Ethical Issues in Organization Communication - Coursework Example

Ethical issues in organization communication al Affiliation Ethical issues in organization communication Introduction Communication refers to the process of exchange of information between individuals or groups of people. This process involving the sender and the receiver of the information should be explicit, precise and accurate for it to be effective. Its success depends on its clarity and whether the sender and the receiver both understand the information being given (Seeger, Sellnow & Ulmer 2003). Ethical communication is a responsibility requirement for a company that needs to be successful and retain its customer base. Communication as a resource entity in a business structure often reflects values that are upheld by the company and if not handled properly would constitute many consequences. All the ethical issues and social responsibilities that come with communication must thus be given the attention they deserve in the communication structures of the company. Clients, consumers, and even various stakeholders would to an extent prefer to carry out businesses with such organizations deemed ethical in their operations (Seeger, Sellnow & Ulmer 2003). Two aspects are considered in dealing with the ethical communication issues in an organization: one that involves internal communication structures and the other that deals with external communication. Internal communication addresses internal audiences majorly the employees while external communication addresses the general public. A case analysis can be done of the Apple’s Rotten Business, reported on the CNN website, updated on the 4th of April in 2014. The case reports various accounts of unethical practices involving among them business malpractices, tax dodging and surveillance for profit. With a large customer base and a dominant presence in the market, one would have expected the Apple firm to conduct its business in the most fair and open terms, as noted by the writer of the news story. This wasn’t the case as revealed by the assessment that was carried out by Nicki Lisa Cole. The malpractices within the company included: Profiting from unregulated tin mining in Indonesia Unlawful labor in China Tax evasion Gouging the Los Angeles public school system Using surveillance technology for profit Apple, unlike other tech companies in the industry, refused to disclose the sources of their tin which is normally used in soldering electronic devices. They were also involved in unlawful labor practices that extended into China. They employed underage students and subjected them to deplorable working conditions with unlivable wages. The company, according to Cole, acted too as a ‘personal shopper’ for its wares and products, creating apps that pushed sales offers and notifications to its online clients. Since the publication of its tax evasion schemes in the New York Times, successive scrutiny has been launched to unravel other business malpractices carried by the company, including their $1billion dollar bill deal they were involved in with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Such acts have been perpetrated by the unethical nature of the organization communication; falsification of financial reports, withholding of crucial information from the public and blatant deception with regard to the status of the business. Ethics in business is critical and determines to a very much extent the social responsibility the companies have to the public. Some of the vital characteristics of ethical communication include: Avoiding withholding crucial information from the audience: in a recent business world, information is required and is a very vital component in decision making. Thus, it should be the responsibility of each and every organization to provide all the necessary information needed for public consumption. An organization that withholds crucial information, with or without its knowledge to both its internal and external audiences may plunge itself into failures due to the perceived bad image by the public, which usually come as a result of this (In Fischhoff, In Brewer, In Downs, & United States, 2011). Ensuring that the information delivered is accurate: Each organization should ensure that the information it releases is accurate and precise. Falsifying information reports can be very dangerous and destructive to an organization. Each information before being delivered should be checked and tested for accuracy purposes. The source too should be carefully identified, verified and accredited as credible. This also is especially important when entering into partnerships or business deals of any sort. It enhances the goodwill of both investors, stakeholders, and the public alike. The ability to convey one’s point without being offensive to the audience is vital: Once faced with a situation, conveying of the prerequisite message is very vital. It should be recognized too that different audiences require various types of information, and the manner in which this information is put across. Engaging the company’s employees in the communication process requires a different approach to doing the same for the firms executives or board members. This should be done geared towards increasing the efficiency of the communication process that will in turn help in realizing better returns to the firm. Establishing a well-organized value system within the organization: For an effective communication system and structure, there is need for an organized value systems recognized throughout the organization. Application of efficient communication structure will create a sense of mutual respect among all the employees of the organization. This in most cases has been recognized as a precursor to the ethical communication practices, vital in any organization (In Fischhoff, In Brewer, In Downs, & United States, 2011). It should also be noted that every communication decision has an ethical dimension to it. In an organization, all the workers, from the top management downwards to all the employees, have an ethical responsibility in dealing with the various communication processes, they are involved in. Whether this is adhered to or not could raise various ethical dilemmas in the organization, including among them: 1) Secrecy; the top management of the organization retains the right to what is secret and what should be disseminated to the employees. The secrecy about information should be carried out in an ethical manner to avoid many discrepancies. Secrecy about organization communication can result in unnecessary tension in an organizational setup (Keyton, 201). 2) Dissent; in situations where ethical practices are not adhered to while disseminating information to various audiences targeted, much-dissenting issues and behaviors can arise. Dissent is normally as a result of a disagreement to the laid down protocols and occurs where people feel their input is being ignored. The management should always seek a way to involve everyone in the communication protocols to prevent much-dissenting voices which often derails its objectives. 