Business Communication in

Ethical Context
Presented by

Abdul Hameed
Sarfraz Khan
MBA- I Sec: A

Institute Of Business and Technology, Karachi

What is Ethics?
Ethics……
♦ The application of general ethical concepts
to the unique situations confronted in
business. It asks what is right or wrong
behavior in business and what principles or
rules can be used as guidance in business
situations.
Ethics As a Communication Issue
♦ We don’t only transfer words
INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL ETHICS

♦ People
♦ Culture
♦ Philosophy
♦ Law
♦ Religion
INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL ETHICS

PEOPLE

♦ Family

♦ Friends

♦ Teachers
INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL ETHICS

Culture
♦ Myths
♦ Stories
♦ Legends
INFLUENCES ON PERSONAL ETHICS

Philosophy
♦ Descriptive Ethics

♦ Normative Ethics
 Theologism Teleology

The 4
Concepts of
Ethics
Utilitarianism Deontologism
Philosophy……
Theologism
♦ A moral Perspective that attempt to pattern
actions according God’s Will

“what would God have me do in this Situation?”

Philosophy……
Deontology
♦ Derived from the Greek word for Duty
♦ Actions are not justified by their
consequences. Factors other than good
outcomes determine the rightness of actions

“ They believe that you should always tell

truth”
Philosophy…….
Teleology
♦ Consequence driven approach

“They believe that the singular duty is to

maximize good consequences”
Philosophy…..
Utilitarianism
♦ The morality of an action can be determined
by its consequences
♦ An action is ethical if it promotes the
greatest good for the greatest number
Philosophy……
Example:
A deranged Gunman is holding five people
hostage at gunpoint in a lobby of bank. He
asks if any other customers or employees
are in bank you know that three customers
escaped to backroom along teller. Do you
tell them truth?
Deontologism
♦ Derived from the Greek word for Duty
♦ Actions are not justified by their
consequences. Factors other than good
outcomes determine the rightness of actions
Communication & Ethical Issues
♦ Legal Issue
♦ Key Area For Ethical Communication
-Personal Written and Spoken message
-Cross-Cultural Messages
-Advertising Message
♦ Ethics and organizational resposibility
-Formal V/S Informal ways of Comm.
Communication & Ethical Issues……….

Legal Issues
♦ Defamation and privacy
-An employees personal
Disabilities
-An employees personal
identity and private facts
-An employees Records,
Reports, Letters,
Electronic Data
♦ Discrimination and
Harassment
♦ Plagiarism
♦ Copyrighting
Key Area for Ethical communication
Personal written and spoken Messages

1. Message Purpose
2. Research methods
3. Selection Material
4. Development of ideas
5. Use of language
6. Ethical context
7. Self-analysis
Key Area for Ethical communication
Cross-Cultural Messages
1. Cultural context
2. Misunderstandings
3. Language
4. Accountability
Key Area for Ethical communication
Advertising Messages
1. Language
2. Graphics/print
3. Omission
4. Truth
5. Accountability
Ethics & Organizational Responsibility

Formal Communication
♦ Public messages
♦ Employees manuals and policy statements
♦ Mission statement and ethical codes

Informal Communication
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!