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Ethical Communication in an Organization

By

Ali Adeel (Medical Physics MP-01)

Report submitted to Dr. Tariq Majeed in partial fulfillment of requirements for the course of Communication Skills

Department of Physics and Applied Mathematics,

Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences,

Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan

August, 2012

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Dedication

This report is dedicated to my parents who taught me well

instead of having financial problems. It is also dedicated to my

teachers especially Mr. Muhammad Asif and Dr. Bilal Masood

for their guidance. It is also dedicated to my friends Muhammad

Asif and Farhan Ijaz Ahmad and all those who collectively

enabled me to gain the status I have today.

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Acknowledgement First of all thanks to ALLAH ALMIGHTY WHO has blessed me with too many abilities while I have not requested for any of these, so I am able to do this.

After that I acknowledge my Parents and all Teachers, who supported me both morally and technically, especially supervisor Dr. Tariq Majeed, who helped me at every step in this report.

I also acknowledge to Dr. Rehan Abdullah, he taught me about paragraph formatting. I also acknowledge to www.shaunakelly.com from where I learned multi-level listing, list numbering and modifying heading styles. I acknowledge to all authors, editors, publishers etc. of reference material.

Ali Adeel

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Table of Contents

List of Figures ............................................................................................................... vi

List of Tables ............................................................................................................... vii Abstract / Executive Summary .................................................................................. viii 1) Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1

1.1) Communication, Basic Necessity .................................................................... 1 1.1.1) Types of Needs ........................................................................................ 1 1.1.2) Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs .................................................... 2

1.2) Communication without Ethics ....................................................................... 3 1.3) What is an Organization .................................................................................. 4

2) Materials and Methods ........................................................................................... 5 2.1) Organizational Structure ................................................................................. 5 2.2) Role of Communication in an Organization ................................................... 6

2.2.1) For Manager Employee Relations ........................................................ 7 2.2.2) For Motivation and Employee Morale ..................................................... 7 2.2.3) For Increase Productivity ......................................................................... 7 2.2.4) For Employees ......................................................................................... 7 2.2.5) Importance of Written Communication ................................................... 8

2.3) Interpersonal Communication in Organization ............................................... 8 2.4) Internal Communication in an Organization ................................................. 10

2.4.1) Employer-Employee Communication ................................................... 11 2.5) Defining Ethics in Communication ............................................................... 12 2.6) How to Practice Ethical Communication ...................................................... 12 2.7) Ten Basics of Ethical Communication .......................................................... 14 2.8) Ethical Communication in Small Groups...................................................... 15 2.9) Role of Ethics in an Organization ................................................................. 16

3) Results and Discussion ........................................................................................ 19 3.1) Combining Ethics, Communication and Organization ................................. 19 3.2) One of the Keys to Organization Success ..................................................... 20

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3.3) Outcomes of Ethical Communication in an Organization ............................ 20 4) Summary and Conclusion .................................................................................... 22 Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 24 Vita ............................................................................................................................... 25

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List of Figures Figure 1: Five different levels in Maslows hierarchy of needs .................................... 3 Figure 2: Organizational Structure................................................................................. 6 Figure 3: Ethics, part of communication...................................................................... 14

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List of Tables Table 1: Perceptions of Internet Effectiveness at Delivering Persuasive Communication ............................................................................................................ 11

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Abstract / Executive Summary This report explores importance of ethical communication in an organization. First of

all it is emphasized that communication is one the basic necessities of life as well as ethics are also demand of happy life.

In first part of report (introduction) importance of communication is explored as some philosophers graded it as basic necessity of life, then outcomes of non-ethical communication are discussed. Because this report deals with ethical communication in reference to organization, so in the end of first part there is brief introduction of organization is mentioned.

In second part of report (materials and methods) organizational structure is elaborated so one can easily understand how communication fits with organizational structure. Then it is examined how communication plays role in an organization, interpersonal communication in organization is also discussed because it also part of organizational communication other than formal communication. It is emphasized that internal communication play more important role in organization progress than external

communication although external communication is not discussed in this report.

