Communication Ethics Research Articles

Response\u2014A Critical Response to \u201cDiscourse Communities and the Discourse of Experience\u201d

In their article Little, Jordens, and Sayers developed the notion of “discourse communities”—as groups of people who share an ideology and common “language”—with the support of seminal ideas from M.M. Bakhtin. Such communities provide benefits although they may also impose constraints. An ethical community would open to others’ discourse and be committed to critique. Those commitments may counter the limitations of discourse communities. Since their paper was published in 2003, the notion of “discourse communities” has been widely adopted and applied in healthcare and beyond. Their ideas were influential in the founding of an ethics centre in Sydney and contributed to articulating the values which underpin this journal. This commentary notes that an ethical community is fragile in responding to current onslaughts on truth and meaning—potencies inherent in discourse communities. The essay takes Bakhtin’s ideas further to explore intrinsic forces at play in dialogue, language, and art. This leads to discussing the centrality of ethics in Bakhtin’s thought. For him, the essence of discourse is a dialogic exchange which comprises both art and ethics. It is art in that self and other are created in the exchange. It is ethical in that “I” am answerable to the other, as a phenomenological reality, in the moment of intersubjectivity.

Discourse Communities and the Discourse of Experience.

Discourse communities are groups of people who share common ideologies, and common ways of speaking about things. They can be sharply or loosely defined. We are each members of multiple discourse communities. Discourse can colonize the members of discourse communities, taking over domains of thought by means of ideology. The development of new discourse communities can serve positive ends, but discourse communities create risks as well. In our own work on the narratives of people with interests in health care, for example, we find that patients speak of their illness experiences as victims of circumstance; policy makers construct adverse experiences and challenges as opportunities to be taken; health care workers speak from a mixed perspective, seeing themselves as both victims and opportunists depending on context. To be trapped within the discourse of a particular community is to put at risk the ability to communicate across discourses. Membership of a discourse community can impair the habit of critique, and deny opportunities for heteroglossic discourse. Privileging critique as a mode of discourse perhaps might define the ethical community, suggesting that ethical community may be an antidote to the constraining effects of conventional discourse community.

Ethical challenges in an evolving digital communication era: coping resources and ethics trainings in corporate communications

PurposeThis study is motivated to investigate the ethical challenges facing public relations professionals in today's digital communication environment. Specifically, the authors focused the research on the new ethical challenges in digital practice, the resources relied on when encountering ethical challenges and public relations professionals' efforts in seeking trainings on communication ethics.Design/methodology/approachAn international online survey was designed and conducted in Canada and the USA. The final sample includes 1,046 respondents working full time in the profession of public relations and communication. In addition, the authors prespecified several demographic quotas in sampling design in order to recruit a more representative sample.FindingsThe research found nearly 60% of surveyed professionals reported that they faced ethical challenges in their day-to-day work, and there is a wide range of ethical challenges in digital practices. Results also revealed that professionals use various resources to deal with ethical issues. Those resources include ethical codes of practice of professional associations, ethical guidelines of their organizations and their personal values and beliefs. As common as experiencing ethical challenges, over 85% of surveyed professionals reported that they have participated in communication ethics training. However, only 30% of participants indicated that their ethics training took place in the past year.Originality/valueThe research provides solid evidence that the digital communication environment generates more ethical challenges, while it creates new ways of delivering content in corporate communications. Professional associations and organizations shall dedicate efforts in providing timely ethics training to PR professionals at all levels of leadership within and beyond corporate communications.

Personality traits and organizational leaders' communication practices in the United States: perspectives of leaders and followers

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between leaders' personality traits and their internal communication practices from the leaders' and the followers' perspectives. The effectiveness of leader communication on the followers' perceived relational quality with their organization is also tested.Design/methodology/approachTwo survey studies in the United States were conducted focusing on leaders' and followers' perspectives on communication practices, respectively.FindingsResults of Study 1 showed that leaders' self-reported extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, emotional stability and openness to experience are all significantly and positively associated with their symmetrical and transparent communication practices. From the followers' perspective (Study 2), extraversion and agreeableness positively influenced symmetrical leader communication, while agreeableness and conscientiousness were positively related to transparent leader communication. Both symmetrical and transparent leader communication enhanced the followers' perceived relationship quality with their organization.Originality/valueThe current study is among the first attempts to incorporate the trait theory of leadership in understanding organizational leaders' effective and ethical communication practices with their followers.

