BEHAVIORAL SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

UNIT – 5

HUMAN VALUES AND

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

1. PROFESSIONAL CODE OF ETHICS – IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT

2. ETHICAL CHALLENGES AND CONFLICTS

3. MORAL ISSUES AND DILEMMAS

4. PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE AND NETIQUETTE

 UNIT – 5: HUMAN VALUES AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

1. HUMAN VALUES
Basic human values refer to those values which are at the core of being human. The values which
are considered basic inherent values in humans include truth, honesty, loyalty, love, peace, etc.
because they bring out the fundamental goodness of human beings and society at large.

Importance of Human Values

 Provides understanding of the attitudes, motivation and behaviours
 Influences our perception of the world around us
 Represents interpretation of “right and wrong”
 Provides a way to understand humans and organisation.

The five human values which are expected in all human beings, irrespective of whether they are
employees or not in whichever profession or service, are:
 Right Conduct – Contains values like self-help skills (modesty, self-reliance, hygiene
etc.), social skills (good behavior, good manners, environment awareness etc.), ethical skills
(courage, efficiency, initiative, punctuality etc.) and Ownership.
 Peace – Contains values like equality, focus, humility, optimism, patience, self-
confidence, selfcontrol, self-esteem etc.
 Truth – Contains values like accuracy, fairness, honesty, justice, quest for knowledge,
determination etc.  Peaceful co-existence – Contains values like psychological (benevolence,
compassion, consideration, morality, forgiveness etc.) and social (brotherhood, equality,
perseverance, respect for others, environmental awareness etc.)
 Discipline – Contains values like regulation, direction, order etc. Human values are
integral part of one’s personality and affects employability quotient. Many employers are
inclined to hire those who have better human values. K

2. ETHICS
Put simply, ethics refers to a sense of right and wrong. Societies have their ethical norms,
sometimes embodied in laws that prohibit activities deemed unethical, and sometimes more a
matter of traditions that consider some behaviors acceptable and others unacceptable.
Individuals usually have a personal sense of ethics, partly molded by social norms and shaped
by family, religion and a person's own intellectual and moral development.

3. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
Professional ethics are principles that govern the behaviour of a person or group in a
business environment. Like values, professional ethics provide rules on how a person should
act towards other people and institutions in such an environment.
Businesses large and small also operate in an ethical environment. When the practices of a
business as a whole or of individual employees involve behaviors that some may find
unacceptable, then ethical conflicts can arise.

4. ETHICAL STANDARDS IN THE WORKPLACE

Although philosophers have written vast tomes on ethics, the subject boils down to doing the
right thing. Of course, in business, as in life, deciding what is right is not always
 straightforward, especially when there are competing priorities at work. The corporate ethical
standards in play at your company, along with your personal code of ethics, can guide you in
your decisions.
# Obey the Law
A great deal of society's collective sense of right and wrong is embodied in the laws that guide
business activities. Keeping your professional activities within the law represents the minimum
ethical requirements for operating your business.
Existing law makes some ethical and moral decision-making rather simple. Discrimination
against certain classes of people is illegal, so don't discriminate. Bribery and embezzlement are
against the law as well, so don't offer bribes and don't embezzle company funds.
# Know Your Company's and Profession's Ethical Requirements
Numerous professional associations publish detailed ethical guidelines for their members. For
example, doctors swear to obey the Hippocratic Oath and follow guidelines prepared by state
and national medical groups. The American Medical Association provides a detailed, nine-
point Code of Ethics to which it holds its members responsible. Lawyers, financial advisors,
accountants and many other professions have similar guiding documents for ethical behavior.
Individual firms often prepare their own set of guidelines to steer employee behavior in the
preferred direction. Google's famous "Don't Be Evil" slogan is augmented by the company's
code of ethics offering guidance on topics as varied as conflicts of interest, protecting
confidentiality, financial integrity and substance abuse.
Almost all major companies have similar statements of ethical principles or codes of conduct.
Although smaller firms are less likely to formalize such codes, the ethical guidance provided
by company leaders and expressed in the company's culture can prove just as effective in
steering employee behaviors.
If you are formulating a code of ethics for your company, you may benefit from running an
internet search on a company name along with the term "corporate ethics." This often turns up
a statement of the company's ethical principles, along with examples of the ethical issues the
firm is confronting.
Of course, in addition to ethical standards guiding your profession or your company, there is at
least one more critical set of guidelines to take into account. Your own personal code of ethics
– the notion of right and wrong that you have developed over your lifetime – is the bedrock set
of principles guiding your behavior at work and throughout your life.
# Be Alert to Changing Norms
Society's ethical norms are not static. Behaviors and activities once considered acceptable
might become unacceptable in time. In the course of just a decade or two, American society
has witnessed broad social movements that have altered our collective sense of right and
wrong, both in personal arenas and in the world of business.
A few examples of such changes are:
 Same-sex marriage
 Gender pay equity
 Black Lives Matter
 Livable wages
 Protection of religious expression
 Greening business activities
 Internet privacy
 Trolling on social media
Social issues that are highlighted on the news, debated in Congress, or actively discussed in
your local community will influence policies and practices in your place of business as well.
Staying well-informed as these issues unfold helps to keep you up-to-date on the ways in
which they may influence a sense of ethical behavior in your company.
# Remember the Golden Rule
When in doubt, the fundamental expression of human ethical behavior, known as the Golden
Rule, is an excellent guide to deciding right from wrong behaviors: Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you. Or a bit less formally, treat people the way you would like to be
treated.

5. CHALLENGES BUSINESS FACE INVOLVING ETHICS

Philosophers and moralists, from humanity's most ancient civilizations to the latest bestseller
lists, have offered up opinions on questions of ethics. From Aristotle and Plato to Dr. Martin
Luther King and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the matter of distinguishing right behavior from
wrong behavior has occupied some of the greatest minds in history. Increasingly, these same
questions have occupied corporate leaders and the employees who work for them. Ethics
challenges are rife in the world of business and impossible to ignore.

 Ethical Challenges in obeying the law

The minimum level of ethical behavior that society expects from all businesses is one of
obeying the law. Our laws, along with the complex regulations they produce, represent our
collective notion of behaviors that are fundamentally wrong, and wrong to such a degree that
we have to legislate against them. Businesses must comply with laws covering everything from
national laws on minimum wage to, in some places, local laws on avoiding the use of plastic
bags.
Laws can pose considerable challenges for businesses. A desire to comply with the law is not
enough. Laws and regulations can be horrendously complex. Occupational safety laws mandate
proper procedures across the entire range of workplace practices, from using ladders to
operating forklifts.
Environmental laws impose requirements on how to handle and dispose of chemicals and
operations wastes. Wage and hour laws require detailed record-keeping and reporting. What
business person doesn't feel the need to complain about the complexity of tax laws?
Laws don't always offer explicit clarity on what is expected from a business. The requirement
to provide "reasonable accommodations" for the disabled, for example, can mean different
things to different people. The law's requirements often become clear only after protracted
lawsuits that bring the matter to court and allow a judge to clarify the legal meaning.

 COMMUNICATING YOUR ETHICAL PRIORITIES

Beyond obeying the law, many business leaders have a personal commitment to "do the right
thing," not only in their individual lives but also in carrying out their company's operations.
Perhaps corporate leaders want to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, champion gender
equity and racial diversity in the workplace, or help eliminate poverty in the communities in
which they operate.
In a small firm, establishing a company's ethical priorities may be a straightforward matter of
face-to-face communication among company leaders and staff. Large firms need to
communicate their priorities more formally and usually create codes of conduct or a similarly
 titled document to itemize the company's ethical priorities. Coca-Cola, for example, has a 41-
page Code of Business Conduct that starts with a caution: "Everything we do reflects our
brands, and our code shows us the way."
The breadth of Coca Cola's ethical code is extensive. Here is just a sampling of the topics it
covers:
 Protecting nonpublic information
 Safeguarding corporate assets
 Record-keeping
 Preventing money laundering
 Avoiding conflicts of interest
 Transparency
 Fair competition
 Privacy
 Inside information
 Human rights
 Keeping Track of Business Activities
Creating a list – even a 40+ page list – is a good start, but unless a company can keep track of
activities regarding ethical behaviors, it's impossible to know if good deeds are keeping up
with good words. Consider a few examples:
Suppliers: Many companies have adopted one code of conduct for their employees and another
that applies to their supply chains. The supplier code of conduct may create requirements such
as no sweatshop conditions and no child labor in order for the supplier to do business with the
firm. However, unless the company has a reliable way to audit its suppliers (of which there
may be hundreds), there can be a serious disconnect between the words on paper and the actual
practices in the real world.
Bribes: The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits companies doing business in other
countries from offering bribes. This can prove to be an ethical challenge when local customs
can circumvent corporate "no bribe" policies in areas that make bribery a common practice.
Sexual harassment: Almost all major firms include "no harassment" as part of their internal
ethical principles. Given how often news reports of sexual harassment complaints surface in
the business world, there is clearly more that needs to be done than distribute ethical codes to
company employees.
 Engaging With Stakeholders
Another set of challenges in implementing company ethics arises from the expectations of your
stakeholders. The clients you engage with, including customers, suppliers, shippers,
shareholders, labor groups, and the communities in which you operate, often have a different
set of ethical priorities than your business has. However, they may still expect your company
to be ethically responsive to their priorities.
In 2020, NASCAR made an ethical decision to no longer permit the display of the Confederate
flag at its track events. The decision was in response to dialogues with fans, racers, advertisers
and the community at large, and was prompted by racial tensions and support for the Black
Lives Matter movement. NASCAR expressed its desire to provide "a welcoming and inclusive
environment" for those attending or viewing their events. Not everyone agreed with the
NASCAR decision, as the flag still has historical significance for many, but the collective
sentiment of NASCAR and its stakeholder community was that it was time for Confederate
symbols to disappear.
  Doing Good vs. Doing Well
A major ethical dilemma for businesses of any size boils down to the challenge that the Better
Business Bureau refers to as "doing good vs. doing well." Companies need to strike a balance
between their obligation to make a profit for their owners and shareholders (doing well) and
their desire to pursue ethical obligations (doing good).
Employee salaries are an excellent example of competing pressures for a business. Companies
tend to pay prevailing wages to hire enough employees without overspending on their labor
pool. In many industries, this means paying employees minimum wage. However, many
communities have begun to advocate for a living wage so that employees can earn enough
income to live above the poverty line. An individual business owner might find himself torn
between the desire to keep costs down and the desire to be ethically responsive.
Similarly, many businesses have chosen to emphasize diversity in the workplace, hiring and
advancing people regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or lifestyle choices.
However, diversity can sometimes impose additional costs on a business, such as the need to
provide transgender restroom facilities or provide assistive technology for blind or hearing-
impaired employees.

