College of San Mateo Evaluation of Walmart’s Ethical Codes Paper
EVALUATE A CODE OF ETHICS
Choose a code of ethics. It should be for a profession, such as journalism, game development or law enforcement OR for a specific workplace, such as Apple, Uber, or Google. Download it or save as a digital file so you can turn it in with this assignment. Read through the code and answer the questions below to evaluate how effective you think the code is.
It is now a standard practice for public organizations and businesses to create a code of ethics.
First, it should identify the core values of the profession or workplace. Secondly. it helps to establish the self-identity of a profession or workplace and the members. Thirdly, it provides a set of guidelines for how its members treat one another and the public they serve.
A code of ethics provides a general framework and not a specific set of values. It is important for a profession to evaluate its code of ethics in order to see if it is actually working or it needs to be revised.
QUESTIONS
- What profession/organization is the code for? Does the code of ethics establish a set of standards or values for the profession? Where is this in the code?
2. Ask yourself if it works. In addition to setting an ethical standard, 1) does the code of ethics define acceptable and unacceptable behavior; 2) does it provide a sense of identity for its members and 3) provide members with tools to deal with ethical conflicts? Identify which parts of the code address these 3 areas.
3. Does it instill a sense of trust and confidence from the public? In addition to serving the organization itself an ethical code is meant to instill a sense of confidence in the public it serves. For example, medical patients have the right to expect that the medical profession will treat them with dignity and that this will be part of its ethical code. Furthermore, a patient has the right to assume that the medical profession will punish doctors who act unethically. Does the code instill confidence in the public? Explain.
4. Evaluate its enforceability. In order for a code of ethics to work in practice there must be a way of implementing it. Are its values and principles observable in its policies and practices? Where in the code does it address enforcement?
5. Does the code mention any punishment for violation? Describe.
6. Determine if it is revisable or not (it should be a “living” document). The code of ethics must have a way of evaluating it. In practice this means there must be a group who has the power and authority to undertake this task to change and update the code. Does the code of ethics name this group? This may involve various segments who represent different aspects and interests of the profession.
7. If you were going to develop a personal-professional code of ethics, what parts of this code would you keep for your own career? What else would you exclude, change, or add?
There are two example papers from prior students posted on Canvas.
Submit the Code of Ethics and your answers to Canvas.
