If recent surveys of ethical practice\u00a0in the workplace are any indication\u00a0it seems that we as professional people must be on guard\u00a0all the time against undue influences.<\/p>\n
This occurred to me a few days ago when I read\u00a0two recent posting by Chris MacDonald, a chap who blogs on business ethics.\u00a0 The postings are\u00a0entitled:<\/p>\n
I was struck by the high percentages of observed unethical behaviour in the workplace.\u00a0 For certain, some of it\u00a0quite small stuff, but, it starts there.\u00a0 Ask some of our politicians and captains of industry.<\/p>\n
In the one posting, Chris reports, \u201cA new study of ethics in Canadian workplaces suggests\u00a0that 42% of workers have witnessed ethical breaches in the workplace, and nearly half of them failed to report such misconduct\u201d.\u00a0 He\u00a0goes on to argue that it\u00a0may be\u00a0higher.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0Chris\u2019 second posting, he reports on\u00a0the findings of a world wide survey of corruption in 107 countries.\u00a0 Why worry about what is going on in all these countries, you say?\u00a0 Well, Canada is one of the countries.\u00a0 Guess what percentage of Canadians think the following institutions are either corrupt or very corrupt?:<\/p>\n
Interesting, eh?<\/p>\n
If this perception of Canadians is only partially true, and extends to other segments of our society, it\u2019s a toxic place we be in as far as ethics\u00a0are concerned.<\/p>\n
How is it possible to practice ethically with so much mischief about?\u00a0 Continue to\u00a0stand guard as most of us have in the past.<\/p>\n
How does this relate to forensic engineering investigation?\u00a0 Well, I\u2019ve been asked in the past to write a forensic\u00a0report that supported an\u00a0argument \u2013 I didn\u2019t.\u00a0\u00a0And,\u00a0I was\u00a0asked recently to investigate a problem\u00a0and \u201c\u2026show that we are right\u201d \u2013 I explained that\u2019s not how it\u00a0works, that the justice systems requires\u00a0us to be thorough, reliable, and objective.\u00a0 The person\u00a0accepted that,\u00a0a little embarrassingly – they just didn\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n
For the rest of Chris\u2019 postings \u2013 they\u2019re\u00a0a good read, and they remind us to be\u00a0on guard:<\/p>\n
On ethics in the workplace:<\/strong><\/p>\n For the rest of this item, visit \u2026\u00a0http:\/\/www.canadianbusiness.com\/blogs-and-comment\/do-you-report-unethical-workplace-behaviour-chris-macdonald\/<\/a><\/p>\n On corruption in the world, including Canada:<\/strong><\/p>\n For the rest of this item, visit \u2026\u00a0http:\/\/www.canadianbusiness.com\/blogs-and-comment\/the-state-of-global-corruption-chris-macdonald\/<\/a><\/p>\n I introduced you to Chris\u2019 blog last April in a posting of my own at:<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.ericjorden.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/04\/most-influential-business-ethics-blog-chris-macdonald-ph-d-blogger\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If recent surveys of ethical practice\u00a0in the workplace are any indication\u00a0it seems that we as professional people must be on guard\u00a0all the time against undue influences. This occurred to me a few days ago when I read\u00a0two recent posting by … Continue reading