Afterwards importance of ethics in communication and ways how to practice ethical communication are discussed. Several bases of ethical communication and how to make sure ethical communication in small groups (small groups are part of organization), extending interpersonal communication, are also discussed. Although ethical communication in small groups is also part of organizational communication

but organizational communication is a not limited to small group, so importance of communication ethics in separately under the heading Role of Ethics in an organization.

In third part (results and discussion) ethics, communication and what role these have with respect to organization are discussed. It is explored that ethical communication is one of the key to success for an organization. Finally what outcomes can be benefited implementing communication ethics or ethical communication in an organization is

discussed.

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1) Introduction 1.1) Communication, Basic Necessity

Four recognized basic necessities of life, not to be confused with human rights are food, water, shelter and fire. Of these, food can be grown, water collected, shelter built and fire made. In years gone by, this gave people a certain degree of control over their destiny. After all, these basic necessities have been universal throughout all of human history, it's always been possible to grow or gather food, to collect water, build or find shelter, or start a fire. By the sounds of it, in some parts of rural Uganda and Kenya at least, people are putting communications above food and fire (and perhaps also above water and shelter). It begs the question: should communication now be considered the fifth basic necessity of life? [1]

Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" and his subsequent book Motivation and Personality. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.

This hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid. Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth. Once these lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs,

which are for safety and security. All of these needs are somehow linked with communication hence communication is one of the basic needs of life [2].

1.1.1) Types of Needs

Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior. Physiological, security, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs (also known as D-needs), meaning that these needs arise due to deprivation. Satisfying these lower-level needs is important in order to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences.

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Maslow termed the highest-level of the pyramid as growth needs (also known as being needs or B-needs). Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.

1.1.2) Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs

There are five different levels in Maslows hierarchy of needs described below and elaborated in Figure 1.

1. Physiological Needs: These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food, and sleep. Maslow believed that these needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.

2. Security Needs: These include needs for safety and security. Security needs are important for survival, but they are not as demanding as the physiological needs. Examples of security needs include a desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment.

3. Social Needs: These include needs for belonging, love, and affection. Maslow considered these needs to be less basic than physiological and security needs. Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments, and families help fulfill this need for companionship and acceptance, as does involvement in social, community, or religious groups.

4. Esteem Needs: After the first three needs have been satisfied, esteem needs becomes increasingly important. These include the need for things that reflect

on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment. 5. Self-actualizing Needs: This is the highest level of Maslows hierarchy of

needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling their potential.

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Figure 1: Five different levels in Maslows hierarchy of needs

Source: http://www.peakoilblues.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Maslowhierarchyofneeds.jpg

1.2) Communication without Ethics

As explained earlier communication is one of the basic needs of life. Similarly ethics are thought to be basics of life. In Maslows hierarchy of needs security and social needs also includes ethics. Communication without ethics can bring disasters to personal life or to an organization. So, ethics and respect are basic parts of communication. It can be observed that person with extra ordinary abilities can be of no worth if he does not care about ethics and respect.

Rational argumentation has limitations. When reason is used for reasons sake then an imbalance occurs and a cold, calculated communication without ethics or emotion rules. Logos as the sole appeal in an argument removes the ethical element and allows reason to be used as a weapon to defeat an opponent and not to responsibly build a stable community. However, the use of ethics and emotions as the primary appeals in argumentation is similarly risky.

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Communication without ethics not only leads to disaster a society but also an organization. Communication without ethics commonly takes place in an organization

for communication between different levels in an organization.

1.3) What is an Organization?

An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. It is the collection of organs of scientific methods and artifacts of the al mamater the word is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon which means "organ" - a compartment for a particular task.

There are a variety of legal types of organizations, including corporations, governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, armed forces, charities, not-for-profit corporations, partnerships, cooperatives, and universities. A hybrid organization is a body that operates in both the public sector and the private sector simultaneously, fulfilling public duties and developing commercial market activities.

In the social sciences, organizations are the object of analysis for a number of disciplines, such as sociology, economics, political science, psychology, management, and organizational communication. The broader analysis of organizations is commonly referred to as organizational structure, organizational studies, organizational behavior, or organization analysis [3].

