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Code of Ethics Design Paper Holly Farley Grand Canyon University LDR-800 DRP. Molded August 18, 2014 Overview In reviewing current literature on the topic of ethical codes and how to cultivate ethical atmospheres in an organization, the overall theme is that leadership plays a key role. Verbose, Gerard, Foresee, Harding, and Miller (2007) eludes to literature that discusses the need for ethical awareness. They state that ethical practices should be evident in all levels of an organization.
It is important for the highest level leaders in an organization to practice ethically and disperse the ethical expectations from the pop down in an organization (p. 25). According to Johnson (2012) a code of ethics is a common tool and among many things can have a direct positive influence on ethical behavior (p. 339). This leads me to believe that a code of ethics is imperative to successfully creating an ethical culture in an organization. It is my desire to be an ethical leader as well as to show evidence of my own ethical standards through the writing of a code of ethics.
Although literature shows well written and enforced codes to be positive, there are also the potential for a code to have a negative impact on an organization. One way this can happen is if the code is too vague. Johnson (2012) points out that a code of ethics can be a vague document that has little impact on how members act, and many organizations may have these on file but only for the company to appear to be concerned about ethical issues (p. 339).
Proven Appropriate, Chem., Lee, and Chunk (2010) suggest that by regularly communicating with employees through either formal meeting or informal conversations, management ensures that subordinates do not subtly forget or breach ethical codes and rules (p. 602). Codes of ethics and/or induct need a place in the organization that is visible and regularly visited, not hidden away in a handbook that is reviewed once upon hire. It was also noted in an article by Jaunting and Leer (2004) that some companies may even prefer to empower an ethics officer to whom all conflicts of interest must be referred for action (p. 6). This would also mean that repercussions to breaking the code would be outlined and communicated. Rationale When developing a code of ethics I chose to refer to the areas of interest that I hope to gain in a leadership position. The areas I chose to focus on are teaching and urging. I also that I needed to explore a business type professions code of ethics as well because it is different from what I am familiar with. I felt that a business type profession would guide me to areas specific to the business setting that I may not consider.
After reviewing the readings, I started the process by writing down the categories in codes of ethics that I reviewed and that I felt were high priority to me and what would be a priority in any business. I found the style of the Teacher’s ethical code and the code for certified public accountants to be the easiest to read due to the way t was broken down in categories so I chose to write mine in a similar manner. Code of Ethics This code of ethics was developed to be an ethical guide in practice. It is intended to facilitate the employee to meet the highest level of ethical standards.
This document will be reviewed on a yearly basis, at least, per company policy. Principle l- Integrity 1. 1 The employee will display integrity in their work. Honesty and ethical values will be displayed in work with co-workers and community members. The highest moral standards will be apparent through actions and words. . 2 The employee will keep all company business confidential and will not share information outside of the company. 1. 3 The employee will be accountable for all actions and take responsibility for their own work.
Principle “-Civility Incivility encompasses any act that makes others feel uncomfortable or hinders job performance. The employee will treat all individuals fairly and with dignity. Respect for the rights of others will be apparent in actions and words. Incivility will not be tolerated at this company. Complaints of incivility will be taken seriously and acts of incivility will put the employee at risk of losing their position at the company. Principle Ill- Sexual Harassment/Discrimination 3. 1 Sexual harassment includes a wide range of behaviors.
Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to, any sexual advances or sexual remarks, any comments eluding to a person’s sexual orientation, or any requests for sexual favors. This includes any workers in or outside of the company that the employee may have contact with. This behavior will not be tolerated and if found guilty of such acts may result in loss of a position at this company. . 2 Discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, or any other difference that may set an individual apart will not be permitted in the company.
Actions by the employee that are found to be discriminative in nature are grounds for dismissal from the company. Principle IV- Service to the Community 4. 1 The employee understands that this company serves the immediate community and society as a whole and will strive to meet any immediate needs. 4. 2 To meet the needs of the community the employee will continue to make accessory changes in policies and procedures and continue to be educated in their field so they may do their Job to the best of their ability to serve others and contribute to the success of the company.
Discussion When reviewing the literature, I came across a statement in the article by Verbose, Gerard, Foresee, Harding, and Miller (2007), the authors included a quote by Hassle et al. 2003 that states, “positive organizational outcomes such as loyalty, productivity, organizational citizenship, desire to comply with organizational rules, reactions to organizational change, and willingness to communicate have been associated with organizational identification” (p. 21). This stuck with me because ultimately we want followers, leaders, and community members alike to be able to “identify’ with the organization.
I feel that the areas covered in the statement are all areas that I feel are characteristics of an employees in a successful company. I also feel that the characteristics are ones I strive for in myself so it was fitting to use this statement as a guide when developing a code of ethics based on my beliefs. Code number one in y review is the Code of Ethics for Nurses, code number two is the Code of Ethics for Educators, and code number three is the code for Certified Financial Planners (CAP).
When looking at these codes of ethics, I found that there are very wordy and lengthy codes versus very short and concise codes. Code number one is very lengthy compared to code two and three. I feel that is due to the nature of nursing and the many potential ethical dilemmas that may arise. The profession, understandably, calls for a very detailed code. All three codes were similar in that the codes contained adding and sub-headings as well as each code dealt with some type of fairness toward co-workers and others as well as competence or continuing education.
They were also all alike in that each spoke specifically to the profession itself using examples of how the statement relates to the profession. The differences noted were that that the professional educator code of ethics did not discuss confidentiality whereas code one and three did. Code thee gave definitions of some of the words in the headings which could be a benefit. Code one also included “interpretive tenements” that further explained the different pieces of the code.
This could alleviate the possibility of the employee misunderstanding terminology and inadvertently making an ethical misstep. Johnson (2012) states that one criticism of codes of ethics, is that they often lack adequate enforcement provisions (p. 338). None of the three codes reviewed for this paper included statements regarding the consequences of breaching the code of ethics. This helped guide my decision to include the possibility of being removed from the company as a repercussion. References Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. (2014).