Sistem Komunikasi Radio Terpadu Masyarakat Mitra Polhut dan Masyarakat Peduli Api di Kawasan Gunung Merapi

Abstract Purpose: to find out the Integrated Radio Communication System potential volunteers from the community who are members of the MPP and MPA to increase their understanding of mastery of radio communication tools, ethics, and coded communication and to follow the frequency regulations set by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Methode: The community service method uses an Integrated Radio Communication System workshop and training for people who are members of the MPP and MPA on how to set up radio communication tools, using two-meter band radio communication procedures, communication ethics, and mastery of communication languages. Result: Design and installation of radio repeater Integrated Radio Communication System Workshop resulted in an understanding of the SKRT system and improved MPP and MPA capabilities. Mastery of communication tools, ethics, communication code language, and following frequency regulations set by the government. Limitations: By planning and implementing the SKRT and preparing volunteers from the community, MPP and MPA will support the main tasks and functions of the Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi for the protection and security and handling of the Mount Merapi eruption disaster. Research Contribution: Carrying out the implementation, in this case, is the Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi to plan and implement the SKRT and prepare the potential of the community to take joint responsibility for the conservation, protection, and security, and disaster response of Mount Merapi.

A network of empirical ethics teams embedded in research programmes across multiple sites: opportunities and challenges in contributing to COVID-19 research and responses

Covid-19 continues to teach the global community important lessons about preparedness for research and effective action to respond to emerging health threats. We share the COVID-19 experiences of a pre-existing cross-site ethics network-the Global Health Bioethics Network-which brings together researchers and practitioners from Africa, Europe, and South east Asia. We describe the network and its members and activities, and the work-related opportunities and challenges we faced over a one-year period during the pandemic. We highlight the value of having strong and long-term empirical ethics networks embedded across diverse research institutions to be able to: 1) identify and share relevant ethics challenges and research questions and ways of ’doing research’; 2) work with key stakeholders to identify appropriate ways to contribute to the emerging health issue response – e.g. through ethics oversight, community engagement, and advisory roles at different levels; and 3) learn from each other and from diverse contexts to advocate for positive change at multiple levels. It is our view that being both embedded and long term offers particular opportunities in terms of deep institutional and contextual knowledge and relationships with and access to a wide range of stakeholders in place. Being networked offers opportunities to draw upon a wide range of expertise and perspectives operating at multiple levels, and to bring together internal and external perspectives (i.e. different positionalities). Long term funding means that the people and resources are in place and ready to respond in a timely way. However, many tensions and challenges remain, including difficulties in negotiating power and politics regarding roles that researchers and research institutions play in an emergency, and the position of empirical ethics activities in programmes of research more specifically. We discuss some of these tensions and challenges, and consider the implications for our own and similar networks in future.

Communication ethics in distribution of information through Youtube social media (Case of teacher sexual harassment on Santriwati)

In social life, YouTube as a social media is often used to spread messages and information quickly on a large scale to its users at a relatively low cost. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe communication ethics in the use of youtube social media as a means of information media for youtube users through a geographic method approach, which is a method used to understand the culture of social media users as a safe space for youtube social media users in sharing information. Netnography is a method for investigating social media users' behavior (culture) or habits. This research is only focused on communication ethics in the use of YouTube social media as a medium for disseminating and fulfilling information for the community by raising a case about the harassment and rape of a religious teacher as well as the owner of a boarding school to his students to give birth to a baby. The problems studied were cases of harassment and rape against female students that occurred in several Islamic boarding schools that were carried out by the teacher/ustad himself.