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2) Materials and Methods 2.1) Organizational Structure

Organizational structure refers to the way that an organization arranges people and jobs so that its work can be performed and its goals can be met. When a work group is very small and face-to-face communication is frequent, formal structure may be unnecessary, but in a larger organization decisions have to be made about the delegation of various tasks. Thus, procedures are established that assign responsibilities for various functions. It is these decisions that determine the organizational structure [3].

In an organization of any size or complexity, employees' responsibilities typically are defined by what they do, who they report to, and for managers, who reports to them. Over time these definitions are assigned to positions in the organization rather than to specific individuals. The best organizational structure for any organization depends on many factors including the work it does; its size in terms of employees, revenue, and the geographic dispersion of its facilities; and the range of its businesses (the degree to which it is diversified across markets).

There are multiple structural variations that organizations can take on, but there are a few basic principles that apply and a small number of common patterns. The following sections explain these patterns and provide the historical context from which some of them arose. The first section addresses organizational structure in the

twentieth century. The second section provides additional details of traditional, vertically-arranged organizational structures. Different levels of organizational structure are shown in Figure 2.

While the previous section explained the emergence of the traditional organizational structure, this section provides additional detail regarding how this affected the practice of management. The structure of every organization is unique in some

respects, but all organizational structures develop or are consciously designed to enable the organization to accomplish its work. Typically, the structure of an organization evolves as the organization grows and changes over time.

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Researchers generally identify four basic decisions that managers have to make as they develop an organizational structure, although they may not be explicitly aware of these decisions. First, the organization's work must be divided into specific jobs. This is referred to as the division of labor. Second, unless the organization is very small, the jobs must be grouped in some way, which is called departmentalization. Third, the number of people and jobs that are to be grouped together must be decided. This is related to the number of people that are to be managed by one person, or the span of control the number of employees reporting to a single manager. Fourth, the way decision-making authority is to be distributed must be determined.

Figure 2: Organizational Structure

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/295274-31711-14.jpg

2.2) Role of Communication in an Organization

Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions and plans between various parts of an organization.

It is not possible to have human relations without communication. However, good and effective communication is required not only for good human relations but also for

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good and successful business. Effective communication is required at various levels and for various aspects in an organization such as following [4].

2.2.1) For Manager Employee Relations

Effective communication of information and decision is an essential component for management-employee relations. The manager cannot get the work done from employees unless they are communicated effectively of what he wants to be done? He

should also be sure of some basic facts such as how to communicate and what results can be expected from that communication. Most of management problems arise because of lack of effective communication. Chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized with proper communication system.

2.2.2) For Motivation and Employee Morale

Communication is also a basic tool for motivation, which can improve morale of the employees in an organization. Inappropriate or faulty communication among

employees or between manager and his subordinates is the major cause of conflict and low morale at work. Manager should clarify to employees about what is to be done, how well are they doing and what can be done for better performance to improve their motivation. He can prepare a written statement, clearly outlining the relationship

between company objectives and personal objectives and integrating the interest of the two.

2.2.3) For Increase Productivity

With effective communication, you can maintain a good human relation in the organization and by encouraging ideas or suggestions from employees or workers and implementing them whenever possible, you can also increase production at low cost.

2.2.4) For Employees

It is through the communication that employees submit their work reports, comments, grievances and suggestions to their seniors or management. Organization should have

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effective and speedy communication policy and procedures to avoid delays, misunderstandings, confusion or distortions of facts and to establish harmony among all the concerned people and departments.

2.2.5) Importance of Written Communication

Communication may be made through oral or written. In oral communication, listeners can make out what speakers is trying to say, but in written communication,

text matter in the message is a reflection of your thinking. So, written communication or message should be clear, purposeful and concise with correct words, to avoid any misinterpretation of your message. Written communications provides a permanent record for future use and it also gives an opportunity to employees to put up their comments or suggestions in writing.

So, effective communication is very important for successful working of an organization. Business writing software with grammar checker and text enrichment tool, which enhances a simple sentence into more professional and sophisticated one, can be used for writing effective business communications. For more information, please visit grammar correction tool.

