Communication And Ethics
- Focus on the organization for which you work or with which you are otherwise involved. Examine this company’s communications related to ethical behavior within the company as well as its corporate social responsibility. Research and document the organization’s internal and external communication, such as mission statements, credos, et cetera, in regard to its values and ethics. Then complete the following:
- Analyze how the company’s internal communications help support ethical behavior within the company. Examples of ethical behavior include embracing diversity and protecting confidential corporate data and private data.
- Analyze how the company’s external communications reflect its commitment to social responsibility. Examples of social responsibility include indicators such as dedication to community service, compassion for the disadvantaged, commitment to charitable giving, and concern for the environment.
- Propose potential improvements to internal communications that would help increase ethical behavior in the company.
- Propose potential improvements to the external communications that would help bolster the company’s public perception as a socially responsible company.
Additional Requirements
- Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th ed.) style and formatting. Include a properly formatted title page and references page.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
| Criteria | Non-performance | Basic | Proficient | Distinguished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze how internal communications support ethical behavior within a company. |
Does not identify internal communications related to ethical behavior within a company. | Identifies internal communications related to ethical behavior within a company. | Analyzes how internal communications support ethical behavior within a company. | Analyzes how internal communications support ethical behavior within a company and describes their potential impact on employee behavior. |
| Analyze how external communications reflect a company’s commitment to social responsibility. |
Does not identify external communications related to a company’s commitment to social responsibility. | Identifies external communications related to a company’s commitment to social responsibility. | Analyzes how external communications reflect a company’s commitment to social responsibility. | Analyzes how external communications reflect a company’s commitment to social responsibility and describes the potential impact on public perception. |
| Propose potential improvements to internal communications. |
Does not identify potential changes to internal communications. | Proposes potential changes to internal communications but does not connect those changes to ethical behavior within a company. | Proposes potential improvements to internal communications regarding ethical behavior within a company. | Proposes potential improvements to internal communications and justifies those improvements based upon identified weaknesses or opportunities of current communications. |
| Propose potential improvements to a company’s external communications regarding its social responsibility. |
Does not propose potential improvements to a company’s external communications. | Proposes potential improvements to a company’s external communications but does not connect those changes to its expression of social responsibility. | Proposes potential improvements to a company’s external communications regarding its social responsibility. | Propose potential improvements to a company’s external communications regarding its social responsibility and justifies those improvements based upon identified weaknesses or opportunities of current communications. |
| Consistently apply appropriate APA style and formatting. |
Does not apply APA style and formatting. | Inconsistently applies appropriate APA style and formatting. | Consistently applies appropriate APA style and formatting. | Consistently applies appropriate APA style and formatting, and writing is consistently clear, well-organized, and free of distracting errors. |
Resources:
- Hindle, T. (2008). Guide to management ideas and gurus. London, GBR: Profile Books/The Economist.
- This e-book addresses a broad range of management topics, including key issues addressed in this course. It is a helpful resource to reference throughout the course.
- Hill, R. P., Stephens, D., & Smith, I. (2003). Corporate social responsibility: An examination of individual firm behavior. Business and Society Review, 108(3), 339–364.
- CRO Corp. (2010). Corporate responsibility magazine. Retrieved from http://www.thecro.com/
- This free online magazine and Web site cover a broad range of issues pertaining to corporate social responsibility. The site includes a Topics section that includes a Communications topic area that is particularly applicable to the focus of this course.
- Shockley-Zalabak, P. S. (2015). Fundamentals of organizational communication: Knowledge, sensitivity, skills, values (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
