COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
Unit I
Communication Processes, Principles and Ethics, Communicationand Globalization

Lesson 2: Principles and Ethics

Key Principles of Ethical Communication

By Jackielou E. Cansancio

Understanding the importance of communication can bring you great benefits in terms of your
personal, academic, professional and civic life. Increasing your knowledge about communication can
result in satisfying your needs. You can learn communication. Rules and norms can influence the way
you communicate. Because communication has ethical implications, it is imperative to adhere to the
standards of ethical communication

Principles that Guide Understanding of Communication

1. Communication is transactional, it consists of interrelated components that influence one

another, thus communication becomes a dynamic process.

2. Communication has content and relational dimensions. The content dimension involves the
ideas being openly talked about, while the relational dimension expresses your behavior towards the
other person.

3. Communication can be intentional or unintentional because all words and actions have
meanings and communicative use.

4. Communication is irreversible; to "unreceive" a message is unlikely, as words and actions, once

said or done, cannot be unsaid or undone.

5. Communication is unrepeatable because the same words and actions have different meanings
when used or expressed at different times and on diverse occasions.

Ethical Communication

Etymologically, the word ethics comes from the Greek term ethos which can pertain to customs and
habits. As a branch of knowledge, ethics deals with a structure of moral principles. Ethics guides
an individual's behavior - his words and actions and the way he or she communicates with others.

Ethics is defined as a code of moral standards of conduct for what is "good" and "right" as opposed to
what is "bad" and "wrong". It deals with values with human conduct, with respect to the rightness and
wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such
actions.

Communication is ethical when it is utilized to enhance the way people interact with one
another to improve society's moral life.. On the other hand, communication is unethical wed to
damage human relation or encourage societal decadence. Some commoal when it is un
examples of unethical communication are inappropriate jokes, coercive, threatening and intimidating
statements, misleading words, lying, meddling with something overheard telephone tapping,
betraying or backstabbing somebody, and spreading fake news.

Communication ethics varies by culture and context and involves the negotiation of and reflection on
our actions regarding what we think is right and wrong or good and bad

Ethical Standards of Communication

1. Truthfulnes and honesty mean refraining from lying, cheating, stealing and deception,

2. Integrity means maintaining a consistency of belief and action.

3. Fairness means achieving the right balance of interest without regard to one's own feelings and
without showing favor to any side in a conflict.

4. Respect means showing regard or consideration for others and their ideas, even if we don't agree
with them.

5. Responsibility means being accountable for one's actions and what one says.

Principles of Ethical Communication

According to Ruth Mayhew (2018), ethical communication has several guiding elements

1. Fact-based messages should be communicated with honesty and accuracy. Ethics in

communication is shown by observing freedom of expression, accepting differences in opinion and
tolerating dissimilarities in beliefs and behaviors. Ethical communication should be direct and honest.
It should maintain tactfulness and discourage unpleasant remarks or confrontational behavior.

2. Resources and facts from which the message is generated should be accessible. For
example. if you are providing information about academic standing of students, you are ought to give
your audience the written output, performance output and major examination results.

3. Message should be made accessible. If you are conveying information to a diverse audience,
make certain that you give consideration to their communication preferences. They may have
different languages and listening styles, thus there is a need to deliver your message in view of these
differences. This way, your content reaches your whole audience.

4. Basic human needs should be given careful consideration. Communication is a basic human
need and should be used to satisfy other human needs. Ethical communication gives premium to the
need of people to connect with one another with high regard despite cultural diversity.
 Learning Activity

Name: Block:

Date: Score:

Comprehension Check: Answer the following exercise with Yes or No and reason out why it
has to be "yes" or why it has to be " no".

1. The goal of communication between a sender and a receiver is understanding of the message
being sent?

YES, the basic purpose of communication between a sender and a receiver is to achieve
mutual understanding of the message being transmitted, which means that both parties must
interpret the information in the same way

2. Communication noise can influence our interpretation of messages and significantly affect our
interactions with others.

YES, communication noise can have a significant impact on how we interpret information and
connect with people. It refers to any interference that prevents a message from being delivered
and understood clearly, which can lead to misconceptions and have a negative impact on
communication dynamics

3. Content dimension expresses how you feel about the other person.

NO, the content dimension in communication relates to the actual information delivered, not
how you feel about the other person; that is expressed through the relational dimension,which
denotes the underlying relationship and feelings within a message.

4. Context refers to the situation or environment in which your message is delivered.

YES, context in communication refers to the circumstance or environment in which a message

is conveyed, which includes aspects such as the physical setting, cultural norms, participant
connections, and the interaction's purpose, all of which influence how a message is interpreted

5. We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be
misunderstood.

6. The non-verbals that we use often cause messages to be misunderstood as we tend to believe
what we see more than what we hear.

7. Ethical communication means being inconsiderate of basic human needs.

8. Communicating messages based on facts with honestly and accurately is the focus of ethical
communication.

Yes, ethical communication focuses on transmitting messages based on facts, with honesty and
accuracy as guiding principles, ensuring that information is delivered truthfully and without deception.

9. Once you lose the trust of others, they will doubt anything you say in the future.

10. Lack of ethical communication leads others to question your professional and personal integrity.

11. Words and deeds, once said or done, are retrievable.

No, because once stated or performed, words and deeds cannot be reversed or erased, leaving them
irretrievable

12. Ethical communication is also accepting responsibility for the messages you convey to others.

Yes, ethical communication is accepting responsibility for the messages you convey to others,
including thinking about the potential impacts of your words and actions.

13. Communication is always intentional.

14. Whether you are talking to a close friend or meeting, your message must be truthful and
consistent with your value system addressing the workforce in

Yes, because when communicating with others, whether in a casual setting with a close friend or in a
formal meeting, it is critical to always be truthful and align your words with your personal values. This
ensures transparency and respect for everyone in the workforce, fostering a positive and ethical work
environment in which everyone feels comfortable speaking openly and honestly

15. Words and behavior mean the same each time they are spoken or performed

No, words and behavior do not always signify the same thing when stated or performed; the meaning
can change depending on context, tone of voice, body language, and cultural nuances, making
interpretation subjective and inconsistent