Workshop One – 1.4 Dropbox

Ethical Decisions Using the FAIR Test

Introduction and Alignment

Does the term “business ethics” make you
cringe? Or, do you believe that communicating ethically at work should be easy?
In this assignment you will explore ethics in business communications.

Upon completion of this assignment you should be
able to:

•Analyze how ethics and relationships tie into
credibility and business communication.

Resources

•Textbook: Business Communication: Developing
Leaders for a Networked World

•Video: Ethical Communication.

Background Information

So far in this workshop you have examined the
importance of establishing credibility and building trust with others. You have
also explored the code of conduct and mission statements created by companies
to help ensure that everyone understands the expectations of behavior. As
mentioned previously, no matter the job description, you will eventually face
some sort of ethical dilemma at work. Knowing how to respond to the situation
depends on your personal ethics and your employer’s code of conduct and mission
statement.

For communications to be ethical, they must include
all relevant information, be true in every sense, and not be deceptive in any
way. In this assignment, you will apply the “FAIR Test” of Ethical
Business Communication described in your textbook.

Instructions

1. In your textbook, Business Communication:
Developing Leaders for a Networked World, review Chapter 1, “Establishing
Credibility.”

a.Pay particular attention to the section that
begins with “Business Ethics” and includes the section “Fairness
in Business Communications.”

2.View the video Ethical Communication.

a.As you view the video, think about the following
questions:

i.Would you ever consider compromising your ethics
for self-gain? If so, under what
circumstances? If not, why?

ii.What are some of the risks involved when you
choose to act in an unethical manner?

iii.How can you be an effective business
communicator without credibility?

3.Write a one- to two-page outline demonstrating
clear, insightful critical thinking in response to the following prompts:

a.Consider a recent type of communication that you
were involved in, observed, or heard about. This could be in the form of a
written business communication such as an email, internal office memo, or press
release. It could also concern a verbal type of communication, such as a
conversation with a colleague or a discussion that took place in a business
meeting.

i.If possible, choose a communication that occurred
in the workplace and that involved a challenging ethical problem.

b.Use the format outlined in the following table to
complete this assignment:

1. Describe the specific situation, including the
ethical problem.

2. Analyze the communication using the FAIR Test of
Ethical Business Communication (refer to Figure 1.5 in the textbook for more
information).

i. Facts: How factual was the communication?

ii. Access: How accessible or transparent were the
motives, reasoning, and information?

iii. Impacts: How did the communication impact
stakeholders?

iv. Respect: How respectful was the communication?

C.Ensure that your outline
uses correct grammar and spelling, and that any sources use correct citation.

4.Your outline could reveal certain confidential
information about your personal or business life. If you are uncomfortable sharing certain
information, you can change the names of people or businesses to protect the
innocent (or the guilty as the case may be).
This does not give you artistic license to write fiction, it just means
that you can change names if you are uncomfortable writing about people and
situations you deal with every day.

5.When you have completed your assignment, save a
copy for yourself and submit a copy to your instructor using the Dropbox by the
end of the workshop