Lesson 1 - Overview Of Ethics PDF

DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics What is Ethics?  System of moral principles  They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives  The term is derived from the Greek word ethos which can mean custom, habit, character or dispo...

DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics What is Ethics?  System of moral principles  They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives  The term is derived from the Greek word ethos which can mean custom, habit, character or disposition  Ethics covers the following dilemmas: o How to live a good life o Our rights and responsibilities o Language of right and wrong o Moral decisions - what is good and bad?  Our concepts of ethics have been derived from religions, philosophies and cultures  They infuse debates on topics like abortion, human rights and professional conduct What is Integrity?  Aligning your conduct with what you know to be excellent  A person of integrity displays a principled dedication to values and beliefs  They always seek to reflect ethical standards and do the right thing regardless of the circumstances  Having integrity means doing the right thing in a reliable way What is the Importance of Integrity?  Living a life of integrity means that we never have to spend time or energy questioning ourselves  When we listen to our hearts and do the right thing, life becomes simple  Our life, and our actions, are open for everyone to see, and we don't have to worry about hiding anything  When we have integrity, we gain the trust of our leaders, our colleagues and our team  We're dependable, and, when we hold ourselves accountable for our actions, we become role models for others to follow  Having integrity means that you live in accordance to your deepest values, you're honest with everyone, and you always keep your word  To develop and protect your integrity o Start by identifying your core values o These are the values that you refuse to compromise on, no matter what o Next, analyze every choice you make to ensure that you're doing the right thing o Then, develop a culture of integrity around you, work on building your self- confidence and self-esteem, and develop relationships with others who live with integrity DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics What is Law?  May be understood as the systematic set of universally accepted rules and regulation created by an appropriate authority such as government, which may be regional, national, international, etc.  It is used to govern the action and behavior of the members and can be enforced, by imposing penalties What are Morals?  What you believe to be right and wrong  People can have different morals: you might say, "I like his morals" or "I wonder about his morals"  Your morals are your ideas about right and wrong, especially how you should act and treat other people  Every person has a slightly different set of morals, and different cultures have their own morals as well  You probably get your morals from a combination of your parents, your teachers, your culture, and your religion Business Ethics  In a business setting, ethical behavior applies to any employee, team lead or supervisor  They should display behavior that is honest and fair in their relationships with coworkers and their clients  Displaying good ethical behavior has an effect on company morale and client relations  It’s easier for a business to retain employees when they work for a company that they believe in  Employees want to work for companies that treat everyone and their clients fairly and have good and ethical business practices  A high ethical standard extends to customers as well  A reputation for positive ethical behavior entices more potential clients, customers and partners to work with you  It also builds customer loyalty over time, creating a loyal customer base that is likely to refer your business to others  Business ethics refers to implementing appropriate business policies and practices with regard to arguably controversial subjects  Some issues that come up in a discussion of ethics include corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, social responsibility, and fiduciary responsibilities  The law usually sets the tone for business ethics, providing a basic guideline that businesses can choose to follow to gain public approval DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics  For example: o A portfolio manager must give the same consideration to the portfolios of family members and small individual investors as they do to wealthier clients o These kinds of practices ensure the public receives fair treatment Importance of Ethics  Ethics is a key element of any profession  Moral guidelines are always helpful to refer to whether practiced in education or the medical field where ethics might help physicians to reconcile the needs of patients  In many countries, it's common for lawyers to focus extensively on ethics and involve in conversations with professionals and peers to practice ethical conversations for the future  Every field has its own challenges, professionals can make mistakes and sometimes ignore details which may lead to minor and major issues in their career  Ethical guidelines are important to assist professionals and cope up with the changing environment to feel empowered while regulating themselves to suit the standards of their profession  It helps categorize discipline, honesty and integrity in our actions performed during the day  Acting as a guideline to influence behavior and making the