Code of Ethics: Improving and Implementing Ethical Standards in an IT Firm

This document discusses the process of developing and implementing a code of ethics in an IT firm. It covers areas for improvement, such as behavior among employees and communication issues. It also explores the steps involved in developing an ethics code and the importance of confidentiality, professionalism, and teamwork. The document provides insights into grievance procedures, communication methods, and ways to ensure all employees have read and understood the new code of ethics.

Code of Ethics

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Part 1.......................................................................................................................................1
Improvement in code of ethics......................................................................................1
Process of developing an ethics code............................................................................2
What can be included in code of ethics.........................................................................2
Part 2.......................................................................................................................................3
Part 3.......................................................................................................................................4
Grievance procedure in the code of ethics....................................................................4
Part 4.......................................................................................................................................4
People to send the new policy.......................................................................................4
Communication methods to share the code of ethics to stakeholders...........................5
Part 5.......................................................................................................................................5
Email to all employees..................................................................................................5
Part 6.......................................................................................................................................6
Assurance that all employees have read the new code of ethics...................................6
Grievance procedure implementation...........................................................................6
Implementation and feedback of new grievance procedure..........................................6
Part 7.......................................................................................................................................7
Methods to perform checks to see if the ethics code is working..................................7
Management team.........................................................................................................7
Finance Team................................................................................................................8
Sales people...................................................................................................................8
IT specialist and consultants.........................................................................................9
Client support call centre operators..............................................................................9
Administration staff....................................................................................................10
Part 8.....................................................................................................................................10
Interview questions to internal stakeholders...............................................................10

Interview questions to external stakeholders..............................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
References:.....................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Code of ethics can be defined as the codes that signifies the difference between right and
wrong doings in an organization. This is not related to any law or legal issues but it is related to
the moral values and behaviour of the person that they must follow while working in an
organization. Different companies follows various codes of ethics that are important for the
employees to follow and if in any case they are not following the same then that employee are
penalised in many ways like demotion, firing and any fee to paid for the loss in an organization.
These are considered as the laws which are made by the companies itself to maintain the
discipline in the firm (Alfaro, 2018). The following discussions are made on code of ethics to an
IT firm and how it can be updated and what procedures they must follow to apply and moreover,
checking that they are successfully being implemented or not.
MAIN BODY
Part 1
Improvement in code of ethics
Behaviour among employees: organization is missing the appropriate behaviour between
employers and employees and among employees as well.
Attending the customers politely: Talking with the customers in a proper manner is missing in
the company.
Data breaches: There is a chances of leaking of data due to missing of confidentiality issue.
Security and privacy: Company is low in it’s privacy and security of their data and
information.
Misusing of authority: The person who is having the authority to access such highly private
data can easily misuse it.
Proper communication chain: The company is missing in it’s communication level between
top, middle and lower management (Andrade, Hanza and Xara-Brasil, 2017).
Professionalism: There is low professionalism in a firm in terms of work, dressing or in
communicating with someone.
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Competition among employees: Although competition is good among the employees because
it leads to the generation of new ideas and efficiency in working. But extreme competition can
result in spoiling up the relationship between them.
Team work: Company is lacking in it’s team work, there individualism more than the team
work.
Process of developing an ethics code
Step 1: Build a team to develop the code of ethics
It is the first step in the process of developing the ethics code. Initially it is essential to build up
the skilled team of workforce that must have a good knowledge about the ethics in the company
and have an ability to develop the same.
Step 2: Draft the code of ethics
Next step includes the drafting the appropriate code of ethics. Company must ensure that the
code that they are drafting must relate to the firm's norms, they should not contradict to each.
They must be accepted by the employers as well as the employees.
Step 3: Collect feedback
After drafting such code, it is important to receive the feedback for the same from all the
employees in an organization, so that they can also share their views accordingly in the code of
ethics, sharing ideas can help the team to build the code in a more effective manner (Bielan and
Sobieraj, 2018).
Step 4: Review, revise and finalise
After receiving all the feedbacks in improvement of the code, it is necessary to review, revise
and finalize the code of ethics after performing the necessary improvements or up-gradation in
the code so that final code bring the actual positive change in an organization.
