Автор работы: Пользователь скрыл имя, 24 Мая 2015 в 20:44, реферат
This task explores importance of ethical communication in an organization. First of all it is emphasized that communication is one the basic necessities of life as well as ethics are also demand of happy life.
Communication is the process by which individuals exchange information between other individuals or groups of people. Throughout the process, effective communicators try as clearly and accurately to convey their thoughts, intentions and objectives to their receiver.Communication is successful only when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information.In today's business environments, effective communication skills are necessary due to the highly informational and technological era.
This task explores importance of ethical communication in an organization. First of all it is emphasized that communication is one the basic necessities of life as well as ethics are also demand of happy life.
Communication is the process by which individuals exchange information between other individuals or groups of people. Throughout the process, effective communicators try as clearly and accurately to convey their thoughts, intentions and objectives to their receiver.Communication is successful only when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information.In today's business environments, effective communication skills are necessary due to the highly informational and technological era.
Public opinion of a company or organization can affect consumer views of its products; ultimately. its image can affect its ability to accomplish its mission and/or make a profit. A business can shape and protect its images by carefully crafting its communication strategies. Ethical communication is a key component of an effective communication strategy.
What is communication ethics?
Communication—the use of available resources to convey information, to move, to inspire, to persuade, to enlighten, to connect—is an inherently ethical undertaking. Regardless of context, communication involves choice, reflects values, and has consequences. These three key elements of communication form the basis of its
ethical makeup.
Ethics is the study of values, of what is more or less important, of the “good,” of behavioral guidelines and norms. Ethics provides frameworks and tools for recognizing and assessing available options and for differentiating between more or less morally justified pathways in any given situation.
All communication—interpersonal, organizational, small group, mass mediated, political, informational, technical, or commercial, whether delivered orally, electronically, verbally or nonverbally, visually, or through a print medium— occurs within a context, including goals, means, and occasion. Ethical communication requires understanding of and responsiveness to each of these three key elements. What one hopes to achieve through the communication (the ends), how one chooses to communicate (the means), and the “real-world” outcomes (the consequences) of communication are particularly important features of ethical communication.
Communication ethics is, first and foremost, about choice. To the extent an individual or group has options available in any given situation, moral agency is at play. With moral agency—the relative freedom to choose one's pathway in any given situation—comes responsibility.
Although circumstances often limit individuals' options, adults interacting with others usually have at least some moral agency. When interacting with a friend or a close acquaintance, for example, people in diverse circumstances are often relatively free to choose how attentively they will listen to the Other. How will they respond to the Other's questions, concerns, insights, charges, and so on? Will they seek to manipulate the Other to their personal advantage? Seek to gain the “upper hand”? Will they listen defensively? Or will they seek to understand the Other? To connect with the Other? To foster the mutual pursuit of truth, insight, wisdom, informed and just decision making with the Other?
In sum, then, ethical communication across contexts requires attentiveness to at least the following: one's intention, the means used to fulfill these ends, and the likely consequences of one's choices. Even within these parameters, however, differentiating more or less ethical communication pathways is often difficult. Each set of circumstances is unique, and often the most ethical choice is not readily apparent. A number of resources are available to address these complexities.
General guidelines for ethical communication
No set of rules or norms can provide certainty regarding the most ethical pathway in specific cases. Usually, some measure of uncertainty is inevitable. However, people unable to make absolute decisions nevertheless have the potential to make well-informed, ethical choices. General guidelines for ethical communication provide tools for discerning more or less ethical pathways, assisting decision makers in their efforts to make responsible choices.
The Principle of Veracity is illustrative. This principle provides resources for discerning whether, and how, to lie or use other forms of deception in any given set of circumstances. Although the Principle cannot provide certainty regarding this often difficult ethical choice, applying this general guideline to specific cases facilitates responsible and wise discernment regarding available options.
The Principle of Veracity
The Principle provides four discrete but related steps for discerning whether deception is morally justified in any given case.
