Ethical Decision Making for Success in the Tech Industry
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Ethical Decision Making for Success in the Tech Industry
This course is part of Ethical Decision-Making in the Tech Industry Specialization
Instructor: Daniel Moorer
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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.
Details to know
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There are 3 modules in this course
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. 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 can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
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.
What's included
3 videos9 readings2 discussion prompts
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
- A Moral Character•5 minutes
- Depends on the Consequences•5 minutes
- Set the Rules and Rollow Them (No Matter What!)•6 minutes
9 readings•Total 81 minutes
- Course Updates and Accessibility Support•1 minute
- Non-Credit Students: Welcome and Where to Find Help•10 minutes
- Can We Learn to Do Better? •10 minutes
- Virtue Ethics: Do Good Because that Is Who You Are as a Person•10 minutes
- Deciding Whether Something is Good or Bad•10 minutes
- Consequentialism – A Comparison and Contrast with Our Next Area of Study: Deontology•10 minutes
- Deciding a Path Based on a Predetermined Set of Ethical Rules•10 minutes
- Rules to Distinguish Right from Wrong•10 minutes
- Let’s Compare Deontology to Consequentialism•10 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 120 minutes
- Consequentialism Discussion•60 minutes
- Deontology Discussion•60 minutes
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.
What's included
3 videos9 readings3 discussion prompts
3 videos•Total 13 minutes
- Knowing That an Ethical Issue Exists•4 minutes
- Determining the Right Course of Action•5 minutes
- Having the Courage to Do the Right Thing•5 minutes
9 readings•Total 90 minutes
- Becoming an Ethical Leader•10 minutes
- What Are the Benefits of Being an Ethical Leader? •10 minutes
- What is Ethical Leadership?•10 minutes
- A Look at How Kantian Ethics Might Be Used in Business•10 minutes
- Ethical Decision-Making•10 minutes
- The Importance of Ethical Leadership in Decision Making•10 minutes
- Finding the Courage to Do the Right Thing•10 minutes
- Developing Moral Courage•10 minutes
- Moral Courage, When Mastered, Provides Far More to the Leader Just Good Decision-Making•10 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 180 minutes
- Ethical Awareness Discussion•60 minutes
- Ethical Decision-Making Discussion•60 minutes
- Courage in Ethics Discussion•60 minutes
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.
What's included
3 videos10 readings1 peer review3 discussion prompts
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
- Ethical Challenges We See, and Sometimes Face, Every Day – Part 1•5 minutes
- Ethical Challenges We See, and Sometimes Face, Every Day – Part 2•6 minutes
- Ethical Challenges for Leaders are Somewhat Different•5 minutes
10 readings•Total 100 minutes
- “Gut feeling” Versus Rational Thinking — In Practice•10 minutes
- Creating a Values-Driven Culture in the Workplace•10 minutes
- Old Hatred Based on Old Tribalism Passed Down from Generation to Generation •10 minutes
- Tribalism Runs Deep in Our Species and, As Hard as We Try, We Struggle to Break Free of It•10 minutes
- The Courage to Act•10 minutes
- This Is Who We Are: Take the Easier Low Road Rather Than the More Difficult High Road•10 minutes
- Leaders Must Conduct Performance Evaluations•10 minutes
- Is Teasing Considered Workplace Harassment? •10 minutes
- How to Speak Up About Ethical Issues at Work (Without Risking Your Job)•10 minutes
- Leaders Must Sometimes Let People Go•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 120 minutes
- Reflections on Ethical Decision Making for Success in the Tech Industry•120 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 180 minutes
- Ethical Challenges Discussion•60 minutes
- Ethical Action Discussion•60 minutes
- Ethical Path as a Leader Discussion•60 minutes
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This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
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Reviewed on Jan 13, 2025
the course has very good readings and the video lectures are more like discussion with the teacher in a classroom environment.
Reviewed on Jul 4, 2025
I find the course very intresting and intriguing, helped me learn about the ethics of bussiness management.
Reviewed on Feb 21, 2026
This is a course which connects with fundamental aspects of life.
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