What can be included in code of ethics.
Confidentiality: This can be included by improving the data breaches part, security and
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privacy part and misusing of authority part.
Professionalism: This can be included by improving the behaviour among employees, by
attending the customers politely, by applying proper communication chain in a firm, by
controlling the competition among employees and by maintain the team work in a company.
Part 2
Company vision and mission statement Provide IT solutions for various clients.
Principles Their ethical principles are to do the best they
can with the information they have.
Values At Reconstruction IT Solutions they value
honesty, transparency and respectful
interactions with their clients and stakeholders.
All employees at Reconstruction IT Solutions
are required to uphold and advance the honour,
dignity and effectiveness of being a
professional.
This entails, in addition to being a good citizen
and acting within the law, adherence to the
ethical codes of practice.
Ethical codes of practice Act with integrity, competence, diligence,
respect and in an ethical manner with the
public, clients, prospective clients, employers,
employees, colleagues in the IT industry.
Complaints and grievance procedure If clients are concerned that they have not
complied with their legal rights or they have
not complied with our ethical code of conduct,
clients may bring a complaint internally
through our complaints process.
If clients need further assistance or would like
to make a comment, they can contact the
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company in a number of ways (Santosuosso,
2019).
Part 3
Grievance procedure in the code of ethics
Grievance procedure is defined as the stating the problems by the employees to their employers
and top management in a formal or professional manner. There are various steps to accomplish
such process in a successful manner with proper feedback having solutions in it. First step
includes the ways or options to put up the grievance in front of the top management which
means there are lot of ways, either formal like emailing, filling form or through any company
developed software or informal like in emergency through direct meeting or communicating the
problems with the seniors. Second step includes raising the problem through the way which was
finalised in step one that what manner the company needs to adopt to collect the problems from
the employees. Third step includes the response to the problems which was stated in second
step either formally or informally. Fourth step includes the conducting of the meeting after
receiving the problems from the staff. Fifth step includes the decision making of the problems
stated and making an outcome for the same. Sixth step includes the handling the staff with their
solutions that they has made for their problems and making them convince for the same. These
were the steps of grievance procedure to follow in an organization (Boddington, 2017).
Part 4
People to send the new policy
Suppliers: People who supplies raw materials to the firm
Government: People who handles the political and legal issues
Communities: People in the society must know the ethics that the company is following
Board of directors: People who are leading the company
Employees: People who are at operational level
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Employers: People who are at managerial level
Communication methods to share the code of ethics to stakeholders
Written Communication: This is done through the notices, memos, reports, bulletins, emails
and many more company wants to adopt as a more convenient manner. Procedure for the same
will be, drafting the written letterhead and circulate in an organization.
Verbal Communication: It can be done through the announcements, power point presentation,
and by circulating the message either by formally or informally. Procedure for the same is,
preparing that it can be verbally delivered to the people and delivering that in a positive manner
(De Los Reyes Jr, Kim and Weaver, 2017).
Part 5
Email to all employees
From IT solutions company
To all the employees
Subject: Code of ethics
This is to inform to all the members of an organization that this mail is related to the updated
code of ethics that are being implemented in some time after the approval of the staff members.
It is important have your approval because you are the most important asset of the firm which
are responsible for the productivity of the firm. So approval is highly required from you all. The
following changes are being developed in a firm: More of formal communication is being
imposed on every one either employers or employees for the consistency in work, less access
given to the person who has high authority on data for more protection of it, more of team
activities are to be conducted on a frequent basis for stronger relationships and more maintain
of professionalism among each and every employee in an organization. If these are not followed
than that person will be penalised with some amount. These all changes are basically to
maintain the discipline and harmony in the company. Need your acknowledgement as soon as
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possible (SAYGILI and ÖZTÜRKOĞLU, 2017).
Thank and regards.
Part 6
Assurance that all employees have read the new code of ethics
Interviewing: People who made such ethics can interview the other people by asking some
questions about the code of ethics.
Testing: This can also be the method that test question must be prepared for the people and
they have to answer them accordingly.