There are also many examples of strong ethical commitments going hand-in-hand with long-
term profitability. Chick-fil-A is well-known for closing its restaurants every Sunday. The
practice is an important reflection of the company's ethical and religious principles. However,
closing one day a week hasn't prevented Chick-fil-A from operating a profitable and growing
business.

6. PROFESSIONAL CODE OF ETHICS

Business organizations often develop several different policies, rules and guidelines for
governing their operations. While home-based or sole proprietorship businesses usually require
fewer policies, larger organizations use these guidelines to manage employee behavior. A code
of ethics is a common organizational policy used in business organizations. The code of ethics
policy usually sets the minimum standards for business owners, managers and employees to
follow when completing various business functions.
Facts
In a small business, a code of ethics is usually based on the business owner’s personal morals
or values. As the business grows and expands, the ethical values can be implemented into the
business' organizational mission or values statement. This statement helps provide companies
with a compass to guide the organization through the business environment. Companies often
refer to the mission or values statement when guidance is needed regarding questionable
situations.
Improve Business Relationships
A code of ethics can help companies improve business relationships. Ethical values are often
designed to provide guidance when working with other companies and the general public.
These values dictate how businesses handle contract negotiations, customer questions and
feedback or negative business situations.
Prohibit Inappropriate Behavior
Many companies use a code of ethics to prohibit inappropriate employee behavior.
Inappropriate behavior can include lying to managers or clients, engaging in fraud or
embezzlement, failing to meet specific operational standards or other similar conduct. A code
of ethics can help employees understand why these actions are inappropriate and the reasons
companies expect better behavioral performance. Companies may also limit their legal liability
from poor employee performance by using a code of ethics.
Hold Management Accountable
Owner, director or upper-level management accountability is an important function of a
company’s code of conduct. These individuals are usually required to exhibit honesty,
transparency and integrity in their daily roles. Not only do these actions set the company’s
ethical tone, it also keeps individual owners and managers accountable for their actions.
Allowing an unethical manager free rein in a business capacity can create difficult business
situations that overextend the company’s resources.
Considerations
Companies often use refresher seminars to continually educate and inform employees about the
importance of ethical behavior. The seminars may also provide information regarding new
business policies or past violations of the company’s code of ethics. This information ensures
that employees have a clear understanding about the importance of ethics and why they should
adhere to the company’s policy. Companies can use an employee or third-party agency to
conduct these refresher seminars or meetings.
Religion and Diversity in the Workplace
Diversity is more than race, gender and national origin. Americans have widely varying
religious beliefs and affiliations. By and large, these differences may not arise on a day-to-day
basis. But there are moments when people's religious convictions or needs come to the surface.
Employers and co-workers need to be aware and have plans and policies related to them.

Propriety
Along with varying religious practices come different levels of what people may or may not
feel is appropriate. For this reason, many employers have policies forbidding foul language and
swearing to prevent offense--and often because it's considered unprofessional. Similarly, HR
best practices include employees not talking about people of other faiths in derogatory terms.
Sentences that start with "Those Christians..." or "Those Muslims..." are workplace bombs
waiting to go off.
Hiring Practices
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discriminatory hiring practices based on religion.
Today, the body of employment regulations that stem from this law and several others created
during the same time period are enforced by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission as well as the Texas Workforce Commission. Employers must consider
candidates based on their qualifications and abilities and not religious affiliation. Likewise, it
is illegal to ask a job candidate about his or her religious affiliation or beliefs.
Religious Accommodation
Federal law also requires employers to make reasonable religious accommodation for
employees. This may mean not requiring a devout Christian to work Sundays or allowing a
Muslim female employee to wear a head scarf with her uniform. To the largest extent possible,
employers should grant time off for people to celebrate important religious holidays that don't
coincide with public or company holidays. Many times Seventh Day Adventists and Orthodox
Jews ask to leave early on Friday evenings during the winter so they can be home to begin their
Sabbath observances at sundown.
Assumptions
In a diverse workplace, making assumptions about others' religious backgrounds can be a
mistake. For example, wishing employees a "Merry Christmas" may overlook that the person is
Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist or something else altogether. Similarly, assuming
that someone is a particular faith because of his or her ethnic background can be incorrect and
possibly insulting. Many Asians are Christian, many African Americans are Muslim and many
Iranians are Jewish or Christian. Assumptions can cause offense and even give the impression
of racism.
Training
Many companies head off problems or reduce biases with diversity training. Good ones have
exercises and activities designed to help people see past the differences and look at the
commonalities between people. In many cases, employees and managers learn things they
never knew about other people's religions and cultures. This may not only reduce tension, but
foster understanding and camaraderie.

7. FIVE BENEFITS OF A CODE OF ETHICS

#1. Sets the right culture

The most important benefit of a code of ethics is that it can foster an environment of trust,
ethical behavior, integrity, and excellence. When everyone, from the c-suite to the people at the
very bottom, plays by the same rules and behaves in a certain way toward one another,
productivity tends to grow as conflicts and confusions disappear from the workplace.

In this environment, employees who might otherwise be afraid to voice their opinion feel
encouraged to contribute, which is how good teams become excellent. Companies that foster an
environment of trust, ethical behavior, integrity, and excellence are also better prepared to deal
with unforeseen challenges because they have a very strong foundation to stand on.

#2. Builds a good reputation

Today’s customers look well beyond the price tag. With so many choices, customers gravitate
toward companies they feel they can trust, and they stay far away from those companies that
don’t promote ethical behavior. But it’s not just customers to whom ethics matter. Companies
that pay strong attention to ethics also find it easier to establish lasting partnerships both
within and outside their industry.

To see why ethical behavior is so important, we don’t need to look further than at the recent so-
called Weinstein effect, which is a term that’s used to describe a worldwide wave of sexual
abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, which eventually gave rise to the
#MeToo campaign. After it spent months looking for a buyer or investor, The Weinstein
Company was eventually forced to file for bankruptcy because nobody wanted to touch it.
#3. Helps remain in compliance with laws and regulations
According to the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, also known as the Public Company
Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act, all individuals serving on boards and
organizational leaders of public companies are required to have a code of ethics to make major
corporate scandals like Enron and WorldCom less likely to happen.

Any promises a company makes and fails to comply with can make it amenable to sue for breach
of contract, so companies that implement a code of conduct have a strong incentive to ensure
ethical treatment of its employees, clients, partners, as well as the public.

#4. Attracts outstanding employees

Outstanding employees come from all walks of life, and they all expect to be treated justly and
ethically. Companies with a code of ethics reassure potential employees that they won’t be
discriminated against, sexually harassed, intimidated, bullied, or subjected to any other type of
workplace harassment.
Just last month, Linux Torvalds apologized for how he had been running the Linux kernel
community and adopted the Contributor Covenant, which is a code of ethics and conduct
for open source project, after years of driving away talented developers with his hostile
behavior.

“In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we as contributors and
maintainers pledge to making participation in our project and our community a harassment-free
experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics,
gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status,
nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation,” states the
Contributor Covenant.

#5. Promotes social change

One less talked-about benefit of adopting a code of ethics is that it promotes social change. We
all live on the same planet and share the same finite amount of natural resources, so we’re all
responsible for the happiness or misery of one another. By promoting positive social change,
companies can contribute to making the world a better place for everyone, not just a select few.cs

8. IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL CODE OF ETHICS AND ITS IMPACT:

A code of ethics or code of conduct is a written collection of the rules, principles, values, and
employee expectations, behavior, and relationships that an organization considers significant and
believes are fundamental to their successful operation. It provides a framework and a standard
for ethical decision making within the organization. In addition to its importance within the
organization, the code of ethics may inform customers, vendors, and other external stakeholders
what is valued by the organization, its management, and employees. The effectiveness of an
organization’s code of ethics depends heavily on whether management supports and follows the
code and how employees who break the code of ethics are treated.
A code of ethics can be written in a number of different ways, depending on the organization, its
internal mode of operation, and management style. Most commonly, a code of ethics is written
by the executive team or by a cross-section of employees from various functions. At times, it is
also designed by staff members from specific departments, such as organizational development,
corporate communications, marketing, and/or human resources. The more stakeholders who are
involved in writing the code of ethics, the more likely it is to be integrated into the organization’s
culture.

Most companies do not have—or need—a full-time ethics officer, so human resources may be
viewed as the keeper of the company ethics. HR is often involved in establishing a code of ethics
and may take a lead role in communication, training, and enforcement.

Communication. Communication of the code of ethics is an ongoing process. While HR may

take the lead in organized communication of the code, the actions of management also send
important messages about the code of ethics. If the actions of the organization’s managers are not
consistent with the code of ethics, all the communication in the world will not be successful in
getting employees to internalize the code. Employees receive the message that it is acceptable to
act in ways that violate the code. So while it is important to communicate the code of ethics and
its importance, be aware of the messages being sent by others in the company.

