Ethics in corporate training
Submitted by infojunkie on Thu, 2006-06-08 10:24.
Any process carried out by more than one human is a social process. One could make the observation that organically, every social process has evolved ethics surrounding the activities of the process. Ethics have the role of lubricating the process and ensuring better overall human benefit. Here are some examples in no particular order:
1. Netiquette
2. Craftsmanship
3. The Hippocratic Oath
(In my opinion, these examples are manifestations of ethics, in specific socio-professional settings).
Now since ethics play such an obviously important role in ensuring process quality, why aren't they an indivisible part of corporate training?
Quick Follow Up...
Sorry, just a quick note.
The hippocratic oath is probably the most betrayed oath in mankinds troubled history, unless, perhaps you live in Cuba. In the US, for instance - most hospitals won't even admit somebody who isn't covered by insurance.
More locally, I've seen 'mental institutions' in Egypt first-hand, and if there's one thing I noticed, is the predominance of psychiatrists, and the scarcity of psychologists. They are basically run like very, very expensive hotels. And the profit motive still looms large. The simple fact is - that if the patients DO get better, then the institutes have more vacant rooms, more vacant rooms lead to less paying customers.
What they do, therefore - and they will no doubt consider what I am now going to say slanderous - is they keep their patients doped...down...on tranquilizers (which one Dr. had the GALL to call 'thought enhancing drugs' - until I cornered him into admitting they were basicaly tranquilizers). Now - it is my assumption, and you may agree, that the brain is naturally a problem-solving mechanism, people left to their own devices, will TRY to get better. All the tranqs actually do is SLOW THAT PROCESS down - often to a crawl. Couples with the ridiculous lack of empathy AND sympathy displayed by the psychiatrists (something which again I've seen first-hand) - the patients are likely to get worse, not better. Result? More full room, more profit, and with any luck, a new wing to be filled with more hapless patients with hardly dangerous but somewhat quirky ailments, sent in by wealthy families who'd rather not tolerate their presence or the shame they assume it to bring.
Hmm...looking at the preview, not as quick a note as I'd supposed.
Profit Motives...
Surely you already know the answer to that question.
As countless companies and corporations have noticed, ethics are often counter to profit, and since most businesses ask 'What is good for business?' - and not - as Kenneth Burke suggested they should 'What is Business good for?' - then the answer is self-evident.
I was making the exact
I was making the exact opposite of that point in my entry. My thesis is that ethics are actually good for business, but that the craze for profit we are experiencing is what's in conflict with ethics. Business and the pursuit of profit are the same kind of synonyms as anti-zionism and anti-semitism.