Grievance procedure implementation
Implementation of grievance can be done through many ways like developing online queries
form through website, at organization at a particular time period employees can put up their
problems. Through mail they can receive grievances and sort them out in a particular manner.
Receiving and giving feedback to the grievances are important and more important is that how
they are communicating with all the problems and sorting of it. That is why initiation of new
methods are developed in an organization so that the grievances can be sorted out in a more
effective and satisfactory manner. Therefore, these all the procedures and methods that a
company can adopt to tackle such grievances (Ganesan and Thambusamy, 2020).
Implementation and feedback of new grievance procedure
Formal Approach: It is the approach related to the professional way of communicating on any
topic in a firm. This is majorly based on grievance handling. This approach has benefits and
demerits as well. It’s merits includes that it is clear and it contain reliability, availability for
future reference, it saves time, money and energy, management can be in control by adopting
such approach and less personal feelings and more professional ones. Demerits includes that it
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has more authorities and dominance power from top level management to their subordinates, it
contains rigidity, less satisfaction among employees and lack of new ideas and initiatives.
Informal approach: It is the approach related to the casual or personal way of communicating
on any topic in a firm. Grievance handling can also be tackled through this approach. It’s
benefits includes that it is an alternative systems to tackle the problems in an organization, it
contains good interpretation level among employees, it increases both efficiency and
effectiveness, it improves relationships between employees and employers, it assist in providing
recommendations to any person who are in need in any form, it also helps in measuring the
reactions and making the solutions to the problems in the firm. It’s demerits includes distortion,
secrecy lacking, increment of rumour and misunderstanding (Gottardello and Pàmies, 2019).
Part 7
Methods to perform checks to see if the ethics code is working
Behaviour of the employees: It can be one factor that how the employees are behaving in an
organization regarding the new ethics and what are there feedbacks about it.
Analysing the business environment: It can be the another factor that observing the business
environment internally and externally can help to check the working of code of ethics.
Relationship between employees and employers: It can be the effective methods because
relationship can depict the code of ethics are working or not.
Management team
Explain breach
Yes it is a breach because just because manager has received the bottle of Champaign from the
supplier, that doesn’t mean that they will recommend that supplier only over others, it is
important to recognize that which one can be the most appropriate one, which is not identified
by the manager s it is clearly a breach.
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Response to the breach
Keep an eye watch to that manager and the supplier.
Manager must be penalised for this breach.
Authority of manager can be given to another more responsible person (Hachigian, 2020).
Finance Team
Explain breach
Yes it a breach because no one in an organization can announce the salary of any employee
even when that employee is misbehaving or something. This can be the against the code of
ethics of the company. Firstly, finance member cannot speak loudly because it important to
maintain the decorum of the company and secondly, announcing the salary is another
misconduct of ethics.
Response to the breach
Strict rules to maintain the discipline and decorum in an organization.
Announcing salary can be punishable for anyone who does this.
If anyone breaks it out that they must be penalised.
Sales people
Explain breach
Yes it is a breach because it is a wrong practice if the sales person, they should not do this kind
of misusing of such an internet usage and technical things. Customer satisfaction is on the
priority for the company but due such people they lacks in such function which ultimately leads
to the negative impact on the business image.
Response to the breach
That person must be penalised.
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Demotion can be the option.
Giving that person a less facilities than others for some time.
IT specialist and consultants
Explain breach
Yes it is a breach for the firm because it can be a part of legality also that at a same time, one
person cannot perform two employments. And if they are doing so than they must take care that
their another employment must not be harmed in any way. Stealing the clients from one
employment to another of personal business is highly an ethical issue (Ibiricu and van der
Made, 2020).
Response to the breach
Firing of that person.
Registering the case against him.
Can take the amount for such a drastic issue.
Client support call centre operators
Explain breach
Yes it is a breach for an organization because it is important for an employee to carry out their
responsibilities on time even if it is at the last minute, they cannot deny. So it is considered as a
breach in the code of ethics because that employee is not at all following the same, not serving
the customers as promised.
Response to the breach
If anyone leaves the office before time without completing the task than they must penalised.
