PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization

Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

Lesson title: Explaining Ethics in the workplace Materials:

Lesson Objectives: FLM Student Activity Sheets
1. 1. Discuss Ethics
2. 2. Discuss the distinct ethical principles References:
Organization Behavior by
McShane |
https://www.managementstudyguid
e.com/importance-of-workplace-
ethics.htm

Tip: ““The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the
determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves
to the task at hand.” ― Vince Lombardi”. Make sure to be PRESENT today. 

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
1) Introduction
Now that we learned about individual difference, let’s now hop on a new topic. Today, we will
learn about ethics.

Please read the learning targets before you proceed to the succeeding activities. The learning
targets are your goals. Remember, you need to achieve your learning targets at the end of the
lesson.

2) Activity 1: What I Know Chart

What do you know about Ethics? Try answering the questions below by writing your ideas under
the What I Know column. You may use key words or phrases that you think are related to the
questions.

What I Know Questions: What I Learned (Activity 4)

What is Ethics?

What are the types of ethical

principles?

B. MAIN LESSON

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 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

1) Activity 2: Content Notes

Below are the notes about human behaviour in organization. You may underline or highlight words
or phrases that you think is the main focus of the lesson.

Ethics refers to the study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong
and outcomes are good or bad. People rely on their ethical values to determine “the right thing to do.”

To better understand business ethics, we need to consider three distinct types of ethical principles.

 Utilitarianism. This principle advises us to seek the greatest good for the greatest number of
people. In other words, we should choose the option that provides the highest degree of
satisfaction to those affected. This is sometimes known as a consequential principle because it
focuses on the consequences of our actions, not on how we achieve those consequences. One
problem with utilitarianism is that it is almost impossible to evaluate the benefits or costs of
many decisions, particularly when many stakeholders have wide-ranging needs and values.
Another problem is that even if the objective of our behavior is ethical according to utilitarianism,
the means to achieving that objective is sometimes considered unethical.

 Individual rights. This principle reflects the belief that everyone has entitlements that let her or
him act in a certain way. Some of the most widely cited rights are freedom of movement,
physical security, freedom of speech, fair trial, and freedom from torture. The individual-rights
principle includes more than legal rights; it also includes human rights that everyone is granted
as a moral norm of society. One problem with individual rights is that certain individual rights
may conflict with others. The shareholders’ right to be informed about corporate activities may
ultimately conflict with an executive’s right to privacy, for example.

 Distributive justice. This principle suggests that people who are similar to each other should
receive similar benefits and burdens; those who are dissimilar should receive different benefits
and burdens in proportion to their dissimilarity. For example, we expect that two employees who
contribute equally in their work should receive similar rewards, whereas those who make a
lesser contribution should receive less. A variation of the distributive justice principle says that
inequalities are acceptable when they benefit the least well off in society. Thus, employees in
risky jobs should be paid more if their work benefits others who are less well off. One problem
with the distributive justice principle is that it is difficult to agree on who is “similar” and what
factors are “relevant.”

All three should be actively considered to put important ethical issues to the test. What constitutes right
and wrong behavior in organization is determined by: the public, interests groups, organizations, and
the individual’s personal morals and values. If the organization is expected to survive, its actions must
be in line with ethical behavior.

Activity 3: Skill-building Activities

2

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 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

Let’s practice! Answer each activity to test your understanding of the lesson. I know you can do this!
You may start now.

Exercise No. 1: Based on your notes on the previous activity, read and analyze the situational cases
and answer the question “What is the right thing to do?” Answer it briefly using not more than 5
sentences.

Situational Case A:
The gym is to be decorated for CMA week, and the area is divided among many student groups.
Group A, assigned to decorate the stage, finishes their job earlier than the rest, but they do not
bother to help Group B, saying that Group B should do their work on their own, just as they have
done.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Situational Case B:
A child accidentally breaks the vase in their living room while playing with friend. She
asks for forgiveness from her mom and promises not to play in the living room again. Her mom
forgives her, but reminds her not to play in areas where there are breakable things. In the given
situation which acts is considered unethical behavior? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Situational Case C:
Susan asks her Lola to remind Russel to fetch her at 7:00 pm. Lola is not able to convey
the message to Russel. Susan got mad to her Lola and confronted her Lola why she did not tell
to Russel her message. Was the act of Susan the right thing to do? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

You may now see the key to corrections on the last page. How many correct answers did you
get? Write your score on the space before the instruction on this exercise.