Among the reasons why truthfulness has presumption in its favor across communication contexts are the inherent risks associated with lying and other forms of deception. For example, the decision to deceive another inevitably risks compromising the trust so critical to enduring relationships. Once undermined, trust is difficult to restore. Similarly, deceiving another—either by lying or through more subtle forms of deception—threatens the shared experience of respect at the heart of meaningful interpersonal connection. The use of deception, even for the most noble of purposes, also risks undermining informed and reasoned decision making. From the perspectives of the person being perceived and members of the broader community, these are potentially significant harms. Additionally, when communicators choose to deceive, they risk compromising their own personal integrity. Such compromises are potentially devastating, particularly over time. These inherent risks— threats to trust, respect, sound decision making, the broader community's well-being, and personal integrity— are but a few of the inevitable dangers associated with deception within and across communication contexts. Yet those who choose to deceive others often overestimate the benefits and underestimate the harms of their decision. Focusing primarily on their “good intentions,” deceivers often persuade themselves that their actions are morally justified. Taking thoughtful account of the inherent risks associated with deception—with particular attention to the long-term consequences to the deceived, to the relationship, to one's integrity, and to the broader community—helps mitigate this tendency. The Principle of Veracity provides resources to assist with this process.
Principles of ethical communication
Except Principle of Veracity there are another principles of communication ethics:
Honesty
In general, ethical communication is honest communication. While there are cases where it would be ethical to lie, such as to a prospective murderer about the whereabouts of a potential victim, these cases are the exception rather than the rule. Also, honesty is more than just not lying; it means being open, and volunteering whatever information you have, even if it puts your own short-term interests at risk. Trust in other people is closely related to their track record for honesty. Encouraging an environment of trust can go a long way in promoting ethical communication in a business or organizational setting.
Openness to Other Views
Openness is one of the key pillars of ethical communication. In communication, openness means being open to diverse ideas and opinions, as well as being ready to offer your own opinions even if you do not think they will be popular. A business environment where people are not free to play the devil's advocate and say unpopular opinions is not an ethical one, because intolerance of divergent opinions means intolerance of differences and free flow of information is essential to both the public's and the organization's long-term well-being.
Commitment
In the context of business communications, commitment means allocating the necessary time and resources to discussing issues fully. Communication needs to be thorough, for only when time and resources, such as feedback forms, are dedicated to discussing issues is there a chance for everyone in the organization to have their voice heard.
Consensus Building
Ethical communication is goal-oriented rather than status-oriented. The style of communication in which various groups in a business break off into opposing camps and align primarily on the basis of political, status-seeking interests, tends not to accomplish things for the organization as a whole. The style of communication where people seek to build a consensus and focus on doing what they can for the company rather than aiming for professional advancement to positions they are not suited to, tends to be good for the organization. Thus, insofar as helping the organization is a moral imperative, consensus building is the ethical style of communication.
Organizational Ethics
Organizational ethics refers to the moral code of an organization, including how the organization responds to internal and external issues. Organizational ethics is interdependent with the organizational culture. It expresses the values of an organization to employees and other entities.
Organizations that focus on encouraging and communicating ethical practices are commonly viewed with respect by their employees as well as by the broader community of stakeholders. Strong organizational ethics can inspire both customer and employee loyalty. The ability to retain employees who are experienced and knowledgeable (generally referred to as human capital) can result in less employee turnover, less training time for new employees, and greater output.
Effectively communicating ethical norms is key to realizing these benefits. Commonly used tools include codes of ethics and employee handbooks. Employee handbooks commonly include rules concerning expectations and consequences that follow misconduct. Handbooks normally will clearly state the rules, guidelines, and standards of an organization as well as any rules, regulations, or laws they are bound by. Many company handbooks will include laws regarding sexual harassment, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse. A code of ethics might also include the company's policy on price fixing, recordkeeping, and financial integrity. In these tools, the use of corporate jargon should be limited; its content should be easily accessible for both internal and external stakeholders.
In order to be truly effective, a company's ethics must not only be articulated in static documents such as an employee handbook but should also be incorporated into multiple aspects of a company's culture and internal communication. For example, individuals or projects embodying one of a company's core values might be highlighted and celebrated across the company, or a leader might contextualize a company's new strategy in terms of how it aligns with the company's ethics or values.