Training. Training employees is key to the successful adoption of a code of ethics. The
organization is instructing employees how it wants them to act when faced with potential ethical
issues. Training should be based on the code itself. What does the company expect of
employees? For example, when ethics conflict with getting the job done on time or on budget,
what is the company’s position on what an employee should do? What resources are available to
employees if they are faced with an ethical dilemma? A guideline or flowchart of the decision
making process should be provided to help employees work through their issues. Practical
application of the code should be discussed using hypothetical situations.

Personal character is the key building block of an effective code of ethics. The company should
strive to hire individuals with high moral standards and expect every employee to act in an
ethical manner in all company matters. When employees act with integrity and have appropriate
company guidance and support to work though “sticky” situations, the decisions made are likely
to be ethical ones.

In the end, ethics is a matter of corporate culture. Organizations must set high expectations
through their codes of ethics and then live to those high standards, making them an integral part
of the corporate culture. When management considers the code of ethics important, regularly
affirms their content through words and actions, and publicly reprimands rule breakers, codes of
ethics are more readily integrated into the fabric of the organization and are more effective.
 9. ETHICAL CHALLENGES

Case Study: Microsoft’s Gift to Bloggers

Gift giving in business is both commonplace and controversial at the same time. Business gifts
are usually seen as an advertising, sales-promotion, and marketing-communication medium.
[1]
Such gifting is usually practiced for the following reasons:
1. In appreciation for past client relationships, placing a new order, referrals to other clients,
etc.
2. In the hopes of creating a positive first impression that might help to establish an initial
business relationship
3. As a quid pro quo—returning a favor or expecting a favor in return for something [2]
Making good decisions about when business gifts are appropriate is extremely complex in the
United States. In a global business environment, it becomes one of the most challenging ethical
issues, since the cultural norms in other countries can be at odds with standard ethical practices
in the United States. For this reason, gifts and bribes warrant a deeper discussion.
Let’s examine one of Microsoft’s promotions that included a gift.

When Microsoft introduced its Vista operating system, the launch

included a noteworthy promotion. During the 2006 Christmas season, the company sent out
ninety Acer Ferrari laptops, loaded with Windows Vista Operating system, to approximately
ninety influential bloggers. Different bloggers received different machines, but the lowest model
was worth around two thousand dollars. Michael Arrington, editor of TechCrunch, shared the
message that accompanied his gift:

This would be a review machine, so I’d love to hear your opinion on the machine and OS. Full
disclosure, while I hope you will blog about your experience with the PC, you don’t have to.
Also, you are welcome to send the machine back to us after you are done playing with it, or you
can give it away to your community, or you can hold on to it for as long as you’d like. Just let me
know what you plan to do with it when the time comes. And if you run into any problems let me
know. A few of the drivers aren’t quite final, but are very close.
Clearly, Microsoft was hoping to encourage reviews of Vista and wanted to make sure that the
bloggers experienced Vista on a high-end machine that would optimize performance. Did they
also hope to influence the bloggers’ opinions of the company along the way?
Sending the gift to bloggers was a risky marketing tactic even without the ethical question.
Culturally, bloggers are a highly influential group of people with strong opinions, which they
share openly to a wide audience. Many of the recipients reacted to the gift by sharing the news of
the promotion and their opinions about it. A broad range of ethical issues emerged from the
discussions in the blogosphere. Below are several excerpts.
The Gifts Diminish Trust in the Reviewers
“Now that I know these guys (any gals?) have access to a tailored laptop, preloaded, etc., I know
their wisdom is no longer that of The Crowd—I suspect it is going to be tainted (even if not the
case), so I have already discounted them. And, since I don’t know who has and has not had the
gift, I will distrust them all on this subject!” [ Comments by the blogger on receiving the gift]

Another blogger shared the disclosure concern while supporting the promotion:
“That is a GREAT idea. After all, how can anyone have a decent conversation about Windows
Vista without having put a bunch of time on one of the machines? Now, regarding blogger
ethics. Did you disclose? If you did, you have ethics. If you didn’t, you don’t. It’s that black-and-
white with me.”
Three Dimensions of Evaluating Gifts
The Microsoft example provides a three-dimensional framework by which to evaluate whether a
gift crosses the line into bribery. (Remember that a bribe is something given to induce someone
to alter their behavior—in this case, to write a favorable product review.) The framework helps
establish guidelines for keeping business gifting aboveboard.
CONTENT
The chief problem with Microsoft’s gift was the content. Content refers to the nature of the gift
itself (a shiny, new, top-of-the-line laptop) and the price ($2,000 or more). The company claimed
that such a high-end machine was necessary to showcase the full capability of the Windows
Vista operating system. And, they asserted, since the bloggers were given the option of returning
the laptops (or giving them away), the issue of bribery didn’t come into play and the onus of
acting ethically fell to the recipients.
Nonetheless, Microsoft’s actions represented a departure from standard industry practice of
sending preview disks of software to opinion-makers. While it might be acceptable to give out
$2,000 gifts in other industries (like sending out expensive fashion clothing to movies stars), and
one can dicker about whether $2,000 is or isn’t too extravagant, the point is that Microsoft broke
with the conventions of its own industry.
The key lesson is that what is being given defines the nature of gifting, and extreme care must be
taken to determine whether that gift is appropriate. While the market price of a gift item can be
used as a benchmark, the type of gift is as important as its price. If Microsoft had given out
$2,000 worth of software, it wouldn’t have been so controversial. Another point, which
Microsoft surely knew, is that items sent around Christmastime are more apt to be perceived as
gifts.
CONTEXT
The other objection to the Microsoft gifts was the company’s motives for giving them. People
argued that Microsoft sent the expensive laptops to bloggers as a quid pro quo. Though the
accompanying email said “you don’t have to write about Vista,” that was mainly a legal
disclaimer meant to protect Microsoft against formal bribery charges (U.S. corruption law
prohibits corporate gifts designed to induce action by the recipient). The company may have kept
itself out of legal hot water, but it remained vulnerable to the charge that it tried to exert
psychological pressure on the bloggers to write about their “pleasurable” experiences with Vista.
The other argument was that laptops were given to the bloggers so that they would lack the
proper testing environment of mainstream tech journalists. The bloggers were set up to write
good things about Vista by seeing it function in a brand-new machine, tuned and tested for this
purpose by Microsoft engineers. The experience of actual users—who might be influenced by
these bloggers’ opinions—would be different, since they would have to install the software on
older machines with no help from Microsoft. Critics argued that the company’s promotion was
intended to create a false opinion of the market.
While most businesses define what is a bribe and what isn’t in terms of the content of the gift, in
most countries the matter is decided on the basis of context. So, regardless of the size, type, and
value of the gift, if it can be established that the gift was given with the intent to induce an
action, it will be regarded as a bribe. The lesson here is that it isn’t enough for businesses to set
clear value/type limits on corporate gifts; it’s also necessary to scrutinize the motives behind the
gift giving, think carefully about how the gift will be received, and stop short of anything that
induces the recipient to crosses the line of ethical behavior.
CULTURE
Other critics held that Microsoft’s blunder was not caused by the content or context of the gifts
but that the company fundamentally misunderstood the culture of blogging. This view came
primarily from marketing practitioners, who pointed out that giving the laptops to
elite bloggers violated the egalitarian and sponsorship-free nature of social media. It’s a culture
whose members loathe any kind of commercial taint to their independence and are highly
sensitive to charges of “selling out.”
Thus, culture is clearly the third very important aspect of gift giving. It’s crucial to establish clear
boundaries and protocols so that gifts are truly received as gifts—not as attempts to influence. To
do that means factoring in the recipient’s mindset and culture, since what may be perceived as a
gift in one group may seem like a bribe in another. The “cultural” dimension is easily understood
in personal gift giving (a toy truck might be an excellent present for your six-year-old nephew,
but it wouldn’t be appropriate for your boss or grandparent). Yet, somehow the idea of
discretionary gift giving hasn’t gained much ground in business. However, understanding the
cultural preferences of the receiver is obviously an important issue in international business.
 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES – ONLY FOR REFERENCE

ETHICAL CHALLENGES

In a perfect world, it’s always clear what’s right or wrong. In the real world, things are often not
so clear. Someone’s wrong can be your right, which means your right will definitely, at some
point, be someone else’s wrong. Most of the time, the “right” choice is subjective. In business,
many of these ethical challenges appear in the form of bribes, conflicts of interest, issues of
honesty and integrity, and whistle-blowing.
Bribery
Bribery is the act of giving money, goods, or other forms of compensation to a recipient in
exchange for an alteration of their behavior (to the benefit/interest of the giver) that the recipient
would otherwise not alter. Many types of payments or favors can constitute bribes: tips, gifts,
favors, discount, waived fees, free foods, free advertising, free trips, free tickets, donations,
campaign contribution, sponsorship/backing, higher paying job, stock options, secret
commission, or promotions. The key to identifying bribery is that it is intended to alter the
recipients behavior.
The simplest form of bribery: a parent who tells a child that if he behaves while at the grocery
store, he will get ice cream or a toy. This is a common and mostly harmless form of bribery, but
does it set the tone for expecting a future favor in exchange for good behavior? In business,
bribery can be very subtle. Consider the following example:
You are the purchasing manager for a manufacturing company. There are several suppliers from
whom you can purchase component parts used in the production of your finished product. One of
the supplier representatives comes by every Monday morning with biscuits for you and your
staff. He calls you on occasion and offers you tickets to sold-out sporting events and sends a
lavish gift basket every Christmas. Is this just good business on his part, building a personal
relationship with you and your staff, or is there an expectation that, in exchange for his
generosity, you will select his company’s product over the competition— even though he’s not
the most cost-effective choice? Are you taking a bribe when you accept the football tickets?
These small “tokens of appreciation” can be construed as bribes, and as a result, many
companies prohibit their employees from accepting gifts from suppliers and vendors.
One of the challenges in determining whether or not someone has taken a bribe or simply
accepted a gift is that the social and cultural norms governing bribery and gift giving can differ
from place to place. Certain monetary transactions are acceptable and appropriate in some
cultures but not in others. For example, political campaign contributions in the form of cash are
considered criminal acts of bribery in some countries, but in the United States, as long as they
adhere to election law, they’re legal. Tipping is considered bribery in some societies, but in
others the two concepts are very different.

