Ethics Is Born

Ethics is born

Ethics plays a very important role in a company's function. In fact the moment that technology is invented, so was ethics. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "If information technology is political - i.e., it already includes/excludes certain interests - then it is also immediately ethical." What this means, for example, is if a program is written to serve the public, or in this case, a company but is only capable, by design, to serve everyone but those who cannot type, the program excludes certain persons and is automatically ethical. In this instance, the ethics could easily have a definition as consequential ethics, meaning, one thing happens therefore, something else must happen to correct or justify the situation.

Companies use technology to help set and manage ethical standards and guidelines in a variety of ways. Some corporations can easily to monitor employees' e-mails and telephone conversations through the network administrator. This division censors emails that arrive with inappropriate language or content and bounces the correspondence back to the original sender without the recipient ever working the wiser. Telephone conversations monitor the callers or recipient and his/her use of inappropriate language. At any time the call will disconnect and the employees shall be seen by supervisors.

Another way a company ensures employee productivity and proper use of time is by blocking certain Internet sites outside the company intranet. This company-wide blockage will prevent employees from visiting sites that is inappropriate for the workplace and playing games or chatting.

Setting the standard for ethical behavior is a very important role that the CEO and executive committees, senior management, and management should commit him or herself. These people hold a position that sets an example for employees and as such, sets the general tone and ethical culture of a company. "It is up to each business leader to set a conspicuous example of integrity and to make certain that their subordinates know that exemplary behavior will be demanded and required." (Nation's Business, 1988).

One should have instructions in the ways of ethical behavior by both example and words. If management informs employees who are playing games on company time is unacceptable, the management should not participate in this behavior as well. If management does participate, the company is teaching employees that stealing company time is acceptable.

Social domain in technology alters and redefines ethics. How much information is private if the information is cast out into the World Wide Web? When should a company become concerned over information that is "overlapping and mutually inclusive?" (Stanford, 2005).

Some companies are currently refusing to hire people who are bloggers. Is this ethical? Does this step over the line of professionalism? If refusing to hire bloggers then what is the basis of the decision? Does the blog truly reflect the degree of the individual ability to be a professional? Does the blog represent the individual as immoral and unethical?

Should a company hire someone who is a known blogger with perhaps risqué information or pictures included in his or her blog, ethical philosophy may have to be rewritten to apply to outside public information that applies to employees. This method may seem unfair, but because technology has dictated a change is to to uphold the integrity of a company and employees.

If a company has poor ethics promoting said company could become quite difficult, especially if the company has a known reputation of being less than appealing. The turn-over rate could be high thereby, causing the company to lose money because of funds used for training purposes that do not pay-off in the end. This deficient process could affect the over-all moral in a negative way.

Ethical standards can begin at the very top of a business and trickle down to employees. The guidelines can be as mundane as the type of clothing one should wear during on the job. Consider if a woman were to wear revealing clothing to work. Imagine the kind of picture would her attire paint in the minds of men working around her? The thought is not very appealing. Imagine again, if the same woman wears the same garments around other women. What kind of thoughts would flit across their minds? This unconscious behavior could create potential issues being quite negative to filter through an office, which could bring ultimate morale down. If a company has high ethical standards in both technology and the social element of the business, one can assume and expect