1. Facing Ethical and Legal Challenges C H A P T E R 2

2. What is Ethics? What’s Involved in Making an Ethical Decision? How Do You Make an Ethical Decision? What Are the Principles of Ethical Communication? Presentation Overview

3. What Is Ethics? First, values are what you believe is right and wrong. Ethics is the study of values, often called principles of conduct, that apply to a person or group. Aristotle defined ethics as the study of what is involved in doing good. Ethics “guide us when the law or political rules are silent” (Dombrowski).

4. What’s Involved in Making an Ethical Decision? Considering moral standards – The morality of the action – The consequences of the action – The rights of people involved – The care for relationships Considering laws – Copyright law – Trademark law – Liability law – Contract law

5. Considering Moral Standards The morality of the action: Of all possible actions, which are wrong for what they are, regardless of consequences?

6. Considering Moral Standards The consequences of the action: Which action would produce the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people, or, conversely, the least amount of harm for the fewest number of people?

7. Considering Moral Standards The rights of people involved: How will each action impact others? Which actions violate the rights of others?

8. Considering Moral Standards The care for relationships: How will each action affect the relationships of those involved?

9.  Would this action be regarded as moral?  Of all possible actions, would it produce the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people or the least amount of harm for the fewest number of people?  Would it be considerate of the rights of all people involved?  Would it positively affect relationships of those involved? Scenario: You have a very irresponsible friend who wants to work at your place of employment. If your employer asks for your opinion of this friend before hiring him or her, what should you do? Considering Moral Standards

10. Considering Laws Copyright law – Applies to intellectual property – Gives the owner* the sole right to copy the work that he or she has created and to profit from or prohibit the sale or distribution of that work * An owner can be an individual or a company when the work was created by an employee while on the job.

11. A Copyright Violation Borrowing the wording another company used for its dress code in your company’s policy manual Using a graphic found online on the cover of a brochure advertising the services of your company, with a byline inside giving the artist credit Not a Copyright Violation Including, word-for-word, your company’s policy on sick leave in its training manual for new employees Adding a graphic and its citation to a slide presentation for a class, without asking the artist’s permission Considering Laws

12. Trademark law – Applies to words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish a company’s goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods – Gives the company the sole right to use that word, name, symbol, sound, or color – Indicated after the name of the product by a ™ or a ® if registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

13. Considering Laws Liability law – Applies to inaccurate information – Gives the public the right to hold authors, editors, and publishers responsible for damages incurred

14. Considering Laws Contract law – Applies to warranties (and much more) – Gives consumers the right to expect that any oral or written statements expressed by a company about one of its products are true and accurate that the product will fulfill its implied purpose

15. How Do You Make an Ethical Decision? Use a decision-making model Ask the right questions

16. Use a Decision-Making Model Is this action legal? YesNo Start Is it moral? Find another way to approach the situation.

17. Ask the Right Questions Is it legal? Is it consistent with company policy and my professional code of conduct? Am I doing the right thing? Am I acting in the best interests of all involved? How will it appear to others? Am I willing to take responsibility publicly and privately? Will it violate anyone’s rights?

18. What Are the Principles for Ethical Communication? Follow all relevant laws. Follow company policies and/or your professional code of conduct. Be honest. Do not mislead your readers. Use clear, precise language. Include all the information that readers need or have a right to know.

19. What Are the Principles for Ethical Communication? Take ownership of your writing. Acknowledge the work of others. Avoid discriminatory language.

20. What Are the Principles for Ethical Communication? Scenario: You work as a manager at a popular ice cream franchise called Sprinkles On Top. You train employees to deal with customers based on a model you were taught while working at another well-known business. It has been so successful that you were asked to share this model at the last franchise conference. When you presented the model, you did not admit that you learned it from somewhere else. One of the people who attended your session works as the company trainer. She wants to include the model in the upcoming new employee training handbook. What do you do?

21. Questions?