Ethical Dilemmas in Human Service Management: Identifying and Resolving the Challenges

Abstract

Human service managers are called on to make a variety of difficult decisions that often involve fundamental conflicts in values. Such conflicts constitute ethical dilemmas. This qualitative exploratory study examines how human service managers (N = 40), from the United States, identify and resolve ethical dilemmas. The dilemmas identified by the managers tended to result in the restriction of missions, programs, services and practice methods. The resolution of these ethical problems often rested on following the very rules that created the dilemmas. Additional strategies included consultations and reliance on abstract principles, specifically those of one's spiritual faith. Missing, however, were systematic or evidence-based procedures for resolving challenges that often threatened the very goals of the human service agencies. The need for more careful training in the area of ethical problem solving that maintains the vision of human services is presented.

Keywords:

• Ethical Dilemmas
• Solutions
• Human Service Managers
• Qualitative Methods

Acknowledgements

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2010 ARNOVA Annual Meeting, Alexandria, VA, USA. Please do not quote without author's permission. Direct all inquiries to Dr. Cheryl Hyde at the address given in the footnote on the title page of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cheryl A. Hyde

Cheryl A. Hyde, PhD, MSW, is Associate Professor at the Temple University School of Social Work. She serves as Coordinator for the Community and Policy Practice Concentration and Coordinator for the Education, Training and Community Outreach Core of the Center for Intervention Practice and Research. Her primary areas of interest are organizational change, community capacity building, social movements and macro practice ethics