CHAPTER 4BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND THE ETHICAL CONTEXT

ETHICSETHICSA major branch of A major branch of

philosophy, is the philosophy, is the study of values and study of values and customs of a person customs of a person or group. or group.

It covers the analysis It covers the analysis and employment of and employment of concepts such as right concepts such as right and wrong, good and and wrong, good and evil, and evil, and responsibility. ... responsibility. ...

ETHICAL SITUATIONSETHICAL SITUATIONS

A person can make ethical decisions A person can make ethical decisions every day and the decisions build on every day and the decisions build on a concept of right and wrong.a concept of right and wrong.

Consider the following situations. Consider the following situations. How would you react?How would you react?

During an on campus interview a During an on campus interview a recruiter ask you why he should hire recruiter ask you why he should hire you over another candidate (a you over another candidate (a classmate of yours). You have some classmate of yours). You have some negative information about this negative information about this person. Do you share it with the person. Do you share it with the recruiter?recruiter?

You witness another student cheating You witness another student cheating during an important accounting during an important accounting exam. Do you confront the student? exam. Do you confront the student? Do you tell other students or a Do you tell other students or a professor about the incident?professor about the incident?

A firm invites you for a second A firm invites you for a second interview at its corporate office. You interview at its corporate office. You are not especially interested in this are not especially interested in this company, but you are considering company, but you are considering taking the trip because you have a taking the trip because you have a good friend you would like to visit in good friend you would like to visit in a distant city and you could use the a distant city and you could use the frequent flyer mileage. Do you frequent flyer mileage. Do you accept the interview?accept the interview?

A quick response to these questions A quick response to these questions is that you would always make the is that you would always make the right and moral decision.right and moral decision.

ETHICS AS A COMMUNICATION ETHICS AS A COMMUNICATION ISSUEISSUE

We communicate our values and We communicate our values and beliefs to others via verbal and beliefs to others via verbal and nonverbal behavior.nonverbal behavior.

We are defined in the eyes of We are defined in the eyes of others according to the way we others according to the way we behave.behave.

We also need to communicate We also need to communicate to other the important and to other the important and necessity of good ethics.necessity of good ethics.

Ethical leaders speak out when Ethical leaders speak out when something is wrong; ethical something is wrong; ethical people influence other by acting people influence other by acting in line with their personal in line with their personal values.values.

INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL ETHICSETHICS

There are five major There are five major influences shape in our influences shape in our personal ethicspersonal ethics

1.1. Influential people in our Influential people in our life( family, close friends, life( family, close friends, or a role model)or a role model)

2.2. Cultural norms Cultural norms 3.3. Philosophical positionPhilosophical position4.4. Local, state, and federal Local, state, and federal

laws that govern individual laws that govern individual behaviorbehavior

5.5. Personal regions viewPersonal regions view

PERSONAL ETHICPERSONAL ETHIC

PEOPLEPEOPLE First of all our family member First of all our family member

and friends exert strong and friends exert strong influence on our ethics.influence on our ethics.

The parents and other family The parents and other family members shaped our ethical members shaped our ethical value system early on.value system early on.

Teachers are also influential, Teachers are also influential, especially when a person is especially when a person is younger, may have laid the younger, may have laid the foundation for ethical foundation for ethical decisions. decisions.

CULTURE:CULTURE:

““All that human beings learn All that human beings learn to do, to use, to produce, to to do, to use, to produce, to know, and to believe as they know, and to believe as they grow to maturity and live out grow to maturity and live out their lives in the social groups their lives in the social groups

to which they belong.”to which they belong.”

CULTURAL DANCECULTURAL DANCE

PHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHYTheories of philosophy Theories of philosophy have long been concerned have long been concerned with ethical and moral with ethical and moral issues.issues.

With business ethics we With business ethics we are primarily concerned are primarily concerned with what is moral and with what is moral and right and contributes right and contributes positively to the human positively to the human experience.experience.

Theologism

Teleology

Utilitarianism

Deontologism

TheThe 44 ConceptsConcepts ofof

EthicsEthics

TheologismTheologism A moral Perspective that attempt to pattern A moral Perspective that attempt to pattern

actions according God’s Willactions according God’s Will

““What would God have me do in this Situation?”What would God have me do in this Situation?”

