I enjoyed Mariann's comments, in which she concludes "that to be ethical
is to accept responsibility for one's own acts".
If I may, I'd like to bring this onto the shop floor for a fleeting
moment.
Responsibility in action is demonstrated in various "quality" programs. I
am familiar with ISO 9000, so I'll mention it here. Before my company
achieved certification to the 9001 standard, it was common for no one to
take easy responsibility for a process.
Well over 85 years of business had developed layer upon layer of activity.
While the layering may have initially been reasoned, conscious and
meaningful for employees and customers, over the years many processes lost
clarity, focus, accountability. While the customer was served, the
service was fraught with unnecessary, sometimes inexplicable complication.
No one wanted to own this complication--it was "bigger than both of us".
ISO forced a broad recognition of non-value-added activity. The process
documentation also provided many, many people with an opportunity to
improve the way they and others worked. Overhead was decreased, processes
long misunderstood came under control.
This story is repeated daily in companies which implement and maintain a
coherent standard, be it ISO, Q, BS, Baldridge, or whatever.
To get back to Mariann's point, when those who comprise a company or
organization accept responsibility--actually, if they know WHAT
responsibility they must take!--then a culturally unique work ethic rises
like a song from the babble.
To paraphrase someone's ad campaign: simple ideas for simple times. Yes,
I am greatly simplifying, but there's truth in them thar hills.
Best regards,
-- Barry Mallis bmallis@markem.comLearning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>