2. Study the description of corporative codes and give your own examples. Corporative Ethical Codes

The first ethical corporative codes appeared in the USA in the beginning of the 20^th century. First they contained only norms and rules of communication with customers and clients. Top managers were the first authors of the codes. The text of the code was accepted by the Board of the managers. The most of the companies punished their employees for the following things:

• accepting of the bribe;

• advice to take or to give the bribe;

• taking expensive presents;

• personal behaviour that can harm the company;

• usage of the information in the personal interests;

• not ethical behaviour;

• falsification of the information concerning the company.

The most of American corporative codes consist of three main parts:

1. the employees should be more loyal to their company and defend the interests of the company rather than their own.

2. the employees don’t have any right to make decisions that can be dangerous for the company.

3. the employees’ behaviour must be careful, respectful and ethical towards the customers and the clients.

Today about 97% of American big companies and the half of the small businesses have such ethical codes of rules.

Ethical Code of “Coca Cola Company”

The code consists of five parts:

1. The first part regulates accounting.

2. The second part describes potential conflicts which may take place among the employees.

3. The third part regulates interactions of the company with officials, partners, suppliers and customers.

4. The fourth part is devoted to the political views of the employees. They must not do any harm to the activity of the company.

5. The fifth part consists of recommendations how to realize the rules of the code.

The role of these ethical codes in the USA is rather high but they are not effective in the struggle with the disturbers of professional ethics because they are only recommendations.

Professional Codes

Professional codes appeared in the beginning of 1920s and developed very quickly. American minister of trade Guver was the initiator of professional codes.

Mainly professional codes are devoted to the relationships of the partners, customers and suppliers. A little attention is paid to the employees.

In Russia we have a little experience of making up professional codes. The authors of the codes are guided by American model. But there are a few examples of professional codes in Russia.

Russian National Code of the Work in the Field of Computer Science and Telecommunications

The code was accepted in 1996. The main rules and statements are:

1. don’t make (copy) and don’t use software and hardware without license and agreeing of the owner;

2. don’t break the law concerning copyright;

3. don’t break information systems and database;

4. don’t use abbreviations of other companies without their agreeing;

5. don’t make any profit from using the brands that belong to other companies.