Module Code CC2E01NP: Employment Skills Lecture for Week Autumn

What we will cover What’s in it for you? What do we mean by ‘ethics’? Ethics in business Questions

What’s in it for you? Ethics are an important element in projecting a professional business image; and This lecture will help you with at least part of your required coursework

What we mean by ‘ethics’ The concept of ethics comes from Ancient Greece Ethics is about what is right and wrong, good or bad and how people behave in situations It is about values in society and standards of behaviour

What we mean by ‘business ethics’ Interested parties being able to evaluate a business in terms of how its ‘moral’ behaviour impacts on people, society and the environment. ‘Interested parties’ might be customers / clients, suppliers, employees or others.

Ethics in business today (1) ‘Ethics’ shows itself in: –Human resourcing –Conflicts of interest –The client/customer relationship –Use of business resources –Inter business dealings –Relationships with others

Ethics in business today (2) ‘Ethics’ are often expressed in: –Terms and Conditions –Internal methods of working –External statements of best practice or company ‘philosophy’ –Advertising –Codes of either Practice or Ethics

Codes of Practice/Ethics (1) ‘These codes guide the principles used by the business to steer conduct in all its business activities, internal and external There is a growing business belief in such codes Successful codes are those that can be translated into practical guidelines and then into actual practice

Codes of Practice/Ethics (2) Advantages: Provides guidance to managers and employees Provides a sense of common identity Can enhance a business’ reputation and inspire public confidence Signals to suppliers and customers a business’ expectations ethical behaviour promotes a culture of excellence and quality

Codes of Practice/Ethics (3) Disadvantages: If not properly delivered it can lead to employee cynicism and lowered morale a lack of company wide guidance can lead to a code being interpreted differently Codes can demand considerable management time to introduce properly A code can raise expectations to a level that cannot be delivered

Ethics and Computing (1) What constitutes ‘Ethical’ work? Some work undertaken may, dependent upon specific societies/cultures, be regarded as ‘unethical’ or even immoral A ‘dilemma’ represented best by World Wide Web content...

Ethics and Computing (2) Accessibility/usability Can everyone use the systems you design? Can represent a powerful ‘ethical’ statement BUT must be delivered and lived up to!

Ethics and Computing (3) Client confidentiality What will be your business’s approach to working with competing clients? How should your business handle the issue of ‘reusing’ or ‘recycling’ work done for past clients?

Ethics and Computing (4) Use of digital assets How does your business protect its own assets and the assets of others that it may use? –For example –digital images, software etc. Should it publicly recognise and support the need for proper legal use of digital assets?

Ethics and Computing (5) Customer or Client support Client requirements and technologies used to deliver them change. Does your business ‘design and run’ or does it offer the possibility of long term client relationships (keeping the client informed)?

Study resources Trevino & Nelson (1999) Managing Business Ethics, 2nd Ed, John Wiley Institute of Business Ethics (1993) Codes of Business Ethics: Why Companies Should Develop Them and How, London Chrysiddes G D and Kaler J H (1993) An Introduction to Business Ethics, London: Chapman and Hall Institute of Business Ethics -

Study resources Trevino & Nelson (1999) Managing Business Ethics, 2nd Ed, John Wiley Institute of Business Ethics (1993) Codes of Business Ethics: Why Companies Should Develop Them and How, London Chrysiddes G D and Kaler J H (1993) An Introduction to Business Ethics, London: Chapman and Hall Institute of Business Ethics -

Business Ethics Any Questions?