Chapter 4: Communication Ethics

Summary
This chapter addresses the various ethical dilemmas facing the manager, such as how to manage dissent, leaks, rumors, and gossip. While there is no guarantee that an organization or its employees will behave ethically, the chapter suggests a model of the "ethical organization". An organization, striving for ethical behavior, integrates individuals with a personal commitment to accuracy and discretion, in an organizational culture of strong principles, governed by organizational policies that support the principles. These policies must address three critical issues: First, what information should the organization gather? Second, how should the organization gather the information? And third, how should the organization use the information?

Outline

1. Foundation
   1. Every communication decision has some ethical dimension to it
   2. Communication ethics inevitably involves both motives and impacts
   3. Fundamental principles should guide discussion of ethics
      
      
2. Ethical Dilemmas
1. Secrecy
2. Dissent
3. Leaks
4. Rumors and gossip
5. Lying
6. Euphemisms
7. Ambiguity
8. Apology
   
   
3. A Strategic Approach to Corporate Ethics
1. Corporate culture
2. Organizational policy
   1. What information should the organization gather?
   2. How should the organization gather the information?
   3. How should the organization use the information?
3. Personal commitments
   1. Discretion
   2. Relevancy
   3. Accuracy
   4. Fairness
   5. Timeliness
      
      
4. Conclusion