Coursera

Ethical Decision Making for Success in the Tech Industry (Coursera)

Offered by University of Colorado Boulder,

This course focuses on how to do it right. That is, it focuses on methodologies that we, as leaders, can use to figure out the right course of action. Some leadership ethical decisions are fairly straight forward; many don’t offer clear solutions. This course is where we find the knowledge and techniques to help us through the ethical tough spots.

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Various approaches are examined. These include various theories that help to guide our ethical decision making. Also discussed are ethical awareness, moral decision making, and the courage necessary to make those decisions. Lastly, we look at the ethical challenges to individuals and leaders.
The goal of this course is to understand how to live an ethical professional life. In any incarnation of that goal, the path will not be easy. But, it is possible. This discussion of the “how”, helps us when a clear path is not easily found.
This course is part of the Ethical Decision-Making in the Tech Industry Specialization.

What you'll learn

Understand ethical awareness.
Understand ethical decision making based on awareness.
Understand ethical challenges for individuals and leaders.
Understand the downfall in all ethical decision making: courage.

Syllabus

Ethical Theories Offer a Starting Point for Ethical Decision Making
Module 1
This module addresses a few of the many current ethical theories: virtue ethics, consequentialism, and deontology. Each offers a way to view the ethical world. Each provides a means to simplify a complex ethical environment. And each has downfalls that sometimes create even more difficulty for the leader. Despite this, they provide a starting point for beginning to develop one’s own ethical philosophy and principles.

Ethical Awareness, Decision Making, and Courage
Module 2
This module addresses the ethical decision-making process – how we, as technical leaders, should approach making ethical decisions. Most importantly, there is one lesson on the subject of courage. Courage may be the most important aspect of ethical decision making since we, as leaders must have the courage to follow through with what we believe is the correct ethical path.

The Ethical Challenges Facing Individuals and Leaders
Module 3
This concluding module for the course addresses the kinds of issues that may arise for the technical leader. Addressed are challenges for individuals and leaders.

Go to Class

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