right choice, it is easier for individuals to abide by rules and act responsibly with ethics Improving Corporate Ethics Here are our top tips for raising the bar and creating a more ethical workplace:  Create a code o Many professions require us to work to a consistent Code of Practice or Ethical Code and it is common for organizations to identify a set of values to guide how employees work together and engage with customers or society o Strong company values can be really inspiring o For example, clothing company H&M believe in boosting ‘entrepreneurial spirit,’ while Ikea values ‘togetherness and enthusiasm’ o Instead of concentrating on what is prohibited, think about the kind of behaviors you want to promote instead o But remember; one size doesn’t fit all and your code needs to be unique to you  Engage with your employees and customers o Your colleagues are more likely to be invested in any Code of Practice or Ethics Code if they have been involved in developing it DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics o Why not carry out some engagement sessions with your colleagues when creating or updating your policies so everyone can feel a part of the company’s vision and values? o This goes for your customers or clients too o Why not ask them how they would like to see you working more ethically? o You may find you’re already doing so – you’re just not promoting it widely enough  Reinforce the benefits of the code o Having a strong Code of Practice or Ethical Code is really important, but it needs to be consistent to work well o They need to be something which is achievable, desirable and which complement the kind of business you do o But there’s no point encouraging your workforce to reach tough targets if it involves compromising their integrity in any way  Be a good role model o A survey carried out by the Chartered Management Institute showed that two- thirds of UK managers want to be seen as ethical but over 80 percent of workers don’t think their manager sets a good moral example o Sound ethical behaviour starts at the top with the leaders in your business – whether they are directors, governors, associates or the Chief Executive o You need to lead by example o It can’t be one rule for those in senior positions and another for the rest of your workforce  Train your employees o There’s no point having an ethical code of conduct for your workforce if they don’t know what it is or why it’s important o You need to emphasize what’s at risk and what the potential consequences of breaching it could be o It also needs to be really clear how your colleagues can adhere to the code o It’s wise to include training on your company’s values and ethics in any induction workshops or by holding regular training sessions o These need to include examples and advice about how to uphold the integrity of the firm in certain situations  Promote your ethical behavior o Having a reputation as an ethical employer or supplier can be a great marketing tool when it comes to being an employer of choice or when trying to attract customers who want to deal with companies who have values they admire o You shouldn’t be shy about promoting how your company behaves in an ethical way o You may for example, help ensure any waste from your business is recycled appropriately o You might source your resources or ingredients from sustainable sources o Or you might have robust HR policies which protect your employees DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics o Use your website, marketing materials, social media and PR to tell people how you’re making a difference  Reward ethical behavior o Your employees are more likely to act with integrity and value honesty in others if their actions are held in high esteem o A good way of promoting the value of following your company’s Code of Practice or Ethics Code is to reward those who do it well o You could have a monthly governance award, you could send ‘star cards’ to individuals or simply raise the best example of how someone has behaved with integrity at your team meetings  Learn from your mistakes o Unfortunately, the value of ethics is often not realized or understood until something goes wrong, often resulting in reputational damage which can take years to repair and overcome o If something does go wrong, then the only saving grace is that it is an opportunity to change the way you work to prevent it happening again o This is a good time to amend your Code of Practice or Ethics Policy and ensure everyone is on board with any new ways of working  Report unethical behavior o An honest culture in any organization will be difficult to manage if your employees don’t have an easy and private way to report any unethical behavior o While it may feel uncomfortable to think that your employees may become whistle-blowers on their peers, the consequences of unethical behavior could be more damaging o There should be an easy way for people to report their concerns, in confidence, without the fear of retaliation o You should also ensure there are people within your workforce who are trained to investigate any complaints  Move with the times o Our customers, clients and society as a whole will often guide how we run our businesses o They tell us what they want; whether it’s more ethically sourced produce, fairer wages for suppliers across the globe or more environmentally friendly policies o There will also be shifting themes which organizations concentrate on when it comes to improving their ethical standards - from environmentalism, working with sustainable resources, corporate social responsibility to battling cybercrimes and protecting privacy in the digital world we live in now o Your ethics policies or Code of Conduct needs to reflect the ever-changing world we live in. It should feel inspiring, rather than a hindrance, because ultimately it’s about making your workplace and brand better DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics What is Code of Conduct?  