by business ethics researchers, but also because of the current lack of integration in the field of business ethics itself. The paper outlines some of the main methodological challenges in the area and suggests how some of these may be overcome. Finally, it concludes with a number of suggestions as to how the theory,practice gap can be addressed through the development of a research agenda, based upon the previous work reviewed. [source] Ethical investment: whose ethics, which investment?BUSINESS ETHICS: A EUROPEAN REVIEW, Issue 3 2001Russell Sparkes Ethical or socially responsible investment (SRI) is one of the most rapidly growing areas of finance. New government regulations mean that all pension funds are obliged to take such considerations into account. However, this phenomenon has received little critical attention from business ethicists, and a clear conceptual framework is lacking. This paper, by a practitioner in the field, attempts to fill this analytical gap. It considers what difference, if any, lies between the terms ,ethical', ,green', or ,socially responsible'. It also tackles the difficult question of how any public form of investment can be called ,ethical' in an overtly pluralistic society. The paper provides an account of the historical development of ethical investment, and traces the evolution of the varying terms used to describe it. This is followed by a conceptual analysis of these terms, and a description of ethical decision-making in this context. The paper ends by considering the role of shareholder action within ethical investment, and assesses the utility of the stakeholder model as a theoretical justification. [source] The role of existentialism in ethical business decision-makingBUSINESS ETHICS: A EUROPEAN REVIEW, Issue 3 2000James Agarwal This paper presents an integrated model of ethical decision-making in business that incorporates teleological, deontological and existential theory. Existentialism has been curiously overlooked by many scholars in the field despite the fact that it is so fundamentally a theory of choice. We argue that it is possible to seek good organisational ends (teleology), through the use of right means (deontology), and enable the decision-maker to do so authentically (existentialism). More specifically, we provide a framework that will enable the decision-maker to integrate the various ethical schools of thought available to them and to apply this framework in the ethical decision-making process. The model presented makes explicit the existential position of choice and takes into account other contextual moderating factors. Negative Option Marketing is used as a running application to illustrate the role of existentialism in the decision-making process. [source] | |||||||||||||