Kickback
A kickback is a form of negotiated bribery in which a commission is paid to the bribe-taker in
exchange for services rendered. Generally speaking, money, goods, or services handed over are
negotiated ahead of time. The kickback varies from other kinds of bribes in that there is implied
collusion between agents of the two parties, rather than one party extorting the bribe from the
other. The purpose of the kickback is usually to encourage the other party to cooperate in the
illegal scheme.
Consider the following case of a former Fannie Mae employee, Armando Granillo:
Before dawn one hazy March day in L.A., Granillo pulled his SUV into a Starbucks near
MacArthur Park, where he planned to pick up an envelope full of cash from an Arizona real-
estate broker, federal investigators say.
Granillo, a foreclosure specialist at mortgage giant Fannie Mae, expected to drive off with
$11,200—an illegal kickback for steering foreclosure listings to brokers, authorities allege in
court records. Granillo would leave in handcuffs. And investigators are looking into assertions
by Granillo and another former Fannie Mae foreclosure specialist that such kickbacks were “a
natural part of business” at the government-sponsored housing finance company, as Granillo
allegedly told the broker in a wiretapped conversation.
Regulators keep a close watch for kickback deals as the housing market heats up and new
regulations take hold following the mortgage meltdown, which exposed widespread corruption in
the housing and lending markets. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard
Cordray said his agency has moved to shut down kickback operations not only because they’re
illegal but also because they reduce competition and increase costs to the public.
Conflict of Interest
Conflict of interest (COI) is an ethical challenge that occurs when an individual or organization
is involved in multiple interests that are at odds with one another. COI is especially problematic
in situations involving someone in a position of trust—e.g., a doctor or lawyer—who has
competing professional or personal interests. These competing interests make it hard to act on
behalf of one interest without compromising the integrity of the other. The following are some of
the most common forms of conflict of interest:
 Self-dealing, in which an official who controls an organization causes it to enter into a
transaction with the official, or with another organization that benefits the official, i.e., the
official is on both sides of the “deal”.
 Outside employment, in which the interests of one job contradict another.
  Family interests, in which a spouse, child, or other close relative is employed (or applies
for employment) or where goods or services are purchased from such a relative or a firm
controlled by a relative. For this reason, many employment applications ask if one is
related to a current employee. In this event, the relative may be recused from any hiring
decisions. Abuse of this type of conflict of interest is called nepotism.
 Gifts from friends who also do business with the person receiving the gifts (may include
non-tangible things of value such as transportation and lodging).
Consider the following example:
Margaret Hatch is a member of the Pasadena County Zoning Board that is responsible for
approving plans for commercial development in the county. The zoning board is currently in the
preliminary stages of reviewing plans proposing a new shopping center on the north end of the
county. The plans include several fast-food restaurants, a multiplex movie theater, and several
national retailers that do not have a presence in the county. Everyone on the zoning board agrees
that this shopping center could create a new “retail/service hub” that would attract business not
just from Pasadena County but from two neighboring counties, as well.
Margaret’s family owns a considerable amount of farmland adjacent to the proposed site, and
after talking with the developer, it becomes clear that future expansion of the shopping center
would require the use of her land plus two parcels she does not own. Margaret talks to her
husband, Phil, who is a real-estate broker, about the proposed development and what she
believes it will mean to the future of the area. Several days later, Phil comes home and tells
Margaret that he has spoken to the owners of the other two parcels and they are willing to
sell their land for below current market value if the sale can be closed quickly. Margaret and Phil
agree that they will use the equity line on their home to purchase the two parcels as soon as
possible.
How would the Pasadena County Zoning Board view Margaret’s actions? What will be the
consequences of their purchase of the additional parcels of land? What happens when the owners
learn that the uncultivated farmland they sold to Margaret and Phil has been rezoned to
commercial and resold to a developer? What would the State Board of Realtors say about Phil’s
actions? Is this just “being in the right place at the right time,” or is it something much less
ethical?
A code of ethics can help to minimize problems with conflicts of interest because it spells out the
extent to which such conflicts are to be avoided and what the parties should do if they do arise
(disclosure, etc.). Such codes also help raise awareness, making it less likely that professionals
can legitimately claim that they were unaware that their behavior was unethical. In addition, the
threat of disciplinary action (for example, a lawyer being disbarred) helps to minimize
unacceptable conflicts or improper acts when a conflict is unavoidable.
Honesty and Integrity
In business, sometimes ethics comes down to deciding whether or not to tell the truth. Admitting
an error, disclosing material facts, or sending a customer to a competitor are all decisions that
business people make based on issues of honesty and integrity. Because honesty and integrity are
often used in the same breath, many people believe that they are one and the same. However,
they are decidedly different, and each is important in its own way. As Professor Stephen L.
Carter of Yale Law School points out in his book Integrity, “one cannot have integrity without
being honest, but one can be honest and yet lack integrity.”
Integrity means adherence to principles. It’s a three-step process: choosing the right course of
conduct; acting consistently with the choice—even when it’s inconvenient or unprofitable to do
so; openly declaring where one stands. Accordingly, integrity is equated with moral reflection,
steadfastness to commitments, and trustworthiness.
The major difference between honesty and integrity is that one may be entirely honest without
engaging in the thought and reflection that integrity demands. The honest person may truthfully
tell what he or she believes without the advance determination of whether it’s right or wrong.
Sometimes the difference is subtle. Take the following example:
Being himself a graduate of an elite business school, a manager gives the more challenging
assignments to staff with the same background. He does this, he believes, because they will do
the job best and for the benefit of others who did not attend similar institutions. He doesn’t want
them to fail. He believes his actions show integrity because he is acting according to his beliefs,
but he fails the integrity test. The question is not whether his actions are consistent with what he
most deeply believes but whether he has done the hard work of ascertaining whether what he
believes is right and true.[7].
Companies that value honesty and integrity can expect to see those values permeate their
company culture. In such a climate, coworkers trust one another, employees view management
with less suspicion, and customers spread the word about the company’s ethical behavior.
Honest companies also don’t have to worry about getting into trouble with the IRS or the media
on account of ethical wrongdoing. Even though a company may have to give up short-term gains
in order to maintain an atmosphere of honesty and integrity, in the long run it will come out
ahead.
Read how Binta Brown made a decision to act with honesty and integrity early in her career:

Binta Niambi Brown, CEO and cofounder of Fermata Entertainment Ltd and lawyer.
Photo: Via Twitter
Fifteen years ago, hours before closing a $3 billion asset acquisition, Brown, who was a senior
associate in her late twenties, received some information that could have sabotaged the entire
deal. At the time, her partner wasn’t reachable and Brown had a choice to make: either tell her
client and risk losing the deal, or keep quiet until the papers were signed.
She chose to tell the client.
“It was early in my career,” she says. “Even if the deal had been blown up for good, honest
reasons rooted in decent integrity and morality, there’s always the fear that you’re going to
become the associate whose deal blew up, and now everybody’s talking about how the senior
person wasn’t around and you’re being Goody Two-shoes and you ruined the deal.”
After disclosing the information she uncovered to her client, Brown was able to help both sides
come to a solution, and in the end, a deal was finalized. Her ability to have good judgment, do
what she thought was right, and not let fear drive her decisions are lessons Brown has carried
with her throughout her career.
“Without question, I have repeatedly in my career seen that to be the case—just proceeding from
a place of love and integrity and looking to solve the problem and to move the ball forward, as
opposed to fear. Because usually when there’s a moral dilemma like this, the main thing that’s
getting in the way of the ability to make a good decision is that we’re motivated by our fears,”
she explains.
Her advice: “It’s the moment where we start giving in to our fears, that’s when people start
making really bad decisions that can be very hurtful and harmful to others. People are afraid their
piece of the pie is going to be cut up and given to someone else, and so that motivates some of
what you see in the business context.”[8]
Whistleblowing
A whistleblower is a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed
illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. Many
whistleblowers have stated that they were motivated to take action to put an end to unethical
practices after witnessing injustices in their businesses or organizations. In addition to ethics,
social and organizational pressure are a motivating forces. A 2012 study found that individuals
are more likely to blow the whistle when several others know about the wrongdoing, because
they would otherwise fear consequences for keeping silent.
The motivation for whistleblowing isn’t always virtuous, and the outcome isn’t always positive
either. There are cases involving employees who blew the whistle as an act of revenge against
their employer or supervisor, for instance. While it’s possible for the whistleblower to be viewed
as a “hero” for her courage and truth telling, it’s also possible to be seen as a traitor or tattletale
—as just one of the many disgruntled employees who are simply trying to get even for a
perceived but imaginary injustice. One of the barriers to whistleblowing is the belief—
widespread in the professional world—that individuals are bound to secrecy within their work
sector. Accordingly, whistleblowing becomes a moral choice that pits the employee’s loyalty to
an employer against the employee’s responsibility to serve the public interest. As a result, in the
United States whistleblower protection laws and regulations have been enacted to guarantee
freedom of speech for workers and contractors in certain situations. Whistleblowers have the
right to file complaints that they believe give reasonable evidence of a violation of a law, rule, or
regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial
and specific danger to public health or safety.
Some of the more notable whistleblowers in recent years include the following:[9]
 2010: Cheryl D. Eckard, a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) whistleblower, exposed
contamination problems at GSK’s pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, which led to
a $750 million settlement with the U.S. government related to civil and criminal charges
that the firm manufactured and sold adulterated pharmaceutical products. Eckard was
awarded $96 million in 2010, at that time a record for an individual whistleblower.
 2012: Dr. Eric Ben-Artzi publicly came forward with his evidence of multi-billion-dollar
securities violations at Deutsche Bank. As an employee, he discovered and internally
reported serious violations stemming from the bank’s failure to report the value of its
credit-derivatives portfolio accurately.
  2013: Jim Schrier, a veteran USDA meat inspector, reported clear humane-handling
violations involving market hogs at a Tyson Foods slaughter facility. After raising
concerns to his supervisor, he was sent to work at a facility 120 miles away. His wife
started a Change.org petition that has gathered more than 180,000 signatures asking the
USDA to move her husband back to his original post near their home.
 2013: USDA poultry inspector Sherry Medina has collected more than 70,000 signatures
in a Change.org petition asking Tyson Foods to stop its excessive use of hazardous
chemicals in poultry processing. Medina exposed the serious health issues that she and
other inspectors have experienced while working at a Tyson plant in Albertville, Alabama.
 2013: Edward Snowden is a former Booz Allen Hamilton federal contractor employee
who disclosed information regarding the NSA’s blanket surveillance of U.S. citizens
through a secretive data-mining program that collects the phone records, e-mail exchanges,
and Internet histories of hundreds of millions of people around the globe.
Whistleblowing is often the subject of heated debate and controversy. The Edward Snowden case
is a good example. Widely discussed in the media and academia, the verdict on Snowden’s
actions is still out: did he behave heroically or traitorously? Is it right to report the shady or
suspect practices of the government? How does one choose between loyalty to one’s employer
and loyalty to those affected by the employer’s (or government’s) wrongdoing? These are the
ethical challenges one faces.
 10. ETHICAL CONFLICTS IN THE WORKPLACE
Many of the great philosophers and writers in history, from Aristotle to Maya Angelou, have
weighed in on the matter of ethics. Ethical considerations in the workplace arise routinely for
employees and managers, as a few ethical conflict examples should make clear.

