Facts only present the picture that exists, but they do not tell us whether everything that is in this picture should be there, that is up to us to decide. Besides obtaining the correct facts, in order to resolve an ethical issue one must also petition his or her values. .
Philosophers developed five practical ways to evaluate ones values and deal with the ethical issue. The five approaches are The Utilitarian Approach, The Rights Approach, The Fairness or Justice Approach, The Common-Good Approach, and The Virtue Approach. The Utilitarian Approach questions the benefits and the harms each course of action produce, and which alternative will lead to the best overall consequence. The Rights Approach considers the moral rights that the people affected by the issue have, and how to resolve the problem best so that it respects those rights. The Fairness or Justice Approach seeks a way to the problem where everyone is treated equally, except when there is a just reason not to, and disqualifies favoritism or discrimination. The Common-Good Approach focuses on the compliance and preservation of social policies, social systems, institutions and environments that are beneficial to all. The Virtue Approach questions and searches for developments that will enhance one's character and improve the moral virtues of the community. These five approaches of course do not guarantee a solution, but they help identify the most important ethical considerations. .
These approaches can be applied to evaluate one's business environment. Many business executives think that their organization environment is ideal. They conduct workshops to define values, display missions and goals on posters and in manuals; they conduct company orientations for the new employees and advocate the company's values and what they stand for. Some companies even go as far as printing the value statements on the back of their business cards as a reminder to the employees.