Most common policy within an organization  This policy lays out the company’s principles, standards, and the moral and ethical expectations that employees and third parties are held to as they interact with the organization  A code of conduct is an integral part of compliance efforts as it provides documentation that an employee or third party has violated company policy if illegal activity arises What is Code of Conduct in Workplace?  Set of principles and rules used by individuals and organizations to govern their decision-making process, as well as to distinguish right from wrong  They provide a general idea of the ethical standards of a business or organization, however, people can have their own personal code of ethics as wells  Company’s code of conduct is a policy that outlines principles and standards that all employees and third parties acting on behalf of the company must follow  The code of conduct reviews the organization’s mission and values and ties these ideals to professional behavior standards  In many workplaces, codes of conduct become benchmarks of performance What is Ethical Decision Making?  Ethical decisions inspire trust and with-it fairness, responsibility and care for others  The ethical decision making process recognizes these conditions and requires reviewing all available options, eliminating unethical views and choosing the best ethical alternative  Good decisions are both effective and ethical  In professional relationships, good decisions build respect, trust, and are generally consistent with good citizenship  Effective decisions are effective when they achieve what they were made for  A choice that produces unintended results is ineffective and therefore not good  The key to making good decisions is to think about the different choices that lie ahead in order to achieve the objectives  For that reason, it is also very important to understand the difference between short- term vs. medium to long term objectives  Making ethical decisions requires a certain sensitivity to ethical issues and a method of examining all the considerations associated with a decision  Having a method or structure for making ethical decisions is therefore essential  After this process has been performed a few times, the method is trusted and it is easier to walk through the steps DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics Framework for Ethical Decision Making If ethics is not based on religion, feelings, law, social practices or science, what is it based on? Countless philosophers and ethicists have attempted to answer this critical question. At least five different ethical norms or standards have been proposed. The most important are explained below.  The Utilitarian Approach o This approach dictates that the action that is the most ethical is the action that produces the most good and causes the least harm o In other words, the decision that strikes the greatest balance between good and evil o In a business environment, it is therefore the decision that yields the most benefits and causes the least damage to customers, employees, shareholders, the environment, etc  The Right Approach o The right approach suggests that the most ethical decision is the one that best protects and respects the moral rights of all concerned o This approach argues that people have a dignity based on human nature or their ability to freely choose what they want to do with their lives o Based on that dignity, they have the right to be treated equally by others and not just as a means to an(other) end  The Fairness or Justice Approach o All equals should be treated equally o The Greek philosopher Aristotle and others contributed to that idea o Today, this idea is used to indicate that ethical decisions treat everyone equally o If not equal, this must be based on a standard that is explainable o People are paid more for their hard work when they contribute more to the organization o That is fair, but many wonder whether the salaries of CEOs, some 100 times higher than others, are fair  The Common Good Approach o The Greek philosophers also contributed to the idea that living in a community is a good thing o People’s actions and actions must contribute to this o This approach suggests that relationships within society are the basis of ethical reasoning and acting o Respect and compassion for all others, especially the vulnerable, are prerequisites for maintaining an ethical way of life  The Virtue Approach o An ancient approach to ethics is the belief that acting ethically must be in accordance with certain virtues that ensure the development of humanity in general DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics o Virtues are tendencies and habits that enable man to act with the highest potential of human character Ethical decision-making process and roadmap Below is a summary of the roadmap for the ethical decision-making process.  