3) Leaks; leakage of the company’s vital information to the public or to its competitors is as a result of unethical practices in the organization communication structure in an enterprise. Code of ethics expects employees to be loyal to the company’s course and not to at any point release any information in their possession that could derail the company or contribute to the success of a rival. 4) Rumors and gossips; rumors and gossips is a collective phenomenon in various organizations. Rumors about promotions, pay increase, changes in management or about a manager’s character are common. In this regard, it is the responsibility of top management and the communication managers to be able to deal with such diligently to avoid them from causing adverse impacts to the organization (Keyton, 201)1. The practice is common among junior employees especially on information that is lacking clarity. 5) Lies; this refers to the misrepresentation of facts as they are and is an ethical dilemma in the organizational communication establishments. Employees of the company are usually expected to convey messages without making any undue changes to them so that facts are not altered. Lies are very destructive to the companies especially when they touch on the core objectives and get to the public gallery and countering their effects usually is expensive and requires many resources. 6) Euphemisms; these represent words that are used for dissimulation and are often intended to replace words that when used can be offensive and/or imply something that would be found unpleasant to the listeners. Such expressions are dependent on the organization culture, and their use should be carefully considered so as not to sound offensive while communicating (Keyton, 201). 7) Ambiguity; this occurs when the information passed isn’t clear to audiences targeted. Be it to an internal or external audience, ambiguity is often destructive. To the employees, it could result in many effects including among them duplication of roles and the employees performing activities, not in line with their company’s objectives. It has been recognized that information dissemination is a critical component in decision making and once it is ambiguous then it affects this process. Communication in organizations often includes quite a number of ethical issues usually associated with; The privacy and voice of the employees Deception The privacy and voice of the employees Possibility of a free speech environment Honesty Diversity Power, authority, and control Legitimacy Advertising and Public relations Good management involves communication of more information, asking questions and engaging with individuals. This is aimed at convincing them rather than making a blatant order and trying to apply them without seeking the people’s input in them. People should be stimulated through the efficient use of information to drive the company’s agenda. In most cases, the information that usually carries an emotional attachment should be addressed carefully and not brushed off by management (Gillis & International Association of Business Communicators, 2011). A company can be very successfully if it incorporates the ethical issues in its organization communication, and can use this as a competitive advantage over its competitors. In the light of this, managers should be able to focus on engaging the public organization: their employees, suppliers and their customers on a face to face contact. A proper communication setup in organizations is often characterized by; a) A stronger desire for communication b) A mutual feeling of sharing information all through the organization c) The involvement of communication in the strategic planning of the organization In organizations, ethics is usually supported by the organizational culture and political organizations, these leaving aside the ethical responsibilities of managers. Major ethical deliberations in the recent times have focused on how humans relate to information and how the organization cultures have influenced how a variety of this information is treated. The management organization should thus be able to build a consensus on most of these values. The organization must develop cultures that systematically direct the courses of information and messages. If this is done successfully, then communication becomes part of the employees’ everyday lives (Gillis & International Association of Business Communicators, 2011). In making recommendations for the Apple Company to be able to rejuvenate the public trust, a new management should be involved to help the organization in making an absolute turnaround to its culture and entrench the values of honesty and truth in its operations. Various administrative layout plans should be put in place that would include firing both the authorities and employees who do not comply with the ethical business codes. The company too should stop the deception act and reveal some of the critical information needed by the public. With this, the public would be in a position to approve of their activities and in the long run develop the much needed trust. Other practices that would help do away with the unethical vices would be the rewards allocation strategies of the company. This should be geared towards encouraging ethical practices and discourage those that goes against the stated standards. If the recommendations could be taken into account, then the public trust in the business could change, and it could mean more business for the Company. In making conclusions, it should be noted that every organization must incorporate in its communication structures and processes, the significance of complying with the set ethical standards. This can be done by considering the openness and the legitimacy of the structures put in place. In addition, the defensibility of various sources sorted, the articulation of the public interests in their communication plans and decisions, and finally the aspects of a shared responsibility should be implemented (Morais, 2011). Reference Gillis, T. L., & International Association of Business Communicators. (2011). The IABC handbook of organizational communication: A guide to internal communication, public relations, marketing, and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. In Fischhoff, B., In Brewer, N. T., In Downs, J. S., & United States. (2011). Communicating risks and benefits: An evidence-based users guide. Keyton, J. (2011). Communication & organizational culture: A key to understanding work experiences. Los Angeles: SAGE. Morais, . C. G. J. (2011). Ethical issues and social dilemmas in knowledge management: Organizational innovation. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Seeger, M. W., Sellnow, T. L., & Ulmer, R. R. (2003). Communication and organizational crisis. 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