This document is the property of PHINMA EDUCATION

 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

Exercise No. 2: Since we already discussed the three ethical principles, encircle the letter that best
answer the questions below.
1. Which of the following is ethics most closely related to?
A. values C. ability
B. locus of control D. personality

2. Which of the following is identified as an ethical principle?

A. power C. power distance
B. utilitarianism D. self-ehancement

3. A problem with the utilitarian principle of ethical decision making is that

A. it focuses on the consequences of our actions, not on how we achieve those consequences.
B. there is no agreement on what activities are of the greatest benefits to the affected.
C. it is difficult to predict the "trickle down" benefits to those people who are least well off in society.
D. it is almost impossible to evaluate the benefits or costs of many decisions.
E. it chooses the option that provides the minimum acceptable degree of satisfaction to those affected.

4. Which ethical principle reflects the idea that everyone is granted a moral norm of society?
A. utilitarianism
B. individual rights
C. moral intensity
D. distributive justice
E. care

5. One of the limitations of the individual rights principle is that

A. it really is not an ethical principle at all.
B. it does not protect the right to physical security and freedom of speech of the employees.
C. some individual rights conflict with other individual rights.
D. it is almost impossible to evaluate the benefits or costs of decisions when many stakeholders are
affected.

6. In distributive justice, the principle that concerns itself with outcomes and opportunities is:

A. Proportionality C. Fairness
B. Equality D. None of the principles are concerned with outcomes and opportunities

You may check the correct answers for this activity on the last page. How many correct answers
did you get? Write your score on the space before the instruction on this exercise.
Exercise 3: Write T if the statement is correct. If the statement is false, write F.
4

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 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

____1. One problem with applying the individual rights principle of ethical decision making is that one
individual right may conflict with another.
____ 2. Utilitarianism suggests that we should choose the option that provides the highest degree of
satisfaction to those affected.
____ 3.Distributive justice is sometimes known as a consequential principle because it focuses on the
consequences of our actions, not on how we achieve those consequences.
____4. Distributive justice is absent when equal work does not produce equal outcomes or when an
individual or a group acquires a disproportionate amount of goods.
____5. The individual rights theory does not look to the number of people who benefit from limiting
other person’s rights.
____6. Distributive justice theory rejects view that injustice is acceptable if others can benefit from the
action.

You may check the correct answers for this activity on the last page. How many correct answers did
you get? Write your score on the space before the instruction on this exercise.

Activity 4: What I Know Chart

Now let’s check your final understanding on the topics for this session. I hope that everything
about the topic is clear to you. This time you have to fill out the What I Learned column.

Activity 5: Check for Understanding. Using your own words, discuss the three ethical principles.

Utilitarianism •
Individual Rights •
Distributive Justice •
C. LESSON WRAP-UP

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 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

1) Activity 6: Thinking about Learning

A. Work Tracker
You are done with this session! Let’s track your progress. Shade the session number you just
completed.

B. Think about your Learning

1. Please read again the learning targets for the day. Were you able to achieve those learning
targets? If yes, what helped you achieve them? If no, what is the reason for not achieving
them?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. What question(s) do you have as we end this lesson?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

FAQ
1. What questions can guide us in testing the three ethical principles?
Ans: The following guide us in testing the three ethical principles
Utilitarianism – “Does the action yield the greatest net benefits?”
Individual Rights – “Does the action negatively affect someone’s moral rights?”
Distributive Justice – “Does the action give a fair distribution of costs and benefits among those
affected?”

KEY TO CORRECTIONS
Skill-Building Exercises
Exercise 1.
Situational Case A:
Answer: Group A should collaborate and cooperate with group B because that is the right thing to do.
Situational Case B:
Answer: None. There was no intention to break the vase.
Situational Case C:

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 PSY 002 Human Behavior in Organization
Student Activity Sheet Module #5

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

Answer: No. The manner of Susan confronting her Lola is not acceptable because elders should be
respected.

Exercise 2 Exercise 3
1. A 1. T
2. B 2. T
3. D 3. F
4. B 4. T
5. C 5. T
6. B 6. T

Activity 5: Check for Understanding

Suggested Answer:
 Utilitarianism - The only moral obligation is to seek the greatest good for the greatest number of
people.
 Individual rights - Everyone has the same set of natural rights.
 Distributive justice - The benefits and burdens of similar individuals should be the same,
otherwise they should be proportional.

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