2.3) Interpersonal Communication in Organization

Communication plays a crucial role in the functioning of organizations. In fact, what

an organization requires mainly is communication. It is an inseparable, essential and continuous process just like the circulatory system in the human body. As a result, communication effectiveness becomes a very vital factor in determining the efficiency with which an organization performs as a whole. The existence of an organization

depends upon a number of things like unity of command, delegation of authority and responsibility, teamwork and leadership, each one of which entails a strong support of interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication, therefore, becomes the lifeblood of an organization [5].

Fundamentals of interpersonal communication are communicators, message, noise, response, background and channel. Decent interpersonal communication skills

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support intimate relationship, counseling, selling, management, conflict management,

etc. The various hindrances to effective interpersonal communication like sentiments, filtering, message crammed with information, defensiveness, cultural difference and argot can be overcome by simplifying language, controlling sentiments, listening ardently and using feedback. The paper examines the vitality of interpersonal communication for the subsistence of an organization.

Interpersonal communication is the procedure by which people swap information, feelings and impart through verbal and non-verbal messages. This definition underlines the crucial fact that interpersonal communication is not only apprehensive about what is pronounced, i.e., the language employed, but how it is pronounced, e.g., the nonverbal messages sent, such as tone of voice and facial expressions. Interpersonal communication has the following characteristics:

Communication from one person to another. Communication which is face-to-face. Both the form and the content of the communication reflect the personal

characteristics of the individuals as well as their social roles and relationships.

When two or more people are in the same place and are aware of each other being there, then communication is said to be taking place, no matter how subtle or inadvertent it may be. Even without vocalizations, an onlooker may be using prompts of stance (posture), facial manifestation, and garb to impact others role, poignant situation, persona or intents. Even though no communication may be aimed at, people

receive messages through forms of non-verbal conduct. This is a significant thrust for those working in people-centered vocations, who require to foster an awareness of the assortment of prompts entailed in interpersonal communication. Hartley (1999) suggests that interpersonal communication includes the following aspects: non-verbal communication, reinforcement, questioning, reflecting, opening and closing, explanation, listening and self-disclosure.

Although interpersonal communication can include oral, written, and non-verbal forms of communication, the term is by and large related to spoken communication that takes place between two or more individuals in person. Some of the types of

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interpersonal communication that are generally used within a business organization comprise staff meetings, formal project discussions, employee performance reviews, and informal chit-chats. Interpersonal communication with those outside the business organization can be in various forms, too counting client meetings, employment interviews, or sales visits. So as to comprehend the principles of effective interpersonal communication, it is beneficial to look at the fundamental process of communication.

The basic process of communication initiates when a fact is perceived or an idea devised by a single person. That person (the sender) chooses to decipher the perception into a message, and subsequently conveys the message through some communication medium to another person (the receiver). The receiver then must construe the message and supply feedback to the sender indicating that the message has been comprehended and fitting action taken.

Regrettably, errors can be instituted during any stage of the communication process. For instance, misunderstandings can crop up when the sender does not have an apparent idea of the message he or she is attempting to communicate, or has a clear idea but is unable to articulate it perfectly. However, errors can also take place when the receiver does not take note warily, deduces a sense other than what was meant by the sender, or does not provide feedback. Eventually, blurred, imprecise, or thoughtless business communication can squander precious time, estrange employees or customers, and obliterate goodwill toward management or the business on the whole.

2.4) Internal Communication in an Organization

One of the key factors in attaining high levels of organizational effectiveness is sound communication. Organizational communication, a relatively new area of study, deliberates on the importance of communication that goes far beyond training employees with effective communication skills to also address the communication needs and challenges faced by organizations. Organizational communication consists of a number of principles: Communication is a central and not a peripheral

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component of organizational effectiveness. It is not a frill. It is vital; Communication is a pervasive activity in organizations. It is not something that only some people in

organizations must do or something that occurs infrequently; Organizational communication is multifaceted and deceptively simple matter. Thus, effective communication is regarded as the foundation of organizations today which highlights the importance of internal communication. Internal communication is the flow of

communication amongst the people within the boundaries of the organization. A line of studies have indicated the relationship between internal communication and organizational efficiency and effectiveness [6].

