Instructor: Fatima NaseemInstructor: Fatima NaseemLecture # 07Lecture # 07

fatima.naseem@uettaxila.edu.pk http://web.uettaxila.edu.pk/CMS/AUT2010/http://web.uettaxila.edu.pk/CMS/AUT2010/cpComSbs/index.aspcpComSbs/index.asp

COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATIONS SKILLSSKILLS

Chapter # 04Chapter # 04

Business Business Communication and the Communication and the

Ethical ContextEthical Context

OverviewBackground to Ethical ContextBackground to Ethical Context

Ethical SituationsEthical SituationsEthics as a Communication IssueEthics as a Communication Issue

Influences on Personal EthicsInfluences on Personal EthicsPeople, Culture, Philosophy, Law, ReligionPeople, Culture, Philosophy, Law, Religion

Communications and Ethical issuesCommunications and Ethical issuesLegal IssuesLegal IssuesKey areas Key areas Ethics and Organizational ResponsibilityEthics and Organizational Responsibility

BackgroundFacts are important to make ethical

decisionsIn different situations you decide the right

and the wrong.Decision making is difficult when facts are

missing.Ethical principles centered around fairness,

services, quality, honesty, integrity, dignity help in making decisions

Ethical SituationsDuring an on campus interview a recruiter asks

you why he should hire you over your friend? You have negative information about him, would you share it?

You witness another student Cheating during an important exam. Do you confront him? Do you tell other students or examiner?

A firm invites you for a second interview at its distant office. They will pay you the travelling fair. You are generally not interested but decide to go because you want to meet a friend staying there. Do you accept to go?

A hotel food and beverage manager purchased 20 cases of soft drinks. Without managers knowledge the delivering person delivered 1 case at managers place. When manager came to know he decided to keep it as it was other than hotel supply.

A restaurant manager contracts a spying company to render its service to spy his waiters if they deliver order correctly and do they take right orders without discriminating.

Ethics as Communication IssueWe are not human beings having spiritual

experience; we are spiritual beings having human experience.

Car fraud example;Communicate correctly

PeopleCulturePhilosophyLaw Religion

Influence on Personal Ethics

PeopleFamilyTeachersClose friendsRelativesPeers

CultureCity/ townCountry to CountryNational/ international heroesNorms/ Myths

China return a penny; its government property

America good luck

PhilosophyDescriptive Ethics facts about moral judgments of

people

Normative Ethics discovering, formulating and defining fundamental moral principles

Theologism what would God have me do in this case

Deontology always tell the truth

Teleology maximize good consequences

Utilitarianism type of teleology (Max good for max people)

LawNot always rightE.g. taxes for war

ReligionAlways a major foundation for ethical

behaviorMany of the mainstream religions provide

the ethics about ones duties towards God, other human beings and all other living things on earth.

Communication & Ethical IssuesOrganizational Challenges include

developing a productive company culture with employees having diverse background, values and beliefs

Legal IssuesKey Areas for Ethical CommunicationsEthics and Organizational responsibility

Legal IssuesDefamation statements that damage

persons name and reputation, involve false statementsLibel written defamationSlander oral defamationLegal as well as ethical issue

PrivacyDiscrimination & harassmentPlagiarismCopy Righting (CR) legal protection of

ones creative efforts

Key Areas for Ethical Communications

Ethical treatment takes time, thought and preparation

Written and Spoken messagesCross Cultural MessagesAdvertising Messages

Written and Spoken messagesMessage purpose (are there any hidden agendas,

will it be in favor of receiver)

Research methods (are the resources recent, reliable and unbiased)

Selection of materials (is anything imp omitted)

Development of ideas (use of reasoning & logic, propaganda techniques)

Use of language (overloaded, abstract)Ethical context Self analysis (how would I feel)

Cross Cultural MessagesDon’t take advantage of misunderstandings

of different culturesCultural ContextMisunderstandingsLanguageAccountability

Advertising MessagesGaining customers through false

advertising is both unlawful and unethicalDon’t confuse consumersE.g.

“White Christmas”“fat free”, “low-fat”, “healthy”“100 % natural fruit juice”

Avoid showing negativity to a specific group

Advertising MessagesLanguage (no exaggerations)

Graphics/Print (small print)

Omissions (any imp statement omitted/ would it have been affected if included )

TruthAccountability (would I be satisfied)

Ethics and Organizational Responsibility

One org different attitudes of employees“Organizations are stronger than

individuals”Formal Vs Informal Ways of Communicating

Ethics:Companies must determine whether the

ethical values should be suggested from top down or bottom up.

Formal waysInformal ways

Formal WaysOne of the companies considered as the

leader in ethically responsible companies has ensured that the highest paid salary is no more than seven times the lowest paid salary.

For top down approach the ethical standards are expressed in three ways:

Public messagesPublic messages

Employee manuals and policy statementsEmployee manuals and policy statements

Mission statements and ethical codesMission statements and ethical codes

Public messages:Public messages: Speeches by CEOs, press releases and annual

reports

Employee manuals and policy statementsEmployee manuals and policy statements Employee policy books and manuals containing

rules and regulations of organization. Considered as a contract b/w employee and

employer.

Mission statements and ethical codes:Mission statements and ethical codes: Mission Statements Fundamental strategic

issuesEthical codes documents stating ethics and

values

Informal WaysImported through individualsOrganizations own value systemBehavior of managers

Any Questions ?

Paper PatternChapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 14Audience AnalysisLecture 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Go through all chapters form book specially

for diagrams, models and specific definitions.

Paper will be mainly objective type.Time: 1 hrMarks: 40