Code of ethics/social drivers

Grieves' paper comments that ethical issues arise in the context of social relationships. They arise due to power differentials:

1. reward power
2. coercive power
3. legitamate power
4. referent power
5. expert power

Ethical issues arise when there is a conflict of values and a conflict of interests

If we use Humanist and Democratic values we have a template for ethics in a CoP

We need to take responsibiity for

1. professional development and competancy
2. clients and significant others
3. to the professsion
4. social issues

We also need to act as a role model

develop a code of ethics

distribute it to everyone

provide ethics training

specify special issues likely to happen

monitor and audit ethics

reward and punish behaviour

have support from top managment

I think that a Humanist approach is too narrow. It does not include the environment except to fulfill our needs. A feminist approach clearly does.

The rigidity of ethics training and audits will only happen in rigid groups that are not really the essence of a CoP.

This account does not address the self interest nature of unethical behaviour. It seeks to contol it by social pressure. This would only serve to make unethical behaviour go underground. Both individual and social moral development needs to be addressed.

Reference:

Grieves, J. (2006) Communities of Practice and Development for Ethics and Values, Encyclopaedia of Communities of Practice Ideas Group Inc. Retrieved from USQ Library 2/1/2008