06-Dec-14

ETHICAL
What is Communication?
COMMUNICATION

Communication
• the act or process of communicating; fact of
being communicated.

– the imparting or
VALUES
interchange of thoughts,
opinions, or information
by speech, writing, or
signs.

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Values
• Conviction that “a specific mode of conduct or
end state of existence is personally or socially
preferable to an opposite mode of conduct or
end state of existence”.
• They have two attributes
– Content attribute: What mode is important
– Intensity Attribute: How much important
Value System
• Hierarchy of values in terms of their intensity
is the Value System
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Values
Foundation of Ethical Behaviour
Guide for Judging one’s own and others’ behaviour
Resist Changes
More stable , enduring characteristics, based on
which attitudes and personal preferences are
formed
Basis for crucial decisions, life direction and personal
tastes
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Why Value System is Important?
• Value System lay the foundation for
– Attitude
– Motivation
– Influence our perceptions
Types of Values
• Terminal Values: Desirable end state of existence,
the goals that a person would like to achieve during
his or her life time
• Instrumental Value: Preferable modes of behaviour
or means of achieving one’s terminal value
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Example-Ethical Behaviour from Value
• Tylenol-Analgesic drug- of J &J
• In 1986, an individual succeeded in lacing the
drug with cyanide
• Wide spread panic in US
• Speedy recall of drug from all outlets
• Company did not sell product till it developed
more protective packaging, harder to tamper
• Quick and responsible action communicated
positive, reassuring image of the company
• Company recovered the 70% market share of
the drug
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An Example- Texas Instruments
• TI employees receive a copy of TI ethics quick
test on a business card size mini pamphlet to
carry with them. This test consists of the
following:
– Is the action legal?
– Does it comply with our values?
– If you do it, will you feel bad?
– How will it look in the news paper?
– If you know it is wrong, don’t do it?
– If you are not sure, ask
– Keep asking until you get an answer.
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06-Dec-14
Ethics
• a system of moral principles
• deals with values relating to human
conduct, with respect to the rightness
and wrongness of certain actions and to
the goodness and badness of the motives
and ends of such actions.
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Values of Texas Instruments
• Integrity
– Integrity is the foundation on which TI is built.
There is no other characteristic more essential to
a TI’ers make up. It has to be present at all levels.
Integrity is expected of managers and individuals
when they make commitments. They are expected
to stand by their commitments to the best of their
ability. Keeping our commitments and fulfilling
expectations we create with our promises – both
direct and implied- is an uncompromising
standard
“Know what’s right, Value what’s right, Do
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Some Examples
• Uphold the profession's reputation for honesty, competence,
and confidentiality.
• Give clients the most current and accurate information
possible within the budget and time frames provided by the
clients.
• Help clients understand the sources of information used and
the degree of reliability which can be expected from those
sources.
• Accept only those projects which are legal and are not
detrimental to our profession.
• Respect client confidentiality.
• Recognize intellectual property rights. Respect licensing
agreements and other contracts. Explain to clients what their
obligations might be with regard to intellectual property rights
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Ethic Codes
• Ethic Codes (or Ethical Codes) are
moral guidelines that are used to
help assist people in making
decisions, to tell the difference
between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and to
utilize this understanding to make
ethical choices
• There are 3 levels;
– Code of ethics (social issues)
– Code of conduct (influence to
behavior of employees)
– Code of practice (professional
responsibility)
Corporate Codes of Ethics
• Confidentiality - Protecting the confidences and
privacy rights of employees and customers is the
duty of professional communicators. Additionally,
they must abide by legal requirements for disclosing
information that affect the welfare of others
• Credit - Give due credit to those who you get ideas
from.
Unethical Practices
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Corporate Codes of Ethics
• Honesty - Professional communicators are
honest, accurate and candid in all
communications. This practice encourages the
free flow of important information in the
interest of the public
Corporate Codes of Ethics
• Free Speech - Principles of free speech and free ideas
should be encouraged.
• Courtesy - Sensitivity to cultural values and beliefs
are crucial.
Type Example
Coercive Intimidation and threatening others.
Destructive Backstabbing and inappropriate jokes.
Deceptive Euphemism and lying.
Intrusive Eavesdropping, tapping telephones or
monitoring Internet use
Secretive Hoarding information and cover-ups
Manipulative- Acts which attempt to gain
exploitative compliance or control through
exploitation
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Ethical Communication
• Regardless of context, communication involves
choice, reflects values, and has consequences.
• Any company that aims to be socially and ethically
responsible must make a priority of ethical
communication both inside the company and in its
interactions with the public.
• In general, consumers prefer to do business with
companies they believe are ethical which gives those
ethical businesses an advantage in the market
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ETHICAL
COMMUNICATION
Characteristics of Ethical Communication
Conveying the point without offending the audience
