ETHICS IN BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION
 Ethics can be defined as the sudy of the principles and morals
that govern human behaviour. It involves choosing between what
is right or wrong. Humans are generally uncouth and inhumane
and therefore an unethical society threatens the well being of the
individuals and the society itself.

 Communication can be defined as the process of using

sounds,signs or behaviours to express or exchange information
from one person to another.
 Ethical communication can therefore mean the truthful
and accurate aspects that are expected to be put in place
when communicating. This may be between the
management of the organization to the employees, from
the employees to the customers or between the
organization as a whole and the outside.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ETHICAL
COMMUNICATION.
The most important traits of ethical communication include,

1. Accuracy
Information being exchange must be accurate. It should
avoid language that manipulates or exegerates. The
credibility of the source should be tested to ensure that
that the information is accurate.
2. Includes all relevant information
The person giving the information should avoid witholding
crucial information. In an organization all the vital
information should be given to the audience in an
appropriate and effective manner. Witholding information
gives an organization a bad image.

3. Truthful
The information given should be truthfull and should not
be deceptive in any way.
4. Maintains a relationship with the audience.
The person conveying the information must make a point
of building and maintaining a relationship with the
audience. This enables the audience to feel at home.
Great people like Mahatma Gandhi had a reputation of
maintaining a good relationship with their audience.

5. Does not state opinions as facts.

Every person has their own opinion about something and
just because its their opinion it doesn't mean that its right.
An ethical communicator therefore ensures that they state
opinions as opinions and not facts.

6. Conveys a point without offending the audience.

While communicating to an audience, its important to
know the audience and find an appropriate manner to
communicate. For instance, one should not make
comments that may make them look racist, sexist,
or even homophobic.

In a nutshell, ethical communicators have a well developed

sense of social responsibility.
 PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL COMMUNICATION

In as much as there is no code for ethical communication,

there are some principles which are followed when it comes
to ethical communication. There are no specific rules or
norms.

These include,
1. Truthfulness
This involves the integrity of the person giving the
information. Its essential for the communicator to give his
views and insights about a certain topic and accept the
possibility if being wrong.

2. Accuracy
The person giving the information should be accurate.
This prevents confusion of any kind.
3. Reason
It is the responsibility of the communicator to ensure that
whatever he's communicating is reasonable and can be
understood clearly. The information being given must be
clear and vivid.

4. Endorse freedom of expression

In communication there should be freedom of expression,
 which is the right to articulate ones ideas or opinions
without the fear of censorship or societal sanction. No one
should be made to keep quiet about their say, all opinions
matter in communication.

5. Tolerance to dissent
One should be able to tolerate dissent, as mentioned before
opinions vary and its normal for a person to dissent with
another persons opinion. In that case the dissenting party
should be able to listen to the reasoning of the other party
or just agree to disagree. This enables a person to have
different perspectives or views about something.

6.Strive to understand and respect other communicators

before evaluating and responding to their message
When communicating, the communicators should first
try and understand what the other party is saying before
answering or giving their opinion. This makes the avoid
giving an offensive answer or response.

7. Access to communication resources and opportunities

The communicators should be able to go through the
resources available, this enables them to contribute
vastly to the well being of the society.
8. Promote communication climates of caring and mutual
understanding that respects the unique needs and
individual characteristics
The surroundings of the environment should favour the
audience that you are communicating to. For instance, you
cant communicate to the deaf with a sound system.

9.Condemn communication that degrades humanity and

individuals
One should not tolerate communication that spreads
inhumane characteristics. For instance, violence, sexism,
sexual violence, war among others. All these threaten the
society we live in.

10. Accept responsibility for the consequences of our own

communication
The short term and long term consequences of our own
words should be accepted. Whether this includes jail terms
or societal shunning.
ETHICAL ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION

Communication ethically faces some challenges from

plagiarizing to copyrighting. These issues influence the
behavior of people in the business arena.

They include,
1. Plagiarism
This is the stealing of someone else's ideas or written
material and claiming it as your own. The expression of
original ideas is considered intellectual property and is
protected by copyright laws. Therefore quoting material
from a source without acknowledging that source or
copying the material indirectly is considered unethical since
you are making the reader think that the material is yours.
This denies the original author proper acknowledgement.
May lead to expulsions from schools or being sued. Most f
amous victims are the trump family.
2.Selective misquoting
This is the deliberate omitting of unflattering comments to
paint a better image of you or your company. In as much as
you would have painted a better image, it would be
untruthful.

3. Discrimination and harrasment

Discrimination is the process of deliberately excluding
certain groups of people. For instance according to race,
tribe, clan, sex, colour among others.

Harassment is the process of tormenting another person

repetitively. This can be between employees, family
members or even between the managers and employees.
Sexual harassment is one of the most common forms of
harassment
Both of these are highly unethical since they violate the
respect of other people.

4. Copyrighting
This is the legal protection of the original creative work of a
person. Violating the copyrights of a person may lead to
consequences.
5. Legal issues
There are some legal issues that are of concern, namely
defamation and slander. The false spreading of
information about someone or an organization may be
defamatory. The persons involved can be sued for
defamation of character. These are both legal and ethical
issues.
Written defamation- Libel
Oral defamation- Slander.

With the increased computerization of data, the chances of

private information becoming public is high. When
organizations/individuals violate the privacy of a person,
they can be found guilty of the invasion of privacy.
6. Misinterpreting numbers
This is the increasing or decreasing numbers, altering
statistics or omitting numerical data. This is unethical
because it conveys untruthful information.

