What are the four approaches to solving ethical dilemmas?

• A. Utilitarian, Individual, Moral-rights, and Justice approach
• B. Economic, Legal, Social, and Cultural approaches
• C. Relational, Virtue, Deontological, and Care approaches
• D. Pragmatic, Situational, Legalistic, and Libertarian approaches

Answer: (A)

When solving ethical dilemmas, you can examine the situation through several guiding lenses that prioritize different criteria. The utilitarian lens asks which action produces the best overall consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness or minimize harm for the greatest number. The individual approach centers on the person involved, focusing on what serves the interests, autonomy, and personal stakes of that individual. The moral-rights lens emphasizes respecting and protecting fundamental entitlements—such as life, liberty, and privacy—regardless of other potential gains. The justice approach looks at fairness: distributing benefits and burdens equitably and ensuring impartial treatment and due process.

This combination is particularly useful because it covers outcomes, the rights and welfare of individuals, and fairness, giving a well-rounded framework for ethical evaluation. Other option sets mix in domains or theories that aren’t the standard quartet of broad, normative lenses used to teach ethical decision making in many management and ethics contexts, which is why this set fits best.