GD9 CTW fileÒ  Business 06, Î Unethical behavior often occurs when an organization perceives its survival to be jeopardized. Executives in financial trouble may engage in wrongdoing because they can see no other way to keep the firm afloat. Managers who have to compete for promotions may visualize threats that are unseen by others. If pressure to meet performance goals is imposed without establishing clear standards, managers may commit unethical acts as a means to secure a promotion or to avoid being terminated. Making the right decision is easier when the facts are clear and the choices are black and white. However, often the situation is clouded by vageness, incomplete data, and conflicting points of view. In these situations, making a right choice can be more difficult. The ability to make an ethical decision depends not only on the process involved but also on the inherent nature of the decision maker. To make good decisions, a person must have the ability to reconize ethical issues as well as the consequences of alternative actions. The person making the decisions must have the confidence to evaluate different points of view, determine whether all the facts are known, deal with issues that need to be resolved, and anticipate the results when solutions may not be so obvious. Most experts feel that management is responsible for creating and sustaining conditions that encourage employees to behave ethically. Likewise, employees should be held accountable for appropriate behavior.