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Characteristics Of A Code Of Ethics

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Characteristics of a code of ethics
INTRODUCTION
• This paper focuses on the characteristics of a code of ethics.
• However, to understand these characteristics we first must understand what ethics is all about as well as the importance of ethics and a code of ethics.
• Most organizations believe that their employees are ethical so they do not need to pay attention to Ethics and or have codes of ethics.
• This is however a false assumption because you do not know if your employees are ethical. This is because principles are relative and vary from each person to the other.
• Another common belief is that ethics cannot be managed and that managing business ethics in the workplace has little to no practical relevance.
• This is once again a …show more content…

• Ethics is all about conduct and character rather than objects so it is different from aesthetics.
Qualitative characteristics of a code of ethics
• As mentioned earlier, the qualitative characteristics of a code of ethics are comprehensiveness, clarity and enforceability.
Clarity
• Clarity refers to lack of ambiguity, doubt and or vagueness.
• Ambiguity is the doubtfulness, inexactness or uncertainty of meaning or intention.
• In order for a document to have clarity, when writing it you must ensure that it is understandable, specific, honest and concise.
• If a code of ethics is clear, then it is easy to keep within the conduct that is deemed proper and ethical and any conduct that is contrary to the code becomes an obvious violation and is considered to be unethical.
Comprehensiveness
• This means that the code of ethics should cover virtually any conduct.
• This is a necessary characteristic though it sounds unreasonably broad.
• It is necessary because of the idea that one would conform to the spirit as opposed to the letter of the law.
• An employee of an organization cannot be punished for breaking rules which are not

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