Ethical Conflict Examples

Conflicts arise when someone acts in a way that ignores ethics or when individuals have
different opinions about which behaviors are acceptable. As noted by Michigan State
University, ethical conflicts at work tend to fall into several broad categories:
 Illegal Activities: Businesses shouldn't break the law, but a glance at any newspaper reveals that
it happens fairly routinely. A company may decide, for example, to hire undocumented workers
and pay them less than the minimum wage or offer bribes to government officials to secure a
contract or speed up a permit process. Managers at the company may be expected to look the
other way at these inappropriate behaviors.
 Toxic Workplace Culture: Who hasn't heard horror tales of an abusive boss or a stab-em-in-
the-back coworker? Workplaces that tolerate discrimination, harassment or an overly harsh
working environment create ongoing conflict between an individual sense of propriety and the
actual conditions faced every day at work.
 Technology and Property: It's not unusual for an employee to use a company phone to make a
personal call or take home a pen or two from company supplies. These trivial uses of company
property are considered acceptable in most workplaces. However, opinions tend to differ as to
where to draw the line. Taking a pen is one thing, but absconding with a company laptop is quite
another.
 Community Expectations: Should your business take a stand on controversial issues of the day,
such as Black Lives Matter, global warming, or even paper vs. plastic straws? Company leaders
and their employees may feel their day-to-day business objectives take priority over these issues.
However, your clients, customers and members of the community may strongly feel otherwise.
Situations like these can create conflicts between business objectives and societal goals.
Managing Ethical Conflicts in the Workplace
Company leadership sets the tone and leads by example in terms of establishing the ethical
culture of a business. As noted by the Harvard Business Review , the best strategy for
managing ethical conflicts is to minimize missteps before they happen. Companies can take
two critical steps to create a strong atmosphere to do the right thing.
Define explicit values: A well-designed statement of company ethics makes it clear to
employees at all levels what the expectations of the firm are in terms of ethical behaviors.
Some of these involve obvious statements, such as the company's commitment to obey the law.
Others emphasize important values, such as how to deal with customers and treat fellow
employees with respect, along with mechanisms for resolving disputes when they arise.
Evaluation and Compliance: As companies grow large, they may create a specific job title or
department for oversight of ethical issues and adherence to company norms. Even small and
mid-sized businesses can assign someone to exercise the same role without a formal title. For
example, if it's important to your firm to have your sales staff operate without using pressure
tactics to make a sale, it may be sensible to survey customers to make sure they feel
comfortable with the sales process.
Similarly, it may be corporate policy to avoid dealing with suppliers who use child labor at
their facilities. However, unless you have a means to audit supplier facilities, it may be
difficult to keep to this ethical principle.

11. MORAL/ETHICAL ISSUES AND DILEMMAS

Morality
Morality is defined as the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good
and bad behaviour (Oxford Dictionary). What makes these questions dilemmas is an individual’s
definition of right and wrong or good and bad. However, in a time when many question our
national moral character, pondering what to do in various situations can be a positive exercise
preparing an individual for worst and best case scenarios.

Moral Dilemma
Moral dilemmas are situations in which the decision-maker must consider two or more
moral values or duties but can only honor one of them; thus, the individual will violate at least
one important moral concern, regardless of the decision. This chapter draws a distinction
between real and false dilemmas.

Ethical Dilemma
An ethical dilemma (ethical paradox or moral dilemma) is a problem in the decision-making
process between two possible options, neither of which is absolutely acceptable from an ethical
perspective. Although we face many ethical and moral problems in our lives, most of them come
with relatively straightforward solutions.

On the other hand, ethical dilemmas are extremely complicated challenges that cannot be easily
solved. Therefore, the ability to find the optimal solution in such situations is critical to
everyone.

Every person may encounter an ethical dilemma in almost every aspect of their life, including
personal, social, and professional.

MORAL DILEMMA EXAMPLES

A moral dilemma is a conflict in which a person must choose between two or more actions, all of
which they have the ability to do. There are moral reasons for each choice. No matter which
choice you make, someone will suffer or something bad will happen. In order to help you
understand exactly what is meant by “moral dilemma” we have provided some examples, some
of which are classic moral dilemmas.

 The Unfaithful Friend

You go out with your husband for dinner at a new restaurant you have not frequented before. It is
in a part of town you rarely visit. You are shocked to see your friend’s spouse having dinner with
a very young, attractive person. From the way they are behaving, it is obvious they are more than
 friends. The couple finish their meal and leave without seeing you. They behave very
affectionately on the way out the door. Do you:

 Tell your friend, knowing you probably will not be believed and that it may ruin your friendship?
 Say nothing about seeing the couple as it is none of your business; they may even have an open
relationship?

 A Difficult Choice
You and your family love the beach and decide to spend a weekend at an isolated beach
cabin. Your teenage daughter often gets bored on your getaways, so you make plans to take your
niece along. As soon as you arrive, a storm is looming on the horizon and the water looks rough.
You tell the girls they can get ready to swim, but to come back and help unload the car. They are
so excited, they do not pay attention to the last part of what you say and run down to the beach to
swim. You do not realize they have done so until you hear your daughter scream. You realize
they are both caught in a strong current and might be swept out to sea. You are a good swimmer
and know you can save one of them. You have a difficult choice to make. Do you:

 Save your niece first as she is a poor swimmer and will not be able to last as long as your
daughter?
 Save your daughter first, because, although she is a strong swimmer and may be able to last long
enough for you to come back after saving your niece, you cannot stand the idea of losing her?

 An Office Theft
You are in charge of the petty cash at the office. However, a co-worker is responsible for making
a weekly trip to the bank to make the business deposit and obtain petty cash for the following
week. In a conversation with your mutual supervisor, you are asked if the increase in the petty
cash amount was enough. You, however, have not seen any additional money. You realize your
co-worker has been pocketing the additional money. Do you:

 Tell your supervisor you have neither asked for nor received any additional petty cash and that
you suspect your co-worker is pocketing the money?
 Tell your co-worker your suspicions and give them a chance to pay the money back?
 Say nothing and just wait to see what happens?

 Midnight Death
You have worked years to be successful in your father’s business. You felt you were obligated to
take over as he worked his whole life to build the business left to him by his father. However, the
large businesses in town have seriously cut into profits and for several years you and your family
have just managed to scrape by.
Your father’s health has declined and he has been hospitalized. He has a substantial life
insurance policy that expires at midnight. If he dies before midnight, you will inherit enough
 money to pursue a career you have always dreamed of and provide adequately for your
family. Do you:

 Pinch the oxygen line making it possible for your Dad to die or smother him with a pillow?
 Tell your Dad the problem and let him suggest a solution and go by what he says?
 Do nothing as you cannot imagine living with yourself if you terminate your Dad’s life?

 Get Rich
Your friend offers you an opportunity to make a great deal of money very quickly. He has
arranged to set up an off-shore account for your profits. He will not tell you exactly how he is
making this money, but you get the impression it is not exactly legal. He only wants an
investment of $500 and promises you will have enough from your minimal investment that you
will never need to work again. Do you:

 Give him the $500, deciding if you don’t know how he is making it, you’re in the clear?
 Demand to know the details before getting involved?
 Decide you want no part of this deal, as you trust your instinct that the offer is shady and you
might even get in legal trouble?

 Telling a Secret
Your friend tells you that they committed a crime. They explain that they are having trouble
sleeping at night and feel you are the only one they can trust with their confession. A few days
later, you read in the paper that someone has been arrested for your friend’s crime. Do you:

 Go to the police and tell them what you know?

 Encourage your friend to confess and warn him if he does not do so, you will tell?
 Say nothing because you will not betray a friend’s confidence?

