COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS Instructor: Fatima Naseem Lecture # 07 fatima.naseem@uettaxila.edu.pk http://web.uettaxila.edu.pk/CMS/AUT2010/cpCom Sbs/index.asp

Business Communication and the Ethical Context Chapter # 04 Business Communication and the Ethical Context

Overview Background to Ethical Context Influences on Personal Ethics Ethical Situations Ethics as a Communication Issue Influences on Personal Ethics People, Culture, Philosophy, Law, Religion Communications and Ethical issues Legal Issues Key areas Ethics and Organizational Responsibility

Background Facts are important to make ethical decisions In 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 Situations During 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 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 Issue We are not human beings having spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having human experience. Car fraud example; Communicate correctly

Influence on Personal Ethics People Culture Philosophy Law Religion Religion Law People Culture Philosophy Individual Ethics Personal Ethics

People Family Teachers Close friends Relatives Peers

Culture City/ town Country to Country National/ international heroes Norms/ Myths China return a penny; its government property America  good luck

Philosophy Theologism  what would God have me do in this case Descriptive 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)

Law Not always right E.g. taxes for war

Religion Always a major foundation for ethical behavior Many of the mainstream religions provide the ethics about ones duties towards God, other human beings and all other living things on earth.

Communication & Ethical Issues Organizational Challenges include developing a productive company culture with employees having diverse background, values and beliefs Legal Issues Key Areas for Ethical Communications Ethics and Organizational responsibility

Legal Issues Defamation  statements that damage persons name and reputation, involve false statements Libel  written defamation Slander  oral defamation Legal as well as ethical issue Privacy Discrimination & harassment Plagiarism Copy Righting (CR)  legal protection of ones creative efforts

Key Areas for Ethical Communications Ethical treatment takes time, thought and preparation Written and Spoken messages Cross Cultural Messages Advertising Messages

Written and Spoken messages Message 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 Messages Don’t take advantage of misunderstandings of different cultures Cultural Context Misunderstandings Language Accountability

Advertising Messages Gaining customers through false advertising is both unlawful and unethical Don’t confuse consumers E.g. “White Christmas” “fat free”, “low-fat”, “healthy” “100 % natural fruit juice” Avoid showing negativity to a specific group

Advertising Messages Language (no exaggerations) Graphics/Print (small print) Omissions (any imp statement omitted/ would it have been affected if included ) Truth Accountability (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 ways Informal ways

Formal Ways One 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 messages Employee manuals and policy statements Mission statements and ethical codes

Ethical codes  documents stating ethics and values Public messages: Speeches by CEOs, press releases and annual reports Employee 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 Fundamental strategic issues Ethical codes  documents stating ethics and values

Informal Ways Imported through individuals Organizations own value system Behavior of managers

Any Questions ?

Paper Pattern Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 14 Audience Analysis Lecture 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Go through all chapters form book specially for diagrams, models and specific definitions. Paper will be mainly objective type. Time: 1 hr Marks: 40