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Solving customers queries must be the first priority for an employee otherwise that employee
can get demotion in an organization.
Records must be maintained for solving the queries so that it can be analysed that who has
solves how many and accordingly they can get their incentives (Kaptein, 2017).
Administration staff
Explain breach
Yes it is a breach because it is totally unethical to post something publicly which is to be
maintained as private information. This must be kept as secret in an organization itself. Public
posting may lead to the leakage of data and information as well.
Response to the breach
Administration staff must be suspended for some time.
They can penalised for such a wrong practice.
Warning them that it should not happen again otherwise they can be fired from the company
(Luetge, 2017).
Part 8
Interview questions to internal stakeholders
What do you think how much beneficial the code of ethics is for you and for an organization?
What can be the negative impact of such implementation of code of ethics?
How you personally think an overall impact on an organization? (Peppas, Yu, Zhang and
Peppas, 2017)
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Interview questions to external stakeholders
How this code of ethics can benefit the external environment?
How this can be a demerit for the different external factors?
What are your personal opinion about such code of ethics to be implemented? (Park, 2020)
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that code of ethics is equally important as other rules, regulations, norms
and policies of an organization. Because these are ones who maintain the decorum, discipline
and harmony in an organization either internally or externally of the company. It helps the firm
in performing their operations well and assist in maintaining their long term customer and
employee relationship. Moreover, it also affects the number of sales and revenue generations in a
firm with good brand image and reputation. This report covers the outline of existing and
updated code of ethics in an organization, process of formulation of it and how it can be executed
to the external and internal stakeholders of the company and taking care that updated code of
ethics is actually working or not with examples based on various situations.
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References:
Books and Journals
Alfaro, Y., 2018. Effect of Business Ethics for Business Success. Talent Development &
Excellence. 10(2).
Andrade, J., Hanza, K. and Xara-Brasil, D., 2017. Business ethics: international analysis of codes
of ethics and conduct. Revista Brasileira de Marketing, pp.1-15.
Bielan, A. and Sobieraj, M., 2018. Issues Related to the Flow of Receivables and Liabilities
versus Code of Ethics in Business in Shared Service Centres Exemplified with a Case
Study. Ekonomiczne Problemy Usług, 133, pp.71-83.
Boddington, P., 2017. Towards a code of ethics for artificial intelligence (pp. 27-37). Cham:
Springer.
De Los Reyes Jr, G., Kim, T.W. and Weaver, G.R., 2017. Teaching ethics in business schools: A
conversation on disciplinary differences, academic provincialism, and the case for
integrated pedagogy. Academy of Management Learning & Education. 16(2). pp.314-
336.
Ganesan, R.S. and Thambusamy, R.X., 2020. Ethics in Business: A Case Study of a
Pharmaceutical Company. The European Journal of Social & Behavioural
Sciences. 28(2). pp.3144-3149.
Gottardello, D. and Pàmies, M.D.M., 2019. Business school professors’ perception of ethics in
education in Europe. Sustainability. 11(3). p.608.
Hachigian, H., 2020. Review of The Code of Capital: How the Law Creates Wealth and
Inequality by Katharina Pistor.
Ibiricu, B. and van der Made, M.L., 2020. Ethics by design: a code of ethics for the digital
age. Records Management Journal.
Kaptein, M., 2017. The living code: Embedding ethics into the corporate DNA. Routledge.
Luetge, C., 2017. The German ethics code for automated and connected driving. Philosophy &
Technology. 30(4). pp.547-558.
Park, S., 2020. Ethics in Business (Vol. 2). Seohee Academy.
Peppas, S.C., Yu, T.T., Zhang, M.M. and Peppas, S.R., 2017. Student perceptions of codes of
ethics: a three-country comparison. International Journal of Economics and Business
Research. 13(1). pp.43-56.
Santosuosso, P.I.E.R.L.U.I.G.I., 2019. Code of ethics versus annual report: Analysis of
environmental disclosures. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics, 16,
p.239.
SAYGILI, E.E. and ÖZTÜRKOĞLU, Y., 2017. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY ISSUES IN CODE OF ETHICS. World of Accounting
Science. 19(2).
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