MORAL DILEMMA SCENARIOS

Now we are going to look at some moral dilemma scenarios for you to ponder. Each scene is
characterized by the need to make a difficult decision. As with all moral dilemmas, there is no
right or wrong answer. Think carefully before responding. And remember, you may think of a
better choice than those presented.
 The Life Boat
You are on a cruise and the ship encounters an unexpected storm. The storm continues to rage
and eventually you and the other passengers are told you must head to the lifeboats and abandon
ship. As people begin to line up, you realize some lines have fewer people, some have families,
and some seem to have younger, single people. You know you are strong and capable. Do you
choose to help a group composed of three families with a few young children, a group of seniors
who obviously could use your help, or go with the young, strong people, with whom you might
have a better chance of survival?
  Sarcastic Friend
Your friend has a great sense of humour. However, sometimes his jokes involve making fun of
others in inappropriate ways. He will point out a physical flaw or look for something odd or
different about a person and make an unkind comment. You feel uncomfortable when your
friend does this. Do you say something or just laugh along with him?
 Hit and Run
Late one night you are driving home in a bad rainstorm. A drunk reels out in front of your car
and you try to stop, but hit him. Nobody sees you. The guy looks and smells as if he is homeless.
You check to see how badly he is hurt and realize he is dead. You have never even had a
speeding ticket and are an upright, professional, with a family and are well-known and respected
in your community. Do you make a report anonymously, confess your crime, or drive on home
and forget about it, knowing no one is going to pursue the death of a homeless drunk?
 Third Strike
Your teenager has had a rough few years. First came an arrest for shoplifting. The item was of
little value, so it was only a misdemeanour. Then your teen was with some friends who were
smoking pot and driving too fast. Your teen has promised they are turning over a new leaf and
seem to be on the right track, doing better in school, coming home by curfew, and generally
having a much better attitude. Now you get a call from the local police station saying your son
was with a group of kids who broke into a liquor store and stole beer. Do you go to the station
and see how you can get your teen out of this jam or let him accept whatever consequences befall
him?
 Reward a Job Well Done
You understand the importance of team work in your job. You share ideas and responsibilities
with your team members on a daily basis. In your weekly team meeting with your supervisor,
one of your co-workers takes credit for a time and money saving change in operating procedures
you devised. Your supervisor erroneously thinks your co-worker came up with the change and
your co-worker does not correct the misinterpretation, but allows the boss to not only commend
him, but offer a bonus. Do you go to your co-worker and demand he correct the situation, go to
your supervisor and explain you should receive the commendation and reward, or keep quiet as
you do not believe in ownership of ideas?

ETHICAL DILEMMA SCENARIOS

Ethics are defined as moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an
activity (Oxford Dictionary). Many of us may never be faced with many of the previous moral
dilemmas. However, our list of ethical dilemma questions includes many one may encounter in
everyday life. Some examples of ethical dilemma examples include:
 Taking credit for others’ work
 Offering a client a worse product for your own profit
 Utilizing inside knowledge for your own profit

Frequently, it is the small decisions we make that truly define our moral character. What will
your answer be for the following ethical dilemmas?
 When making a purchase at a local store, you are given too much change. Do you say something
or keep quiet?
 You receive a package at your home that was delivered to the wrong address. The shipping label
indicates it is a favourite item that you cannot afford to purchase yourself. Do you keep it or
notify the person it was intended for?
 Your neighbour leaves their dog out in all kinds of weather. The poor animal frequently looks
like it is miserable. Sometimes it is out of water and seems to be fed rarely. Do you report what
you think is happening or stay quiet?
 What if you suspect your neighbour of child abuse? You are not sure if they have a fit-throwing
kid or if something is really wrong.
 You are at a party or out on the town with your best friend. They have too much to drink and will
not let you drive them home. What do you do?
 Your lunch keeps missing at work. You are pretty sure you know who is taking it each day. Do
you confront them, report it to your supervisor or HR, get them back by making a cat food
sandwich, or just keep quiet?
 You really like your neighbours and they are a great couple. The only problem is that they throw
wild parties occasionally. You think they are into drugs, maybe even dealing. What do you do?
 A friend gives you a gift for your birthday. Unfortunately, it is a type of perfume you are
extremely allergic to. Do you say something and ask for a receipt to return it, or keep quiet?
 Your friend has excitedly shared that she has a new love in her life. Unfortunately, you know the
guy is a narcissistic player who only stays with a woman as long as he is getting what he wants
from the relationship. Do you try to convince her to drop him or let her learn a lesson on her
own?
 You buy a pile of clothing items on sale at your favourite department store. When you get home,
you realize one of the items is not on the receipt. Do you go back to the store and pay for it or
just let it go?
 You are failing a class you were required to take but totally hate. You have an on-line exam. If
you fail the exam, you will fail the class. You can cheat without anyone knowing. Do you do so
and pass the class?
 Over the summer, you became friends with a person who moved to your town. You have the
same interest, like the same music and movies, and have had a great deal of fun. However, your
new friend is not attractive and very loud. When school starts, you are embarrassed by the way
your friend acts. Do you remain friends or drop the relationship?

12. HOW TO SOLVE AN ETHICAL DILEMMA?

The biggest challenge of an ethical dilemma is that it does not offer an obvious solution that
would comply with ethics al norms. Throughout the history of humanity, people have faced such
dilemmas, and philosophers aimed and worked to find solutions to them.

The following approaches to solve an ethical dilemma were deduced:

 Refute the paradox (dilemma): The situation must be carefully analyzed. In some cases,
the existence of the dilemma can be logically refuted.
  Value theory approach: Choose the alternative that offers the greater good or the lesser
evil.
 Find alternative solutions: In some cases, the problem can be reconsidered, and new
alternative solutions may arise.

13. PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE

Etiquette has the meaning of the standard code of conduct or the way a person behaves within a
professional and educational environment. On the other hand, the word netiquette has the
definition of code that people follow while interacting on the internet and helps to maintain the
real-life etiquettes.

PROFESSIONALISM, ETIQUETTE, AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR

From the moment we started considering what communication skills employers desire
(see §1.1.2 above) onwards throughout this guide, we’ve been examining aspects of professional
behaviour. A recurring theme has been the importance of being nice. The logic is that, if you’re
nice and the people you work with and for like you because they feel that they can trust you and
are productive when you collaborate with them, you’ll keep your job and be presented with
attractive new opportunities. In this section we’ll look closer at behaviours that will get you liked
and open doors for you.

PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE WORKPLACE

We’ve said from the beginning that professional communication must always cater to the
audience. This is true especially in face-to-face interactions where, unlike with written
communication, you can assess audience reaction in real time and adjust your message
accordingly. This places the responsibility of behaving professionally in the workplace solely on
you. When we speak of professional behaviour, we mean the following aspects that generally fall
under the banner of soft skills:
 Civility
 Social Intelligence
 Emotional Intelligence
 Social Graces
We’ll consider these aspects in more detail throughout this subsection, but first we’ll spend some
time on the personality traits of successful professionals.
We must be careful with how we define success when we speak of personality, however. Those
who lack the soft skills associated with the above aspects are difficult to work with and are
usually demoted or fired. In rare instances, cruel, selfish, arrogant, narcissistic, or sociopathic
people rise to positions of power through a combination of enablers tolerating or even rewarding
their anti-social behaviour and their own lying, cheating, and bullying. This is an unfortunate
reality that’s difficult to watch, but it’s important that the rest of us avoid being enablers. It’s also
important that we don’t let their bad example lead us into thinking that such behaviour is right. It
isn’t, and the proof is the suffering it spreads among people in their sphere of influence. For
every horrible person who moves up the corporate ladder, there’ll be a trail of broken, bitter, and
 vengeful people in their wake. The loathing most people feel towards such people proves the
importance of conducting ourselves otherwise.

THE FIVE QUALITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL

A persistent idea within the field of psychology is that there are five basic personality traits,
often known as the “Big Five” or by the acronyms OCEAN or CANOE. Each trait contains
within it a sliding scale that describes how we behave in certain situations. The five are as
follows:
 Openness to experience: curious and innovative vs. cautious and consistent
 Conscientiousness: goal-driven and detail-oriented vs. casual and careless
 Extraversion: outgoing and enthusiastic vs. solitary and guarded
 Agreeableness: cooperative and flexible vs. defiant and stubborn
 Neuroticism: anxious and volatile vs. confident and stable
Except for neuroticism, most of the traits as named correlate with professional success.
Researchers have found that successful people are generally organized, innovative, outgoing,
cooperative, and stable, although extraverts don’t do as well as introverts on individual tasks and
agreeableness doesn’t necessarily lead to a high salary (Spurk & Abele, 2010; Neal et al., 2011).
Blending these with Guffey, Loewy, and Almonte’s six dimensions of professional behaviour
in Essentials of Business Communication (2016) and putting our own spin on these ideas, Table
below presents a guide for how generally to be successful in your job, how to be well liked, and
how to be happy. Consider it also a checklist for how to be a decent human being.

THE FIVE QUALITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL

Quality Specific Behaviours

Conscientious Consistently do your best work in the time you have to do it

Be organized and efficient in your workflow and time management
Be realistic about what you can accomplish and follow through on
commitments
Go the extra mile for anyone expecting quality work from you (while
respecting time, budget, or other constraints)
Finish your work on time rather than leave loose ends for others

Courteous Speak and write clearly at a language level your audience understands
Be punctual: arrive at the workplace on time and deliver work by the
deadline
Notify those expecting you when you’re running late
Apologize for your own errors and misunderstandings
Practice active listening
Share your expertise with others and be a positive, encouraging mentor
to those entering the workplace

Tactful Exercise self-control with regard to conversational topics and jokes

 Avoid contentious public and office politics, especially in writing
Control your biases by being vigilant in your diction (e.g., word choices
involving gendered pronouns)
Accept constructive criticism gracefully
Provide helpful, improvement-focused feedback mixed with praise
Keep negative opinions of people to yourself
Be patient, understanding, and helpful towards struggling colleagues

Ethical Avoid even small white lies and truth-stretching logical fallacies
Avoid conflicts of interest or even the perception of them
Pay for products and services as soon as possible if not right away
Respect the confidentiality of private information and decisions
Focus on what you and your company do well rather than criticize
competitors to customers and others
Follow proper grievance procedures rather than take vengeance
Be charitable whenever possible

Presentable Be positive and friendly, especially in introductions, as well as

generous with your smile
Present yourself according to expectations in grooming and attire
Practice proper hygiene (showering, dental care, deodorant, etc.)
Follow general rules of dining etiquette

PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE AND MANNERS

Etiquette is a code of behaviour that extends to many aspects of how we present ourselves in
social situations. We’ve examined this throughout this guide in specific written applications
(e.g., using a well-mannered, courteous style of writing, such as saying please when asking
someone to do something; Though we’ll examine specific applications of etiquette associated
with various channels (e.g., telephone) throughout this chapter, we will here focus on dining
etiquette and dress.