7. Distorting visuals
This involves the changing of information on graphs or
charts. By making them bigger or smaller or concealing
the differences.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ETHICAL COMMUNICATION

Ethical communication plas a vital role in our day to day life.

It has numerous advantages which affect individuals, the
society and even the organizations.

These significances include,

1. On individuals
 Through ethical communication, we are able to make be
responsible thinkers. When we think about the dignity nd
feelings of others while communicating, we are responsble.

 It enables us to practice critical thinking. We are able to

expand our thinking.

 Through ethical communication, we are able to learn

about the cultures, beliefs, religion of other people.
Through ethical communication, idividuals learn to respect
and accept other people despite of their differences.

2. On Organizations
 A long term significance of ethical communication on
organizations is long term integrity. Most competent
employees want to work for organizations that have high
ethical standards. When competent people migrate
towards thse organizations, the organizations benefit.

Promotes employees loyalty.If they are treatedd well, they

will always prefer that organization.

 Minimizes the impact of a crisis, since the organization

already has a good reputation.
An organization with a high ethical ground attracts and
retains high quality people.
 Promotes long term sucess of the business and profit
FACTORS INFLUENCING ETHICAL
COMMUNICATION
1. Each communication decision has some ethical aspect
to it
There are many complexities involved in the
communication process.However the cmmunicator has
three simple tasks, to speak,to listen or to remain silent.
It is the ethical choice of the sender of a message to
disclose the information, to motivate others or ignore their
feelings
It is also the ethical choice of the sender of the message to
choose the time and mode of disclosure.

2.The ethical nature of communication is connected to the

four 'w'
The who, the what, the when and the where are the
complexities involved in ethical communication. Ethical
communicators should not only consider one of
complexities but should consider all of them.
3. Organization values and communication ethics
Values are the ideas that a person or an organization
consider important. Ethics and organizational values at
times contrast with each other meaning that business
people at times have to do unethical things. Due to the
job pressure, goal attainment pressure,competition
financial pressure or even peer pressure.
4. Influences on personal ethics
There are five major influences that shape our personal
ethics namely,
Influentual people in our lives ie parents
Cultural norms
Philosophical position
Laws
Personal religion views
The most influential are the parents since they shape us
from infancy.

The Culture also contributes greatly.

ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN COMMUNICATION

Some of the ethical dilemmas experienced during

communication include,
1. Eumphemisms
This can be defined as a less offensive phrase.For
example using 'passed away' instead of 'died'. This is
allowed however in most cases its used to hide the truth

2. Lying
A lie is a false statement intended to deceive. Most
common ethical dilemma amongst communicators.

3. Secrecy
Secrets can be both ethical or unethical, they might be for
example be used to guard intimacy or to breal it. It is the
task of the manager therefore to find out where serecy is
honourable or dishonourable keeping in mind that too
 much secrecy inibits innovation. The organization also
has the right to protect their information from outsiders.

4. Rumour and gossip

Rumours tends to focus on events while gossip tends to
focus on individuals. These two are a part of our day to
day activities. Even though managers treat such
information as 'yet to be confirmed' it may cloud
judgements and doubts among the employees.

5. Leaks
This is like anonymous whistle-blowing In this case the
person who leaks the information is nit known. Their
reasons are also anonymous. This creates doubts on the
credibility of the source. Mostly used by people to tarnish
the name of an opponent.
6. Whistle blowing
This is whereby an employee goes public with
information on negligence or harrasent in an
organization.
Dissatisfaction is the main motivation of a whistele
blower.
Misinformation and confusion of public and private interst
are some of the other reasons.Or even revenge
7. Ambiguity
This can be used for both ethical and unethical reasons
all languages carry different levels of
vagueness.Therefore when communicating one must
ensure that their interpretation is the only one that is put
across
GUIDELINES TO HANDLE COMMUNICATION
ETHICS DILEMMAS.
1. Legal considerations
One should obey the law no matter what.

2. Moral considerations
If intent is honest, then thats ethical even if the
information is incorrect. But if the intent of the
communicator is dishonest, then thats unethical evenif the
information is correct
3. Mantain candour
This refers to the mantainence of truthfullness and
honesty when communicating with other people.Even if
the information will not be pleasing, its ethical to put it
across.

4. Keep confidences
When someone tells you something in confidence, you
are expected to keep it.

5. Behave consistently
What you say is supposed to match what you do.

6. Avoid deception
Ethical communicators should always avoid deception,
fabrication, disortion or witholding information.
7. Keep messages accurate
When passing messages one should be as accurate as
posssible. Conveying the message exactly as they
received it.

8. Ensure timelines of communication

The timing of messages is critical. Messages are
supposed to be delivered at the expected time. Delay is
considered unethical.

9.Confront unethical behaviour

When you come across unethical behaviours it is ethical
to condemn it. It may not be taken well but as long as the
message is put across.

10. Message ahead of the person

This is also known as the common good approach. At
times,
the communicator may want to withold information due to
conflict between inddividuals or groups. In this case it is
ethical to put aside the conflicts and go with the wellbeing
of the organization.

11. Decisions that produce more good and less harm

Also known as Utilitarian approach. An organization is
expected to go with the alternatives that wwill do the
organization more good than harm.
REFERENCES
1. Communicators; IABC Code of Ethics For Proffesional
Communicators.

2. National Communication Association[2000]. Credo on

Ethical Communication.
hhtp://www.natcom.org/policies/External/Ethicalcomm/htm