Practitioners in the industry view internal communication as imperative and very challenging. Organization needs to have the ability to engage with the employees effectively as internal communication occurs continuously almost at all times within

the organizations. Even though employees spend much time on communication, many actually face difficulties when communicating. Internal communications range from formal meetings and announcements to informal chats through the grapevine which also moves top-down and bottom-up. The organization recognized the need to address the issue of internal communications and has never conducted any in-depth assessment of its internal communications. Data survey for persuasive external

communication is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Perceptions of Internet Effectiveness at Delivering Persuasive Communication

Effective Mass Medium Program Effectively Instructs Mean St. Dev Mean St. Dev

Advertising 5.04 1.29 4.42 1.73 Public Relations 4.69 1.34 4.49 1.66

Marketing 4.17 1.73 4.51 1.46 Communication 4.78 1.28 5.04 1.68

Journalism 4.56 1.24 5.00 1.22 Overall 4.69 1.43 4.55 1.62

2.4.1) Employer-Employee Communication

Employer-employee interaction includes verbal and non-verbal communication, listening skills, perceived actions, recognizing cultural differences and language

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barriers, and sometimes conflict. Non-verbal communication creates more of an impact than verbal [7].

2.5) Defining Ethics in Communication

Ethics in communication as a concept refers to the state of ethical considerations in communication practices. The terms ethics and communication have their diverse meanings and definitions. The dictionary meaning of communication is- the exchange of thoughts, messages or information, as by speech, signals, writing or behavior while some defines communication as process of increased commonality or sharing between participants. Similarly ethics is a system of principle that guides action while some relates ethics with distinguishing between good and evil in the world, between right and wrong human actions, and between virtuous and non-virtuous characteristics of people.

Ethics in communication as a concept is a wide discourse among development thinkers and media professionals because media in todays dynamic age has to deal with many controversial issues during which might create confusions and never-ending debate among practitioners while taking decision regarding what is right and wrong. In such situation, ethics provides guidelines to take appropriate decision.

2.6) How to Practice Ethical Communication

Practicing ethical communication is not an easy way to live. Being ethical in the

workplace or at home, or with anyone can be a struggle. Often it can be easier to not say anything at all then the truth. In our society gossip is a daily occurrence and some people even make their living that way.

Ethical communication means being truthful and upfront at all times. For example, say your co-worker is driving you nuts and you complain to your best friend without addressing the problem with your co-work first; that is unethical. The co-worker might not know he/she are being annoying and by talking behind their back does not solve anything. It is important to practices ethical communication for resolving

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conflicts, as well as everyday interactions. No one likes being talked about behind their back.

A person who practices ethical communication advocates truthfulness, accuracy, and honesty; as these foster and maintain the integrity of ethical communication. Being un-honest will only lead to more lies which can really do damage. Lies are hard to keep straight unlike the truth because the truth doesn't change.

It is important to support diversity of perspective and freedom of expression in all forms: whether self-expression, lifestyle and ideas. Just because someone is different does not mean they should be gossiped about. An idea or lifestyle may not work for one person but that does not make it wrong.

Often as humans we will react to something instead of processing it first. As a society we are very reactive. A person who wants to communicate ethically needs to strive to understand and respect others before evaluating and responding to their messages. Think before you speak. Ethics as part of communication is pictorially emphasized in Figure 3.

Another aspect of ethical communication is promoting communication that consists of

caring and mutual understanding that respects the unique needs and characteristics of individuals. Respect is very important in everyday interactions. Everyone deserves to be respected regardless of their job, socioeconomic status, gender, and or race.

When practicing ethical communication is also means that you will not tolerate

communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion, violence, and through the expression of intolerance and hatred. Ethical communication does not mean ignore that racial joke, it means speak up and say that joke is not acceptable.

People who practice ethical communication will and do support individuals sharing information, opinions; and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting the privacy, and confidentiality of individuals. If someone shares private information with you, it is important to keep it private and not go tell your best friend.

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In order to really practice ethical communication a person must believe that unethical communications threaten the integrity of all communication. Unethical

communication also compromises the wellbeing others.