New Academic Culture: Digital Ethics in Virtual Communication

The relevance of this research is due to the significance of the problems of compliance with ethical standards in general and the obvious need to establish common rules of communication in the virtual environment, which became the main platform for academic communication during the pandemic. It is obvious that cultural traditions often lag far behind the changes that are taking place in the field of online communication. Among modern youth, there are differences in the perception of the culture of behavior in the real vs. virtual world. The aim of this research was to analyze the content of the new concept of ‘digital ethics’ and to study the ideas of value and moral guidelines in virtual communication among students of higher education institutions. The work was based on a socio-cultural methodological approach. The main method used was an online questionnaire created in Google Forms. The respondents were students of two Russian universities. The survey was conducted in January–February 2021 on a voluntary and anonymous basis. The results of the study demonstrated an increasing interest in the problems of compliance with moral and ethical standards in digital communication. The level of digital ethics was rated as average by the respondents. Among the main factors identified that influence the ethics of a particular person’s behavior were the family, social circle, and level of education. The main recommendation for reducing violations of ethical norms in digital communication was the need for early education of children based on cultural traditions and moral foundations, while legislative initiatives of a prohibitive nature (for example, fines) did not receive adequate support from respondents. This paper provides reference points both for further in-depth research on digital ethics issues and for making concrete decisions in the academic environment.
 Keywords: digital ethics, virtual communication, culture of behavior, digital environment

PRINSIP KERJASAMA DALAM INTERAKSI ANTARA SISWA DENGAN GURU DI SMP NEGERI 2 KRIAN

Politeness is ethics in public communication, of course, having regard to the choice of words is good and right and need to know with whom and where to communicate. The researchers used a qualitative approach because this research itself aims to menjelasan and describe the use of the principle of cooperation that appear in the interaction between students and teachers in Junior High School 2 Krian. The primary data obtained directly through field surveys using all the original data collection methods. Secondary data were obtained from the data collection agencies that publish the data to the user community. This research data is speech or units of conversation between students and teachers in the Junior High School 2 Krian. Sources of data in the study is the subject of where the data can be obtained (Arikunto, 2010: 172). Source of data that students and teachers of SMP Negeri 2 Krian. Based on the findings of the data analysis of the data and found some maxims of cooperation in the interaction between students and teachers in Junior High School 2 Krian. Maksim this cooperation is based on the opinion of Grice consisting of four maxims. The maxim is a maxim (1) Quantity; (2) Quality; (3) Relevance; (4) ways or execution.

Ethical Functions of Newspaper Editorials in Nigeria’s Anticorruption Campaign

Using the three dominant frameworks of normative ethics, namely; deontology, utilitarianism, and situational ethics, this paper explores the functions of newspaper editorials in Nigeria’s anticorruption crusade. It is premised on the notion that endemic corruption is a manifestation of ingrained unethical principles that subordinate public good to private enrichment. Newspaper editorials being hallmark of ethical communication, and epitome of the moral messages of media, contribute to attenuating corrupt practices by scrutinising power and espousing norms of accountability, probity, and transparency. The paper highlights the links between ethics and rhetoric. It explores how deontology, utilitarianism, and situational ethics converge with forensic rhetoric, epideictic rhetoric, and deliberative rhetoric in editorial. It also considers the challenges militating against editorials as stimulus of ethical renewal. It ends with conclusion, and recommendations. Keywords : Editorial, Ethics, Anticorruption, Transparency, Editorial Independence, Rhetoric, Public Discourse. DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/100-05 Publication date: February 28 th 2022

Images of Artificial Intelligence: a Blind Spot in AI Ethics

This paper argues that the AI ethics has generally neglected the issues related to the science communication of AI. In particular, the article focuses on visual communication about AI and, more specifically, on the use of certain stock images in science communication about AI — in particular, those characterized by an excessive use of blue color and recurrent subjects, such as androgyne faces, half-flesh and half-circuit brains, and variations on Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam. In the first section, the author refers to a “referentialist” ethics of science communication for an ethical assessment of these images. From this perspective, these images are unethical. While the ethics of science communication generally promotes virtues like modesty and humility, similar images are arrogant and overconfident. In the second section, the author uses French philosopher Jacques Rancière’s concepts of “distribution of the sensible,” “disagreement,” and “pensive image.” Rancière’s thought paves the way to a deeper critique of these images of AI. The problem with similar images is not their lack of reference to the “things themselves.” It rather lies in the way they stifle any possible forms of disagreement about AI. However, the author argues that stock images and other popular images of AI are not a problem per se, and they can also be a resource. This depends on the real possibility for these images to support forms of pensiveness. In the conclusion, the question is asked whether the kind of ethics or politics of AI images proposed in this article can be applied to AI ethics tout court.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Biotechnology Companies: Ethical, Environmental and Physical Implications

