Ethical Standards of Business Writing

In today’s business writing and research, integrity and sincerity cannot be overemphasized; this is due to the fact that, today’s business writers and researchers pay little attention to the impact of what they researched and reported.   What they care about is the intensity and magnitude of the headlines that their publication has made at the expense of honesty, integrity, and sincerity.   It is therefore the responsibility of the public to hold business writers and researchers accountable by verifying the credibility of the information published.  This researcher believes that the only body that can enforce ethical standards for business writing and business research is the public; because the public uses and consumes the published information and they are the only ones’ that can hold business writers accountable by ignoring and boycotting misleading, plagiarized, and less credible business information.  “Putting one’s name on a manuscript that they did not contribute is seen as unethical scholarship” (Lambert, Lambert & Tsukahara, 2003, p.101).

What motivates the public to question writers and researchers information?  Several factors have contributed for the public to seek and verify business writers’ integrity.  First, the public will need to know whether the information published is the truth and nothing but the truth; where is the information coming from? Does the writer own the information? Was the information plagiarized?  Plagiarism is considered as one of the most serious ethical violations of business research and writing. 

Because plagiarism is viewed as one of the ultimate violations of ethics in the academic world, many faculty limit their classroom discussion of it to moral exhortations, threats about penalties for violating university policies on academic integrity, and warnings about the ruined careers and reputations of people publicly charged with plagiarism. (Jameson, 1993 p.18)

            Ethics means the study of moral codes; the study of what is wrong and what is right.  Ethics covers all moral principles and standards of behaviors across all professions.  It cuts across all disciplines and professions.  The legal profession is one of the professions that holds its members to the highest ethical standards.  Just as a business writer can be discharged for plagiarism and inappropriate citation of research, a lawyer’s ability to practice can be negatively impacted as a result of plagiarism.  “Lawyers must not present another’s words or ideas as their own.  Doing so deceives the reader and steals credit from the original writer.  Plagiarism, prohibited in academia, can affect a lawyer’s ability to practice.” (Lebovits, 2005 p.64).  The way and manner a lawyer documents fact, has a direct relationship with the lawyer’s reputation and ethical competency.  “By embodying the profession’s ethical ideals in their writing, lawyers will insure that their reputation remains positive and increase the possibility that their clients will prevail in litigation” (Lebovits, 2005 p. 59).

            The second reason why the public might question the integrity and reputation of a business writer is if the information published is detrimental to a business; and more importantly had led to the discharge of a notable business writer or researcher.  The sources and documentation may be reviewed by the public to determine the credibility of those sources.  It is therefore the writer’s responsibility to support and defend whatever information that has been published and what the public has criticized.  “Of course, if the business report’s facts or conclusion are challenged by the public, a common occurrence, the writer must be ready to produce verification.” (Jameson, 1993 p.25).  An organization can be forced out of business as a result of published misleading business information.  This may be due to the writer’s unethical behavior. The writer as well as all his affiliations may also be negatively impacted as a result of the inaccuracies in the information published.  “The reputation of the individual writer, the departments, or even the whole company is on the line if the business information published is not accurate.” (Jameson, 1993 p.25).

            When one thinks of ethical standards for business writing and business research, the most unpardonable violation is plagiarism.  Plagiarism can be violated in several different forms.  First, translating another writer’s work into another language without due credit to the original work is one form of violation.  “Translating someone else’s written work into another language, and taking credit for the original work by either listing one’s name is a gross violation of standards for business writing and research.” (Lambert, Lambert & Tsukahara, 2003 p.101)

            In conclusion, this researcher agrees that business research and writing in the United States institutions of higher learning and corporations as well as in Federal and state governments is governed by rules and standards however, researchers and writers do not know how to abide by those rules and standards and mostly end up publishing plagiarized material. Plagiarism is a serious violation which could lead to serious consequences.   ‘Turnitin’ will be a wonderful watch dog for internet plagiarism.  It is considered the world’s first internet based plagiarism prevention and detection service.  The use of turnitin should be encouraged to address the internet plagiarism epidemic. History professors and prominent Harvard Medical School psychiatrist have lost their jobs to plagiarism (Jameson 1993, p.24). 

            This researcher has distinguished between the consequences of ethical standards for business writing and business research as well as the consequences of ethical violations for legal writing.  This researcher has re-emphasized the seriousness of plagiarism and how it can lead to loss of reputation and business.  Business writers and researchers as well as organizations that take plagiarism seriously will always maintain their credibility and reputation for years to come.

References

Jameson, D.A. (1993).  The Ethics of Plagiarism: How Genre Affects Writers’ Use of Source

            Materials.  Association of Business Communication, Vol. 56, issue 2.  Retrieved March

            25, 2008 from Argosy University Online Library, Business Source Premier.

Lambert, V., Lambert, C., & Tsukahara, M. (2003).  Editorial: Scholarly Ethics. 

Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences. Vol. 5, Retrieved March 24, 2008 from

Argosy University Online Library.

Lebovits, G. (2005).  Legal-Writing Ethics, Part II.  Journal of New York State Bar Association.

            Vol. 77 No. 9