Figure 3: Ethics, part of communication

Source: http://about.automationdirect.com/images/ethics/ethics2.jpg

2.7) Ten Basics of Ethical Communication

Seek to elicit the best in communications and interactions with other group members. Listen when others speak. Speak non-judgmentally. Speak from your own experience and perspective, expressing your own thoughts, needs, and feelings. Seek to understand others (rather than to be right or more ethical than thou). Avoid speaking for others, for example by characterizing what others have said without checking your understanding, or by universalizing your opinions, beliefs, values, and conclusions. Manage your own personal boundaries: share only what you are comfortable sharing.

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Respect the personal boundaries of others. Avoid interrupting and side conversations. Make sure that everyone has time to speak, that all members have relatively equal air time if they want it [8].

2.8) Ethical Communication in Small Groups

Ethics in small groups refers to the moral aspects of group interaction. The National

Communication Association (NCA) states: "ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self and other." Thus, ethical communication in small groups takes into account caring and responsibility for oneself and the other group members.

NCA recently adopted a Credo for Ethical Communication. It is included here, although some principles are more applicable than others to small group communication.

Truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason are essential to the integrity of communication. Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision making fundamental to a civil society. Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages. Access to communication resources and opportunities are necessary to fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society. Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators. Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intolerance, intimidation, coercion, hatred, and violence. Commit to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice.

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Advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality. Unethical communication threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which we live. Accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for our own communication and expect the same of others.

In reading over these principles, you can note the two ethical communication themes of caring and responsibility. Some are obvious, such as: "Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators," and "Accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for our own communication and expect the same of others."

2.9) Role of Ethics in an Organization

When employees act unethically and/or without integrity, customers lose trust and confidence in organizational products and services. When leaders act unethically and/or without integrity, employees lose trust and confidence in organizational processes, systems and products. Both directly impact the bottom line and the return on investment. What is the correlation between return on investment and unethical behavior and/or a lack of integrity? [9]

Organizations are built on the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Working together creates results and outcomes for the whole that outweigh the results and outcomes of everyone working for themselves. The secret to success is not the principle but the way synergy is created. Synergy is defined as a dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the sum of individual component actions. Synergy is an emergent behavior that arises out a multitude of simple actions based in ethics and integrity. Everyone in an organization is expected to do the right thing at the right time in order to create synergy. Doing the right thing at the right time creates positive safety, quality, productivity and cost results.

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This is ethics-the determination of right and wrong in organizations. Ethics is learned through trial and error. When behaviors are wrong, they are corrected. When behaviors are right, they are reinforced. These lessons learned and best practices are the moral code that defines the synergistic behaviors required for organizational performance. Problems occur when individuals seek to maximize their personal ends through behaviors that violate the ethics of the organization and its moral code. If one gets more, others get less. For example, employees who slow down during the week to ensure overtime pay reduce the return on investment for others. To prevent violations of the moral code, leaders and managers in organizations are entrusted with a fiduciary responsibility (something that is held or founded in trust and confidence) to reinforce and enforce the requisite synergistic behaviors required for organizational sustainability. Corruption occurs when there is an abuse of entrusted power for personal gain whether it is financial or political. Corruption sub-optimizes the performance and jeopardizes the sustainability of the whole.

Corruption often deceivingly masks itself as business reality. In order to ensure business targets are achieved and performance bonuses are distributed, an accepted practice called do what it takes to get the job done rears its ugly head. This may mean cutting corners, applying Band-Aid solutions, suppressing , ignoring or misrepresenting information in order that the problems or defects are knowingly or unknowingly passed on to another part of the process. Since no one wants a product or service with built in defects, the second part of this practice is dont get caught. This is corruption and it destroys synergy and undermines organizational principles.

Corruption spreads. Employees who do what it takes and dont get caught are rewarded. This creates a culture of knowing where employees know that doing the wrong thing at the right time will be rewarded. In time, many embrace corruption simply because everyone is doing it. Corruption ignores the fact that unethical actions involved in doing the wrong things create a chain of consequences that far outweighs the cost of doing the right thing. For example, organizations that ship product with quality defects to meet production targets lose in product returns and warranty repairs that reduce profitability. It is a short term gain for a few, and a long term pain for the many. Government, through its regulatory agencies, intervenes to control corruption in financial, safety, human rights, and environmental areas. Unfortunately, regulators

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cannot legislate compliance to the law. They can only enforce consequences to

violations. This is where the dont get caught behavior invokes ingenuity that defies the legal system. The principle of protecting the whole and the right way to do things then falls to the integrity of the participating individuals. The commitment to comply is an integrity based decision.

