Communicating Ethical Values: A Study of Employee Perceptions
Journal of Business Ethics · 1999 · Volume 20 · Issue 2
Abstract
Communicating ethical values is a serious issue for a number of organizations. While ethical codes are useful, they cannot exist alone. Organizations must make certain codes reflect the ideals of individuals in the organization and the ethical expectations must be clearly communicated. This study examined the sources (people) and channels (ways messages were received) that affected how employees learned about ethics. Results showed that training and orientation programs were affirmed as sources of learning along with teaching others. Codes and handbooks were also identified as ways employees learned about ethics in their organization. Ethical issues were discussed more frequently with fellow employees than with supervisors suggesting that managers could be more proactive about discussing ethics with employees.
Keywords
Economic Growth, Ethical Issue, Ethical Code, Orientation Program, Employee Perception
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