Research and locate the Code of Ethics for your field of interest. Provide a brief summary of the code.

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State the category: corporate, professional, or government/public service. Support the identification of the category by citing the Ethics textbook.

State the ethical level: basic, currently attainable, practical, or theoretical. Support the identification of the level by citing the Ethics textbook. Use your own words.

Reflection 

Reflect on your code of ethics. Discuss how gaining this knowledge can or has helped you in your life and/or your career.

You may want to share your reaction to the Code of Ethics. What was something that surprised you, or that you found interesting?  Is there something you agree with, or something that should be changed? Would this code be easy or hard to follow?

  

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1. The basic level represents behavior within the letter of the law. At this level there is no concerted effort to comply with the spirit of the law, thus producing the "loophole mentality," in which the person is more often concerned with getting around the rules than in doing the right thing. An example might be a code of ethics for a chemical company stating that its employees will not dump any more than the legal limit of a dangerous pesticide into a nearby river. 2. The currently attainable level represents the behavior normally exhibited by individuals. This behavior is socially acceptable, but not particularly praiseworthy, since reaching it does not require much effort. For example, a repair company might develop and advertise policies such as, "We will not cheat our customers," or "Employees shall not curse at the customers." Levels of Codes of Ethics Theoretical Practical Currently attainable Page 4 Basic 3. The practical level represents behavior that can be achieved the majority of the time through diligent effort. In its early days, the J.C. Penney Corporation was known across America as the "Golden Rule Company." The company's foundational principle was that its employees would treat customers as the employees themselves would wish to be treated. Such a policy represents an admirable goal, and it can be argued that most people could conceivably meet this standard most of the time if they tried earnestly. 4. The theoretical level represents the ethical ideal. This level is virtually impossible to attain consistently, but represents "the highest potential towards which society should continually strive." For example, the hypothetical Lincoln Construction Company wants to develop a reputation in the community for dealing with its clients honestly. To do so, it could develop a code of ethics requiring absolute honesty and integrity. The company might even begin to advertise that "all of our employees are as honest as ol' Abe Lincoln ever was"; or "we would walk two miles to return your penny." While these statements may sound admirable at first, standards this high can eventually become meaningless. They can never truly be achieved; therefore, they cannot be enforced. 1. The basic level represents behavior within the letter of the law. At this level there is no concerted effort to comply with the spirit of the law, thus producing the "loophole mentality," in which the person is more often concerned with getting around the rules than in doing the right thing. An example might be a code of ethics for a chemical company stating that its employees will not dump any more than the legal limit of a dangerous pesticide into a nearby river. 2. The currently attainable level represents the behavior normally exhibited by individuals. This behavior is socially acceptable, but not particularly praiseworthy, since reaching it does not require much effort. For example, a repair company might develop and advertise policies such as, "We will not cheat our customers," or "Employees shall not curse at the customers." Levels of Codes of Ethics Theoretical Practical Currently attainable Page 4 Basic 3. The practical level represents behavior that can be achieved the majority of the time through diligent effort. In its early days, the J.C. Penney Corporation was known across America as the "Golden Rule Company." The company's foundational principle was that its employees would treat customers as the employees themselves would wish to be treated. Such a policy represents an admirable goal, and it can be argued that most people could conceivably meet this standard most of the time if they tried earnestly. 4. The theoretical level represents the ethical ideal. This level is virtually impossible to attain consistently, but represents "the highest potential towards which society should continually strive." For example, the hypothetical Lincoln Construction Company wants to develop a reputation in the community for dealing with its clients honestly. To do so, it could develop a code of ethics requiring absolute honesty and integrity. The company might even begin to advertise that "all of our employees are as honest as ol' Abe Lincoln ever was"; or "we would walk two miles to return your penny." While these statements may sound admirable at first, standards this high can eventually become meaningless. They can never truly be achieved; therefore, they cannot be enforced.

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