Integrity is defined as wholeness, unfolding and objectivity. If the ethical foundation and the moral code are sound, then individuals have trust and confidence in the organization. Wholeness is completed by doing the right thing. The unfolding is defined by doing the next right things and objectivity is enhanced by doing things the right way. Performance and sustainability are the outcome of individual commitment to compliance and collective synergies arising out of an ethical moral code. If the ethical foundation and moral code is corrupt-benefiting the few at the expense of the many, then individuals lack trust and confidence in the organization and its products. Doing the wrong thing fragments the whole. Not doing the next right thing creates chaos and objectivity is compromised when people dont do things correctly. Performance is at risk in the short term and long term sustainability is undermined. Ethics and integrity are the cornerstones of performance and sustainability.

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3) Results and Discussion 3.1) Combining Ethics, Communication and

Organization

After introduction to communication, ethics in communication, communication in organization and ethics in organization now let us discuss about what results can be obtained combining ethics, communication and organization. It should be clear that communication is one of the essential parts of organization but communication without ethics is of no worth. So, in order to maximize output of communication in organization ethical communication should be practiced.

It should be noted that ethical communication in an organization is not restricted to internal communication of organization but it also includes external communication including marketing, public dealing, dealing with competitors etc. While communicating in organization with colleagues or other people following principles

should be considered.

Truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason are essential to the integrity of communication. Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision making fundamental to a civil society. Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.

Access to communication resources and opportunities are necessary to fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society. Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators. Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intolerance, intimidation, coercion, hatred, and violence.

Commit to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice. Advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality. Unethical

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communication threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which we live. Accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for our own communication and expect the same of others.

3.2) One of the Keys to Organization Success

Although there are many factors responsible for organization success but from previous discussion this result can be made that ethical communication in an organization is one of the keys to organization success. Ethical communication plays

equally important role in internal as well as external communication.

Communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace program or policy

and serves as the foundation for all five types of psychologically healthy workplace practices. Communication about workplace practices helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the organization in a variety of ways:

Bottom-up communication (from employees to management) provides information about employee needs, values, perceptions and opinions. This helps organizations select and tailor their programs and policies to meet the specific needs of their employees.

Top-down communication (from management to employees) can increase utilization of specific workplace programs by making employees aware of their availability, clearly explaining how to access and use the services, and demonstrating that management supports and values the programs.

3.3) Outcomes of Ethical Communication in an Organization

As discussed above ultimate outcome of ethical communication in an organization is its success but how it contributes to organization success? Outcomes of successful ethical communications in an organization include the following:

Reduced costs

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Company sales growth More financial incentives Employee awards programs Attract talent for future positions Greater customer / client services Listening becomes more important. New goods and services emergence Budget ownership and accountability Employee retention percentages reduced Standard Operating Procedures adherence Ideas and solutions shared and implemented Empowerment of staff to work with each customer Organizational structure changed with more efficiency Managers leading by example in what they do, instead of what they say Fear based management replaced with an open, reciprocal environment Greater cohesiveness amongst departments and inter-departmental staff The vision and mission understood, ownership by staff, and realization of team impact Employees feel more valued and a part of something greater than just coming to work

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4) Summary and Conclusion With the development of human culture, list of basic necessities of life is also extending. Now communication or ethical communication is one of basic necessities of life. Any environment lacking ethical communication will not be fulfilling demand of satisfactory life. Demanding and practicing ethical communication is no longer personal choice but can also be imposed by law. Communication without ethics surely will lead to organization or society disaster. In order to understand role, importance or implication of ethical communication in an organization, concept of organization and organizational structure should be well understood. An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal.

There are different ways to structurally manage an organization, communication in an organization depends to some extent on organizational structure. Ethical communication can influence on manager employee relation, can be used to enhance employee morale and productivity etc. Communication is life blood of an organization but communication in an organization without ethics will cause reverse effect to organization. Practicing ethical communication is not limited to be honest in communication but much more. There are number of ways by which ethical communication in an organization can be practiced. One should always be truthful, honest, accurate, and sincere in communication.