DeontologyDeontology

Derived from the Greek word for DutyDerived from the Greek word for Duty Actions are not justified by their Actions are not justified by their

consequences. Factors other than good consequences. Factors other than good outcomes determine the rightness of actionsoutcomes determine the rightness of actions

“ “ They believe that you should always tell truth”They believe that you should always tell truth”

TeleologyTeleology Consequence driven approachConsequence driven approach

““They believe that the singular duty is to They believe that the singular duty is to maximize good consequences”maximize good consequences”

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism The morality of an action can be determined The morality of an action can be determined

by its consequencesby its consequences An action is ethical if it promotes the greatest An action is ethical if it promotes the greatest

good for the greatest numbergood for the greatest number

Philosophy……Philosophy……

Example:Example:

A deranged Gunman is holding five people A deranged Gunman is holding five people hostage at gunpoint in a lobby of bank. He hostage at gunpoint in a lobby of bank. He asks if any other customers or employees asks if any other customers or employees are in bank you know that three customers are in bank you know that three customers escaped to backroom along teller. Do you escaped to backroom along teller. Do you tell them truth?tell them truth?

LAWLAW

Some individuals view ethics Some individuals view ethics from a legal perspective: from a legal perspective: Acting ethically means Acting ethically means following the law.following the law.

Codes of ethics for various Codes of ethics for various professions, such as professions, such as accounting, law, and accounting, law, and medicines requires medicines requires standards of behaviour that standards of behaviour that exceed the law.exceed the law.

RELIGIONRELIGION Religions throughout the Religions throughout the

world are major world are major foundations for ethical foundations for ethical behavior among behavior among followers.followers.

Using religion as the Using religion as the grounding for your grounding for your ethical behavior means ethical behavior means you at according to you at according to what you believe God what you believe God wants you to do. wants you to do.

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Communication & Ethical Communication & Ethical IssuesIssues

Legal IssueLegal IssueKey Area For Ethical CommunicationKey Area For Ethical Communication

-Personal Written and Spoken -Personal Written and Spoken message message

-Cross-Cultural Messages -Cross-Cultural Messages

-Advertising Message -Advertising Message Ethics and organizational responsibilityEthics and organizational responsibility

-Formal V/S Informal ways of Comm. -Formal V/S Informal ways of Comm.

COMMUNICATION AND ETHICAL COMMUNICATION AND ETHICAL ISSUESISSUES

Communicating Communicating ethically in the business ethically in the business arena challenges you arena challenges you on several levels.on several levels.

Legal issues have an Legal issues have an impact on you impact on you personally and on the personally and on the organization to which organization to which you belong.you belong.

Organizational Organizational challenges include challenges include constructing a constructing a productive company productive company culture, with culture, with employees who have employees who have diverse background, diverse background, values and beliefs.values and beliefs.

In all these challenges In all these challenges your personal system your personal system of values will influence of values will influence yours and others yours and others behavior in business. behavior in business.

Communication & Ethical Issues……….Communication & Ethical Issues……….

Legal IssuesLegal Issues Defamation and privacy

-An employees personal Disabilities -An employees personal identity and private facts -An employees Records, Reports, Letters, Electronic Data

Discrimination and Harassment

Plagiarism Copyrighting

Key Area for Ethical communicationKey Area for Ethical communication Personal written and spoken MessagesPersonal written and spoken Messages

1.1. Message PurposeMessage Purpose

2.2. Research methods Research methods

3.3. Selection Material Selection Material

4.4. Development of ideas Development of ideas

5.5. Use of language Use of language

6.6. Ethical contextEthical context

7.7. Self-analysisSelf-analysis

Key Area for Ethical communicationKey Area for Ethical communication

Cross-Cultural MessagesCross-Cultural Messages

1.1. Cultural contextCultural context

2.2. Misunderstandings Misunderstandings

3.3. Language Language

4.4. Accountability Accountability

Key Area for Ethical communicationKey Area for Ethical communication Advertising MessagesAdvertising Messages

1.1. Language Language

2.2. Graphics/printGraphics/print

3.3. Omission Omission

4.4. TruthTruth

5.5. AccountabilityAccountability

Ethics & Organizational Ethics & Organizational ResponsibilityResponsibility

Formal CommunicationFormal CommunicationPublic messages Public messages Employees manuals and policy Employees manuals and policy

statementsstatementsMission statement and ethical codes Mission statement and ethical codes

Informal CommunicationInformal CommunicationOvertime, through workers and Overtime, through workers and

managers or through organization itself.managers or through organization itself.