Code of Ethics
Notice that a Code of Ethics is one of many ways a business develops its ethos strategically into its organization.
(a) Getting the Ethos into the Culture:
• Company rules
• Department rules
• Policies & Procedures
• Financial statements
• Performance reviews
• Mottos/Slogans
• Buzz words
• Code of Ethics
• Training
• Etc.
Notice that a Code of Ethics (CoE) is one of many ways a business develops its ethos strategically into its organization.
Before the CoE can be placed in the life of the organization, however, it has to be created. Thought and care ahead of time helps shape the resulting ethos.
As you create your CoE, note that a template is provided. Please use the template. Feel welcome to add other items to the template. But be sure and give very good rationale for not including parts of the template; they’re there for a good reason. Deleting them affects the business now and later.
CREATING A CODE OF ETHICS:
Your task: create an organizational Code of Ethics (CoE)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Begin by choosing the organization; choose your business, another business or organization, or a make believe business. A make believe business will take longer.
Your goal: is to write one or two paragraph’s for each topic in the template with an *.
• Starting with *Purpose, make an extensive list of important details to include in the paragraph. Brainstorm. Keep a list.
• Move from topic to topic brainstorming. There are six topics with an *.
• Incorporate concepts from the texts and classes.
• Following are the topics.
Access on Blackboard the template, which has four sections.
1) Define ideals
? *Purpose: identify the reason for being, how value is created
? *Principles: identify the organization’s duties, rights & virtues
? *People : define your constituencies and how you serve their needs
2) Align the organization: systems and culture
? *accountability & controls
3) *Define how the corporate leadership will intentionally lead
4) *Recognize & prepare for external challenges to integrity
• Now, rewrite the lists of bullets as paragraphs.
• Be as clear and as concise as possible.
• Use headers where appropriate.
• Following is more detail information for each of the topics to help as you write your paragraphs comprising your Code of Ethics.
Code of Ethics
1) Define ideals
? * Purpose of the organization: identify the reason for being, how value is created
• how does the organization contribute value to society?
• consider to what the organization aspires; what purpose(s) pulls it
• define the scope of the organization’s purpose
? *Principles: identify the organization’s duties, rights & virtues
• as a minimum must include a ‘Compliance Statement’, a statement saying how the organization will abide by laws governing its business
• define the organization’s values and virtues
• identify those principles more important than profit; if a not-for-profit, more important than your salary
? *People: define your constituencies/stakeholders and how you serve their needs
• include as a minimum: a) employees, b) customers and c) stockholders if the organization is publicly owned or funding sources if the organization is not-for-profit
• Consider other stakeholders to include consumers if different than customers, vendors, surrounding communities
2) Align the organization: systems and culture
• *performance and rewards
• would Doug Ivester have been so willing to continue the old southern culture if rewards had been tied to systemic cultural indicators & employee performance?
• would tobacco companies have been so willing to sell cigarettes if rewards had been tied to product safety?
• *accountability & controls
• address two aspects of business, who ensures accountability and how is accountability ensured (e.g., define the reports, e.g., financial or HR, etc.)
• only exceptional employees can have minimal accountability to someone higher, not the average employee
• recall that Boisjoly didn’t go public till after the explosion; would he have blown the whistle had nothing gone wrong?
• recall how Doug Ivester ignored employee health; would he have been so apt to do so if retributive justice were tied to Human Resources reports documenting the injustices?
3) *Define how the corporate leadership will intentionally lead
• recall how Coke’s CEO failed to lead in step with changing society when a new challenge arose
• Integrate here learnings from world leader sayings and/or the Discussion Post vision statement
4) *Recognize & prepare for external challenges to integrity
• recall the pressure HB Fuller experienced upon its business model due to collateral damage from its product and bad publicity
• recall how the government and watchdog groups called into question the tobacco industry due to targeted marketing of vulnerable markets
• recall how the pressure to make money, please his customers, and provide for his family led David Duncan down the wrong path
• use the threats from your marketing SWOT to help you think about this
• remember, you’re concerned here with protecting your ethos
A little bit more on creating value:
• Jerry creates value when he creates a significant learning experience that a) encourages increased cognitive skills, b) allows for gaining knowledge, and c) advances you toward your degree
• FU creates value when it confers degrees
• How do you create value in your job?
• How does the organization of choice for your CoE create value? This goes in the “*Purpose” topic of your CoE.
You’re welcome to search the Internet for others to enhance the one you create.
Once you’ve written one to two paragraphs for each topic, you’ve completed most of the assignment. Simply finish the cover page and you’re done. Congratulations! Submit it on Blackboard.