The biotechnology sector, renowned for its groundbreaking advancements, is increasingly subject to examination regarding its ethical and environmental obligations. The present study examines the ethical and environmental aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the context of biotechnology companies. The objective is to gain a deeper understanding of how these firms can effectively integrate scientific advancements to promote societal and ecological welfare. Our comprehensive study encompasses various aspects, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ethical dilemmas, environmental impacts, stakeholder perspectives, and best practices. The study's results emphasize the importance of ethical clinical trial practices and community engagement, the frequency of ethical dilemmas associated with gene-editing technologies, and the significance of energy consumption and the ecological consequences of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Furthermore, various stakeholders, including employees and the community, perceive corporate social responsibility (CSR) as productive. This study enhances our comprehensive comprehension of the transformative capacity of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the biotechnology sector. It guides conducting responsible scientific research and deploying technology to advance societal and environmental well-being.

Information-seeking behaviour of Tanzanians in the time of COVID-19

PurposeThis study aims to investigate on access and communication of COVID-19 information among Tanzanians.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative methods were applied to identify a total of 636 respondents.FindingsResults show that the majority (86.9%) of respondents seek information on COVID-19. Gender, age, education and marital status did not influence individual’s information-seeking behaviour. Respondents largely used social media, particularly WhatsApp, to communicate. Respondents prefer blending professional and traditional information to combat COVID-19. The majority (51%) of respondents indicated that COVID-19 information was not communicated ethically. Employed people are more likely to ethically communicate information on the pandemic in social media.Practical implicationsFindings imply that novelty of the pandemic has enhanced active information-seeking behaviour. Respondents rely on multiple information sources to seek and collaboratively communicate COVID information. Employment status is associated with respondents’ information-seeking behaviour. Audio-visual sources are mostly preferred and relied in communicating information on the pandemic. Social media usage has enhanced timely and appropriate decision-making measures to tackle the COVID menace. Level of education has an influence on the use of credible sources and ethical communication of information on the pandemic. Utilization of COVID-19 preventive information was not statistically associated with socio-demographic variables. Availability of information infrastructures, particularly the internet, influences access, use and clear informed decision on prevention and treatment of COVID-19 disease.Originality/valueThe study contributes to knowledge and literature on response and preventive measures on COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries.

Ethical leadership, perceived leader–member ethical communication and organizational citizenship behavior: development and validation of a multilevel model

PurposeThis study provides a systematic testing of ethical leadership and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) by examining the underlying mechanisms of leader motivation language on ethics through which ethical leadership influences followers’ OCB at the team level.Design/methodology/approachA multilevel model was validated via with structural equation modeling (SEM) from hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) based on data collected in a Malaysian organization.FindingsThe perceived leader–member ethical communication at the team-level makes a unique contribution beyond the ethical leadership in explaining OCBs.Originality/valuePerceived leader–member ethical communication mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and OCB.

Consent. Ethics of a contractual communication

The context of this study comes from the ambiguities at the time of hospitalizations and at the time of choices for the end of life, choice made by whom and why. The methodology used is based on what has been done and what can be done. In many areas of the social sciences related to the medical sciences, work in ethics revolves around the synthesis and development of applications to examine, consider, and evaluate the phenomenology's that elicit consent. Consent is not limited to a YES and a NO. There are two kind of results: (1) the need for preliminary discussions in order to conceive the peripheral limits of this right and duty; (2) the review of the complete texts by looking closely at the vocabulary used. Discussions are difficult for the sole reason of wanting to keep these partial logics of the trades put forward with their historicity's. The consent is bilateral and must prefigure the presence of two parties, each often composed of several identities and on a fact: “Knowing the cause of things” and “Knowing the supposed results of the action”. Consent is not the conclusion of a decision or a personal will. The clearest will be to arrive at a consensus on the elements of power about the end of life, and admit that medical, jurisdiction and republican laws are not the same subject. To this are grafted the ethical elements of a life in the current of what is going to be lived as much by the persons as by the teams of caregivers.