• While communicating to the audience, conveying the
desired message to them in a significant manner is of
primary importance.
• For instance, the employees in a company can be
asked to increase their efficiency in a demanding
manner whereas managers and executives will feel
offended if the same tone is used on them.
• There are different ways to explain the exact things
to them in a much smoother manner.
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Characteristics of Ethical Communication
Maintain a relationship with the audience
• Maintaining the same wavelength with the audience
is very important for a communicator to ensure the
audiences feel at home.
• Experienced communicators immediately build a
relationship based on trust with the audience as soon
as they start speaking.
• Great orators such as Winston Churchill and Mahatma
Gandhi always were able to maintain a relationship
with their audience because they were masters at
striking the same wavelength of the audience.
Characteristics of Ethical Communication
Well organized value system
• In order to ensure that this concept is successfully
practiced and understood in an organization, a well-
organized value system must be established
throughout the organization by the top management.
• If an organization functions on the base of value
systems common to both the top management and
the employees, mutual respect between them will be
present.
• A sound and healthy value system can make way for
ethical communication.
APPROACHES TO
ETHICAL COMMUNICATION
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Characteristics of Ethical Communication
Avoid withholding crucial information
• In the modern era, information is vital for all
decisions.
• Hence, it is vital for any organization to be cautious
when communicating with the public.
• The communicated information should be absolute
and all vital information must be conveyed
appropriately.
• Purposely withholding crucial information might
result in the public conceiving a bad image.
Characteristics of Ethical Communication
Accuracy of information is necessary
• Any information that is to be passed on must be true
and accurate.
• Communicating without checking the truth of the
information can be highly dangerous for the
organization.
• Identification of the source and testing the
information is necessary before communicating it.
Message ahead of the person - Common
good approach
• Most people in organization face ethical dilemma
when they want to withhold crucial information
because of conflict with an individual or a group.
• In such situations, importance should be given to the
message to be communicated and not on the person
or the group to which the message is to be
communicated.
• Hence people should give priority to the common
good of the organization rather than interpersonal or
inter-group conflicts.
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Decisions that produce more good and less
harm – Utilitarian approach
• When in ethical dilemma consider the effects of
various alternatives after a certain period of time.
• Ethical decision is to choose the alternative which
provides more good and less harm to the
organization.
• To be truthful and accurate and to personally correct
any inaccuracies they have the opportunity to correct.
• They are also expected to support human rights, such
as freedom of speech and to respect and understand
the values of different cultures and belief systems.
• They must refuse to participate in any unethical
business communication practices.
• Follow all laws and regulations affecting their industry,
avoid plagiarism in communication, maintain
confidentiality except when it would be legally or
ethically inappropriate to do so.
• Avoid the appearance of bribery or conflict of interest,
avoid promising unrealistic results or benefits to
clients or customers and practice honesty with both
self and others.
Test the Ethics of a Message
• Does the message comply with the law?
• Is it balanced? Is it fair to all concerned?
• Who will it benefit or harm?
• If you are receiving the message, how would you
feel?
• Have you be embarrassed if others found out about
the message?
• Does the message make you feel good about
yourself?
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CODE OF ETHICS
BY
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS
Commandments to Ethical Communication
• Use language and visual with precision,
• Prefer simple, direct expression of ideas,
• Satisfy the audience’s need for information, not own
need for self-expression,
• Hold self responsible for how well my audience
understands my message,
• Respect the work of colleagues, knowing that a
communication problem may have more than one
solution,
• Strive continually to improve professional
competence,
• Promote a climate that encourages the exercise of
professional judgment and that attracts talented
individuals to careers in business communication.
Behaviour of Professional Communicator
• Professional communicators uphold the credibility
and dignity of their professional by practicing honest,
candid, and timely communication, and by fostering
the free flow of essential information in accord with
the public interest.
• Professional communicators disseminate accurate
information and promptly correct any erroneous
communication for which they may be responsible.
• Professional communicators are sensitive to cultural
values and beliefs, and engage in fair and balanced
communication activities that foster and encourage
mutual understanding.
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Behaviour of Professional Communicator

• They refrain from taking part in any undertaking,
which they consider to be unethical.
• Professional communicator protects confidential
information and, at the same time, comply with all
legal requirements for the disclosure of information
affecting the welfare of others.
CONCLUSION
• They do not guarantee results that are beyond the
power of the practitioner to deliver.
• Professional communicators are honest not only with
others but also, and most importantly, with
themselves as individuals, for a professional
communicator seeks the truth and peaks that truth
first to the self.