#CIVILITY
Civility simply means behaving respectfully towards everyone you interact with. Being civilized
means following the golden rule: treat others as you expect to be treated yourself. The opposite
of civility is being rude and aggressive, which creates conflict and negatively affects productivity
in the workplace because it creates a so-called chilly climate or a toxic work environment. Such
a workplace makes people uncomfortable, miserable, or angry—not emotions normally
conducive to people doing their best work.

#SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE
In the decades you’ve been immersed in the various cultures you’ve passed through, you’ve
come to understand the (often unspoken) rules of decent social interaction. Having social
intelligence means following those rules to cooperate and get along with others, especially in
conversation. This includes reading nonverbal cues so that you know:

o How and when to initiate conversation
o When it’s your turn to speak and when to listen in order to keep a conversation going
o What to say and what not say
o How to say what you mean in a manner that will be understood by your audience
o When and how to use humour effectively and when not to
o How and when to end conversation gracefully
People who lack social intelligence, perhaps because they missed opportunities to develop
conversational skills in their formative school years, come off as awkward in face-to-face
conversation. They typically fail to interpret correctly nonverbal cues that say “Now it’s your
turn to speak” or “Okay, I’m done with this conversation; let’s wrap it up.” It’s difficult to
interact with such people either because they make you do all the work keeping the conversation
going or don’t let you speak and keep going long after you wanted it to stop, forcing you to be
slightly rude in ending it abruptly. Like any other type of intelligence, however, social
intelligence can be developed through an understanding of the principles of good conversation
(see §10.1 above) and practice.
#EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Like social intelligence, emotional intelligence (EI) involves being a good reader of people in
social contexts, being able to distinguish different emotions, and knowing what to do about them
with regard to others and yourself. Strong EI means knowing how a person is likely to react to
what you’re about to say and adjusting your message accordingly, and then adjusting again
according to how they actually react. Though we often hide our inner emotional state—smiling
and looking happy when we’re feeling down, or wearing a neutral “poker face” to mask our
excitement—in professional situations, EI enables us to get a sense of what others are actually
feeling despite how they appear. It involves reading subtle nonverbal signals such as eye
movements, facial expressions and fleeting micro-expressions (Ekman, 2017), posture, hands,
and body movements for how they betray inner feelings different from the outward show.
Beyond merely reading people, however, EI also requires knowing how to act, such as
empathizing when someone is upset—even if they’re trying to hide it and show strength—
because you recognize that you would be upset yourself if you were in their position
(see §10.5.3.4 below for more on empathy).
Every interaction you have is coloured by emotion—both yours and the person or people you
interact with. Though most routine interactions in the workplace are on the neutral-to-positive
end of the emotional spectrum, some dip into the red—anywhere from slightly upset and a little
sad to downright furious or suicidal. Whether you keep those emotions below the surface or let
them erupt like a volcano depends on your self-control and the situation. Expressing such
emotions in the workplace requires the good judgment represented by the 3 T’s:
 Tact: Recognizing that what you say has a meaningful impact, tact involves the careful choice of
words to achieve intended effects. In a sensitive situation where your audience is likely to be
upset, for instance, tact requires that you use calming and positive words to reduce your
message’s harmful impact (see §8.3 above on negative messages). When you’re upset, tact
likewise involves self-restraint so that you don’t unleash the full fury of what you’re feeling if it
would be inappropriate. When emotions are running high, it’s important to recognize that they
are just thoughts that come and go, and that you may need some additional time to process
information when you’re in a different emotional state before communicating about it.
 Timing: There’s a time and place for expressing your emotions. Expressing your anger when
you’re at the height of your fury might be a bad move if it moves you to say things you’ll later
 regret. Waiting to cool down so that you can tactfully express your disappointment will get the
best results if it’s an important matter. If it’s a trivial matter, however, waiting to realize that it’s
not worth the effort can save you the trouble of dealing with the fallout of a strong and
regrettable reaction.
 Trust: You must trust that the person you share your feelings with will respect your privacy and
keep whatever you say confidential or at least not use it against you.
By considering these 3 T’s, you can better manage the expression of your own emotions and
those of the people you work with and for in the workplace (Business Communication for
Success, 2015, 14.6).
Like those who lack social intelligence, those who lack emotional intelligence can often be
difficult to work with and offensive, often without meaning to be. When someone fails to
understand the emotional “vibe” of their audience (fails to “read the room”), we say that they are
“tone deaf.” This can be a sign of immaturity because it takes years to develop EI through
extensive socialization in your school years and beyond, including learning how and why people
take offense to what you say. Someone who jokes openly about another’s appearance in front of
them and an audience, for instance, either fails to understand the hurt feelings of the person who
is the butt of the joke or doesn’t care. Either way, people like this are a liability in the workplace
because their offense establishes an environment dominated by insecurity—where employees are
afraid that they’ll be picked on as if this were the elementary school playground. They won’t do
their best work in such a “chilly climate” or toxic environment.
#SOCIAL GRACES
Social graces include all the subtle behavioural niceties that make you likeable. They include
manners such as being polite, etiquette (e.g., dining etiquette), and your style of dress and
accessories. We will explore most of these in the following section, but for now we can list some
of the behaviours associated with social graces:
 Saying please when asking someone to do something
 Saying thank you when given something you accept
 Saying no, thank you, but thanks for the offer when offered something you refuse
 Complimenting someone for a something they’ve done well
 Speaking positively about others and refraining from negative comments
 Smiling often
 Being a good listener
Of course, there is much more to social graces, but let’s focus now on specific situations in
which social graces are expressed.
#DINING ETIQUETTE
If you are invited out for a lunch by a manager, it’s probably not just a lunch. They will assess
how refined you are in your manners so that they know whether they can put you in front of
clients doing the same and not embarrass the company. Though it may not be obvious, they’ll
observe whether you use your utensils correctly, chew with your mouth closed, wait till your
mouth is empty before speaking or cover your mouth with your hand if you must speak while
chewing, and how you position your cutlery when you’re done. Why does any of this matter?
Though all of this seems like it has nothing to do with the quality of work, it shows the extent to
which you developed fastidious habits and self-awareness. Someone who chews with their
mouth open, for instance, either lacks the self-awareness to know that people tend to be
disgusted by the sight of food being chewed, or doesn’t care what people think. Either way, that
lack of self-awareness can lead to behaviours that will ruin their reputation, as well as that of the
 company they represent. The University of Kansas presents a handy Dining Etiquette (School of
Business, 2001) for starters.
#DRESSING APPROPRIATELY FOR THE WORKPLACE
When we hear the word uniform, we often think of a very specific style such as what a police
officer or nurse wears. In a general sense, however, we all wear uniforms of various styles in
whatever professional or institutional environment we participate in. Dressing appropriately in
those situations and in the workplace specifically has everything to do with meeting
expectations. In an office environment, clients, coworkers, and managers expect to see
employees in either suits or a business-casual style of dress depending on the workplace. In such
situations, conformity is the order of the day, and breaking the dress code can be a serious
infraction.
Though some infractions are becoming less serious in many places because the general culture is
becoming more accepting of tattoos, piercings, and dyed hair as more and more people use these
to express themselves, you might need to be careful. Consider the following points:
 Tattoos: Though a significant proportion of the population has tattoos and therefore they are
more acceptable across the board, overly conspicuous tattoos are still considered taboo. Tattoos
on the face, neck, or hands, for instance, are considered risky because of their association with
prison and gang branding. Tattoos that can be covered by a long-sleeved shirt with a collar and
slacks are a safe bet. However, if you have tattoos on your forearms depicting scenes of explicit
sex or violence, consider either getting them removed or never rolling up your sleeves if you
want to get hired and keep your job.
 Piercings: Of course, earrings are de rigueur for women and acceptable on men as well.
However, earlobe stretching and piercings on the nasal septum or lips are still generally frowned
upon in professional settings. Any serious body modification along these lines is acceptable in
certain subcultures, but not in most workplaces.
 Dyed hair: As with tattoos and piercings, hair dye is becoming more acceptable generally, but
extreme expression is inadvisable in any traditional workplace. Where customer expectations are
rigid (e.g., in a medical office), seeing someone with bright pink hair will give the impression of
an amateur operation rather than a legitimate health care facility.
Because conformity is the determining factor of acceptability in proper attire in any particular
workplace, the best guide for how to dress when you aren’t given a specific uniform is what
everyone else wears. Observe closely their style and build a wardrobe along those lines. If the
fashion is slacks with a belt that matches the colour of your shoes and a long-sleeve, button-up,
collared shirt for men and a full-length skirt and blouse for women, do the same (Feloni, Lee, &
Cain, 2018).
 14. SEVEN MUST-KNOW NETIQUETTE RULES FOR PROFESSIONAL
BEHAVIOR
Online interactions are just as important as face-to-face ones. In our fast-paced world, chock-full
of technology, we’re communicating more virtually than ever before – whether conducting
business or not. Learning how to manage your online relationships and maintain good
“netiquette” are not only good for business they’re also good for job security.
Follow these netiquette gold standards for the good of your career:
1. Exercise the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If you
wouldn’t speak to him/her that way face to face, then don’t do it online.
2. Your Cyber Fingerprint. Remember everything you post in cyberspace is for all to see. Even if
you’ve deleted the post, text, tweet blog, email, etc., it matters not. If you’ve published it, it’s
traceable.
3. Think Twice Before You Post that Pic. At the risk of stating the obvious, avoid posting
unprofessional pictures of yourself or with co-workers unless you/they mind them being shared
with everyone. As a brand ambassador of the company, posting a picture to your Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram of you chugging a beer at a company happy hour does not reflect the
company in the best light – and you may even get canned (pun, intended).
4. Never use profanity. Period.
5. Bite you “Tongue”: Don’t post when you’re angry. Instead, take the 24-hour rule to clear your
head. This will help you refrain from saying something you’ll likely later regret. And resist the
urge to use all CAPS, as it may be interpreted as you’re shouting.
6. Less is More: Avoid going on and on to get your point across. According to a study from
Microsoft Corp., people typically lose their attention after eight seconds, showcasing the impacts
of the brain and digital media. If you want your message read, go easy on the words.
7. Shhh, It’s Confidential: Don’t, I repeat, don’t reveal company secrets such as data, competitive
advantage, intellectual property and much more. It’ll cost you your job and your credibility.
Types of Netiquettes[edit]
 E-mails, mailing lists, newsletters: Greetings, a polite address, as well as a correct spelling of the
used words and phrases are a must. ...
 Forums, chats and communities: Chats (chatiquette), forums, and communities often pay
attention to respectful handling and correct technical use.