Unethical communication outside organization (external communication) with costumers may lead distrust of people for the organization. In case of inside organization (internal communication), this may lead to misbelief of employees for the organization. In reference to ethical communication in an organization the secret

to success is not the principle but the way interaction is performed. Ethics is learned through trial and error. When behaviors are wrong, they are corrected. When behaviors are right, they are reinforced. This will lead to improvement in communication behavior and indirectly organization success.

Communication plays a key role in the success of an organization and serves as the foundation for a successful workplace. Practicing ethical communication in an organization will surely lead organization by creating trust, belief, conviction etc.

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among customers and employees, along with this following advantages are also benefitted.

Attract talent for future positions Greater customer / client services Listening becomes more important. Employee retention percentages reduced Ideas and solutions shared and implemented Fear based management replaced with an open, reciprocal environment Greater cohesiveness amongst departments and inter-departmental staff Employees feel more valued and a part of something greater than just coming to work

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References [1] IDG News Ken Banks. (2008, May) PCWorld Business Center. [Online].

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/145937/telecom_nice_to_have_or_basic_necessity.html

[2] About.com Guide Kendra Cherry. About.com Education Psychology. [Online]. http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds.htm

[3] Don Harvey Donald R. Brown, An Experiential Approach to Organization Development, 7th ed.: Pearson Education Prentice Hall, 2006.

[4] H. L. Goodall Jr., Angela Trethewey Eric M. Eisenberg, Organizational Communication: Balancing Creativity & Contrast, 6th ed. United States of America: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010.

[5] Manisha Seth Deepa Sethi, "Interpersonal Communication: Lifeblood of an Organization," The IUP Journal of Soft Skills, vol. III, no. 3, p. 10, 2009.

[6] Mohammed Halib, Zulkipli Ghazali Shahrina Md Nordin, "Strengthening Internal Communication: A Case of Communication Satisfaction in an

Organization," European Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 24, no. 4, p. 8, 2011.

[7] Allen Wysocki, Karl Kepner Julie Gatlin. (2012) The University of Vermont. [Online]. http://www.uvm.edu/~farmlabr/?Page=management/interacting.html&SM=management/submenu_management.html

[8] Jone Johnson Lewis. (2007, May) Northern Virginia Ethical Society. [Online]. http://www.esnv.org/web/ten-basics-ethical-commun

[9] Douglas Ross. (2009, July) Results Through Integrity. [Online]. http://www.resultsthroughintegrity.com/resultsthroughintegrity/2009/07/the-role-of-ethics-and-integrity-in-organizations.html

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Vita Author of this report was born in Lahore (Punjab). He did his matriculation from Punjab School System and intermediate from Shalimar College Lahore, with 1st division. He completed his B.Sc [honors] in Computational Physics from Centre for High Energy Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore and got merit scholarship regularly for 4 years. In November, 2011, he was selected for PAEC fellowship and now doing MS in Medical Physics from PIEAS, Islamabad.

Ali Adeel

I-B103 PIEAS Hostels,

Nilore, Islamabad

List of FiguresList of TablesAbstract / Executive Summary1) Introduction1.1) Communication, Basic Necessity1.1.1) Types of Needs1.1.2) Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs

1.2) Communication without Ethics1.3) What is an Organization?

2) Materials and Methods2.1) Organizational Structure2.2) Role of Communication in an Organization2.2.1) For Manager Employee Relations2.2.2) For Motivation and Employee Morale2.2.3) For Increase Productivity2.2.4) For Employees2.2.5) Importance of Written Communication

2.3) Interpersonal Communication in Organization2.4) Internal Communication in an Organization2.4.1) Employer-Employee Communication

2.5) Defining Ethics in Communication2.6) How to Practice Ethical Communication2.7) Ten Basics of Ethical Communication2.8) Ethical Communication in Small Groups2.9) Role of Ethics in an Organization

3) Results and Discussion3.1) Combining Ethics, Communication and Organization3.2) One of the Keys to Organization Success3.3) Outcomes of Ethical Communication in an Organization

4) Summary and ConclusionReferencesVita