Gather the facts o Don’t jump to conclusions until the facts are on the table o Facts are not always easy to find, especially in situations where ethics plays an important part o Some facts are not available or clearly demonstrable o Also indicate which assumptions are made  Define the ethical issue o Before solutions or new plans can be considered, the ethical issue is clearly defined o If there are multiple ethical focal points, only the most important should be addressed first  Identify the stakeholders o Identify all stakeholders o Who are those primary stakeholders? o And who are the secondary stakeholders? o Why are they interested in this issue?  Identify the effects and consequences o Think about the possible positive and negative consequences associated with the decision o What is the magnitude of these consequences? o And what is the probability that these consequences will actually occur? o Distinguish between short-term and long-term consequences  Consider integrity and character o Consider what the community thinks would be a good decision in this context o How would you like it if the national newspaper wrote about your decision? o What is public opinion? o How does your character and personality influence the decision to be made?  Get creative with potential actions o Are there other choices or alternatives that have not yet been considered? o Try to come up with additional solutions or choices if a small number is considered  Decide on the right ethical action o Consider the options based on each option’s consequences, duties, and character aspects o Which arguments are most suitable to justify the choice? DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics Ethics in Information Technology  Computers and information systems are used everywhere in society  New technologies are invaluable tools but they may have serious ethical consequences  The way an information technology tool affects sensitive issues has a direct impact on its effectiveness and usability  It may be difficult for users and stakeholders to adopt a computer system if they feel that its use violates important values and interests  To take advantage of a computer tool may not be easy in situations dominated by ethical conflicts  There is a great risk that expensive but necessary computer systems are abandoned because of scandals and conflicts  There is also a risk that ethically controversial systems are used sub optimally, that persons may get hurt, and that organizations may be damaged if they hesitate to use otherwise important and necessary computer tools  Ethics in IT aims at the construction of tools that can be applied in systems development and use for the consideration of significant ethical aspects  The application of suitable ethical tools is a prerequisite to consider significant aspects in all phases of computer systems development, implementation and use  Ethical tools are necessary not only to construct a system that avoids conflicts with significant moral principles but mainly to build a successful system that will play a significant role in satisfying the most important values of users and stakeholders References: BBC. (n.d.). Ethics - introduction to ethics: Ethics: A general introduction. BBC. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml#:~:text=At%20its%20simplest%2 C%20ethics%20is,also%20described%20as%20moral%20philosophy. Chadwick, S. (2021, June 10). What is the meaning of integrity? Accountable2You. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://accountable2you.com/blog/meaning-of-integrity/ Ethical behavior essential to business. Business News Daily. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9424-business-ethical-behavior.html Ethical decision making archives. toolshero. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.toolshero.com/tag/ethical-decision-making/ Gunner, J. (n.d.). Code of ethics examples: From personal to professional. Example Articles & Resources. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://examples.yourdictionary.com/code- of-ethics-examples.html DCIT65 – Social and Professional Issues Lesson 1 – Overview of Ethics How to improve ethics in the workplace ¦ Chrysos HR solutions. cHRysos HR Solutions Limited. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.chrysos.org.uk/blog/top-10-tips- for-improving-ethics-in-your-workplace Integrity - definition, meaning & synonyms. Vocabulary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/integrity Kuismin, V. (2021, June 22). Ethics in it. Department of Information Technology - Uppsala University. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.it.uu.se/research/project/itethics Morals - definition, meaning & synonyms. Vocabulary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/morals S, S., says, S. A., Alvaranga, S., says, S. T., Thor, S., says, J., Julia, Says, K., Kristy, says, B., Brian, Says, R., Raphael, says, B. S., Sam, B., says, C., Char, says, G. A., Addai, G., … Gaikwad, Y. P. (2018, August 13). Difference between law and Ethics (with comparison chart). Key Differences. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-law-and-ethics.html the Mind Tools Content Team By the Mind Tools Content Team, Team, the M. T. C., wrote, B. T., & Wrote, L. (n.d.). How to preserve your integrity: Consistently making the right choices. From MindTools.com. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/integrity.htm Twin, A. (2022, September 20). Business ethics. Investopedia. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business-ethics.asp What are ethics in education?: Blog. ELN. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.eln.co.uk/blog/what-is-ethics-in-education What is code of conduct?: Definition. GAN Integrity. (2020, September 15). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.ganintegrity.com/compliance-glossary/code-of- conduct