Cyber-ethics for NGOs during Covid-19: The Eight “Ethical Variables” and a Microsocial Contract

Jürgen Habermas’ theory of communicative action and discourse ethics as a theoretical basis merges several factors that have an impact on the use of digital media by internet users. This article provides a qualitative narrative analysis of a study of five South African-based based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on their experiences with digital media and cyber-ethics during the Covid-19 pandemic. The author interviewed employers and digital media specialists from the NGOs about their experiences with the “eight ethical variables”, namely, justice, privacy, access, accuracy, truth, human dignity, regulation, and ownership of information, during the global Covid-19 (acronym for the coronavirus disease of 2019) pandemic. The article discusses how the NGOs have been affected by the increasing use of digital media. The article argues that a need exists for a framework of cyber-ethics for self-regulation purposes, to be followed by NGOs to deal with breaches of ethical conduct. Finally, the formulation of a microsocial contract based on the proposed eight ethical variables is offered. The present study contributes to media ethics literature by proposing a framework for ethical conduct for digital media use. This is of importance to internet users and may be achievable if imbedded in employee procedural policies and public policies. It is argued that in formulating appropriate ethical guidelines, Habermas’ discourse ethics should be kept in mind for an optimal microsocial contract to be attainable.

The Issue of Translation

It was plain long before the 20th century that both the act of translation and the translator’s task were quite complex: it became clear and evident during the Enlightenment, within the République des Lettres, with the emergence and gradual affirmation of national languages. In this general framework, the French translation of John Locke’s Essay concerning Humane Understanding is one of the main protagonists of the circulation of texts and ideas: Pierre Coste’s solutions follow the strategy adopted by Jean Le Clerc in his Extrait of the Essay published in the “Bibliotheque universelle et historique” in 1688 and, in primis, by Locke himself, as a theorist of communication/translation (in the Third Book of the Essay): the French translation is thus the exemplar par excellence and the embodiment of Locke’s theories of language, communication, and communicative ethics, all axed on the concepts of “agreement” and “consensual rationality.”

Zastosowanie klucza kodowego jako narzędzia analizy etyki komunikacyjnej (na podstawie dyskusji o wyborze naczelnika ZHP)

The article presents the problem of contemporary communication ethics, in the perspective of communication in the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association. The research material comes from fanpage Z24 on Facebook, therefore, the specificity of the Internet language is included in the study. On the basis of a review of the literature related to communication ethics 34 indicators of ethical language are extracted, formed in the key code. To prove the scientific value of key code in the analysis of communication ethics the content of Z24 was described from the perspective of 14 determinants. It was found that aspects of communication on the Z24 are both ethical (use of polite phrases, expressing kindness, using factual arguments and respecting communication partners as equal) and unethical (manifestations of hatred, mockery and insult, using personal arguments, vulgarizing statements). A two-fold “us-them” opposition was also identified: 1) members and people from outside the organization, and 2) people from inside the organization representing different views.

КУЛЬТУРНА ЕТИКА ДІЛОВОГО СПІЛКУВАННЯ ЯК ОСНОВА ВЗАЄМОДІЇ МІЖ ОСНОВНИМИ УЧАСНИКАМИ НА РИНКУ

The relevance of the research topic is primarily due to the development of scientific and technical progress and the globalization of market processes in the modern postmodern world. It has long been established by market practice: everything starts with communication. A practical, individual and high-quality level of the communication process is the key to success. The purpose of the work is to define, characterize and analyze the classic methods of modern communication culture. Tasks of scientific work: focus attention on the philosophical, ethical, psychological foundations of business communication, as well as its norms, rules, ways of application in different conditions of labor activity; emphasize the analysis of individual situations, characterizing the types of behavior of people and the level of their morality; define and characterize the functions, types and levels of business communication, learn to define them according to the individual characteristics of the interlocutors; to learn to apply in practice the described methods and means in the process of communication with compatriots and foreign partners during individual or collective conversations, in speeches before various audiences, at negotiations, when resolving conflicts. The scientific research emphasizes not only the ethics of business communication as the only object of market relations. Attention is also paid to all accompanying factors of influence, which in turn exert a considerable influence on this multifaceted and deep process of the market and society. The close relationship between the ethics of business communication and other processes taking place in the market is highlighted, the result of which, in turn, directly depends on the organization of the communication process. The team of authors offers a separate algorithm of the communication process, which, in their opinion, is the key to successful business negotiations. Conducting their own analysis of scientific research materials, the authors highlight their own, author's methods for the effectiveness of achieving results, using a specific sequence of actions. Attention is drawn to the practicality and expediency of using just such a method.

On the ethics of remote communication (experience in the study of the problem in Transbaikal state university)

On the ethics of remote communication (experience in the study of the problem in Transbaikal state university)