IMPORTANCE OF NETIQUETTE
 Netiquette (Online Etiquette) is a set of rules that encourages appropriate and
courteous online behavior. These rules are important as they promote communication
skills, prevent miscommunications, and help you understand what is socially acceptable
when working and collaborating online.
 What is the golden rule for netiquette?
 The golden rule of netiquette in an online class or environment is, do not do or say
online what you would not do or say offline.

Netiquette: The do’s & don’ts of online behaviour

When you’re studying online, your contact with peers and facilitators will be through web-based
forums and discussion boards. It’s worth making sure that you’re coming across the way you
intend to and that you’re a positive addition to your online community.
Here are a few Dos and Don’ts of “netiquette” — or online communication practices — to bear
in mind the next time you log on or join in.

Do:
Watch your tone
Digital correspondence is notoriously vague and subject to (mis)interpretation. If you’re not
careful, you could easily come across as rude, angry or sarcastic, even when that’s not your
intention. Re-read your comments before posting them to make sure the tone isn’t negative.
Use emoticons — as appropriate
Emotion icons, such as smiley faces, can help clarify your tone or intention. For example, if you
want people to know that you’re joking or emphasize that you’re not upset, a smile emoticon can
go a long way. Use them, but don’t overuse them. 
Be generous & collaborative
Don’t chime in only when you need help or advice. Be an active participant in your online
community. Take the time to read and respond to other people’s posts, and provide
encouragement and information when you can.
Include a subject line
When you post on a forum, use a brief header that clearly indicates the topic you’re asking about
or commenting on.
Be friendly
Start your posts with a greeting, and sign off with your name — unless your username makes it
clear who you are.
Use good grammar & spelling
No one likes wading through sloppy, incoherent sentences. Also, using proper diction helps
make a good impression on your peers, who could well be your future references or colleagues.
Keep it short & sweet
Be clear and concise in what you post.

Don’t:
Use coarse, rough or rude language
It’s off-putting and unprofessional.
Overuse caps
Writing in all caps is generally frowned upon. You might want to use caps to draw attention to
something, but many users interpret it as being yelled at or scolded. Instead, try using asterisks
surrounding words you want to highlight.
Rely on first person
Using “I” when you talk in person is one thing, but when you do it too much online, it often
comes across as self-centred. Make a point of using “we” or “you” whenever you can; they’re
more inclusive pronouns.
Flame
Flaming is an online rant. People who flame don’t consider the opinions or feelings of anyone
else on the forum. Presenting an informed opinion in a diplomatic way is acceptable; lashing out
and forcing your preferences on others is not.
Send spam
Discussion boards, forums and online chat rooms aren’t the place to promote yourself, your
products or your own agenda. Keep your comments focussed on topics that are relevant to your
courses and program.
Overuse abbreviations
From texts to posts to instant messages, a lot of online communication is about conveying
information as quickly as possible. But using too many abbreviations can be irritating, not to
mention confusing. Algonquin College’s environment includes people from a wide range of
backgrounds and ages who have varying degrees of familiarity with digital trends. A few
common abbreviations, such as LOL (laugh out loud), are fine. Just try to minimize them and
avoid obscure abbreviations.

10 BASIC RULES OF NETIQUETTE OR INTERNET ETIQUETTE

The rules of etiquette are just as important in cyberspace as they are in the real world—and the
evidence of poor netiquette can stick around to haunt you for much longer. Follow these basic
rules of netiquette to avoid damaging your online and offline relationships.
 Make Real People a Priority
Nothing is more irritating than trying to have a conversation with someone who is engrossed in
their phone or computer. If someone is in the room with you, stop what you are doing and look at
them. Don't answer your cell phone unless it is to tell the person on the other end that you will
call them right back.
If you are expecting an important call or email, let the person with you know upfront, and
apologize for taking the call.
This is doubly true if the person you are with is your date, partner, or child. Constantly checking
your email, voicemail, or Facebook while you are with them gives them the message that you
don't care about them. And it is extremely annoying to be with someone who is having a
conversation that you are not part of.
This is also true of public places, such as restaurants, public transit, stores, elevators, and
libraries. Avoid taking phone calls and having conversations in these shared spaces.
 Use Respectful Language
Name-calling, cursing, expressing deliberately offensive opinions—if you wouldn't do it to the
face of anyone who might conceivably see what you write, don't write it. This goes for any social
media site, forum, chat room, or email message, even if you think it can't be traced back to you.
It can.
And it's not just what you say, but how you say it. Either take the trouble to use the shift key for
capital letters, or write in all lower case, but don't use caps lock. Text in all caps is generally
perceived as yelling. Please don't forget to say please and thank you as appropriate.
Avoid Being Embarrassed, Exploited or Harassed Online
 Share With Discretion
Avoid sending naked sext pictures, drunk pictures, drug use pictures or unedited home video. If
you would have a problem with your boss, your parents, or your kids seeing it now, or at any
point in the future, don't post it online.
The same goes for phone conversations in public places. Just because you can't see the person
you are talking to doesn't mean everyone around you can't see and hear you.
 Don't Exclude Others
If you have an in-joke to share with one other person, or a small number of people in a larger
online group, send them a private message. Don't make everyone else feel left out by posting an
obscure comment to your Facebook status, forum, or Instagram story.
The same goes for laughing at texted or emailed jokes when you are in the presence of others. If
you don't want to share the joke, save it for later.
 Choose Friends Wisely
It is insulting to be dropped from someone's friend list on a social media site. So, think about it
before sending a friend request or accepting an invitation. If you don't want to be in touch with
someone, don't add them in the first place.
If you want to stay in touch with a colleague for professional reasons, tell them you only use
Facebook for close personal friendships. Then join LinkedIn or another professional networking
site for more distant contacts.
The obvious exception to this is if you "friend" someone while you are getting along, and then
you have a disagreement. Then, by all means, unfriend them if the relationship is beyond
repair. But don't torture them with on-again-off-again friending.
Your Facebook Habit Might Actually Be an Addiction
 Don't Email Large Files
You might think that sequence of nature pictures with inspirational statements is wonderfully
moving. It might even give you a sense of serenity. But that is the last thing it will give the
person you email it to if it crashes their server, or depletes their inbox quota. Post large files to
your own space and send people a link. Don't attach it to an email.
And if you reply to a message, delete all but the most recent correspondence from the sender,
otherwise, the message gets really, really long. One of you will be upset if you have to print it
out one day, and the whole conversation uses up 20 pages.
 Respect People's Privacy
Don't forward information sent to you without checking with the original sender first. Use BCC
(blind carbon copy) rather than CC (carbon copy) if you are sending something out to more than
one person. You might think that we are all friends online, but your friends may not want their
names and or email addresses publicized to people they do not even know.
The same goes for uploading photos or videos that include other people to public space or
sending them out to your own contacts. And remember, if you tag people on Facebook, others
can access pictures of those people, unless they have adjusted their privacy settings.
Finally, don't sign up for newsletters and other communications using someone else's email
address.
 Fact Check Before Reposting
That cure for cancer might sound pretty impressive, but it will just cause upset if it is a
hoax. And urban myths add to the noise of the internet and waste people's time. If you aren't sure
of the facts, email it to someone who does know or can find out. Or do a search on Google or
snopes.com.
Don't forget that many viruses are circulated via chain letters and invitations to send some
seemingly pertinent piece of information to ten of your friends, or everyone in your address
book. So don't be naive. Forwarding that message will not bring you good luck, just bad karma.
 Respond to Emails Promptly
By all means, ignore and delete spam, unsolicited messages, and crazy stuff. But if you have
given someone your email address or if you are in a position where people could reasonably be
expected to contact you by email and your email address is public, have the courtesy to reply to
their message within a few days. If it is going to take longer to reply, email them and tell them
that.
Don't simply ignore a question because you don't want to give the answer. Write back saying that
it is a difficult question and they might be better off seeking the information elsewhere.
 Update Online Information
Don't leave inaccurate information online just because you can't be bothered to update your
website. If you are going to be unavailable, for example, don't leave your hours of operation
online indicating you will be available. If you can't keep your website up to date, take it down.
A Word From Verywell
It is easy to lose your sense of what is going on around you when you are
using technology, but engaging directly with others is more important than
ever. Don't forget the positive impact you can make by putting down your
phone and having a real, face-to-face conversation.

CONCLUSION
In this day and age, companies cannot afford to focus solely on the bottom line anymore. The
ethical aspects of doing business are becoming just as important as the financial ones, and a well-
thought-out code of ethics is emerging as a necessary prerequisite for success.