Final answer:
The seven signs of a pending ethical collapse do not include having a strong board of directors which is typically a preventive measure. Establishing ethical practices in businesses, especially regarding emerging technologies, is challenging due to unpredictable ethical dilemmas. Codes of ethics play a crucial role in guiding businesses and professionals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The seven signs of a pending ethical collapse include a mixture of behavioral symptoms and organizational structures that can indicate a company may be on a track that challenges ethical norms. These signs encompass issues such as fear and silence, where open communication is lacking, and loyalty to the boss, which can prevent employees from questioning decisions or behaviors contrary to ethical standards. Significantly, having a strong board of directors is not one of the signs of an impending ethical collapse but rather is typically seen as a measure that can prevent such a decline by ensuring robust corporate governance and oversight.
When addressing corporate responsibility, it is crucial for businesses to actively take responsibility for social, economic, and environmental issues. This links closely with the practice of establishing ethical practices, which can be particularly challenging with regard to emerging technologies. It's often difficult to predict the ethical dilemmas that new innovations may bring, and debates about ethics tend to follow, rather than precede, the adoption of technology. Therefore, businesses should strive to cultivate ethical considerations as part of their approach to innovation and corporate behavior.
Finally, businesses and professional organizations often use codes of ethics as a formal way to articulate the responsibilities and ethical standards expected of their members and employees. Such codes are instrumental in guiding behavior in diverse fields, including technology, where bodies such as the IEEE-CS provide ethical codes for software engineers. Adherence to these codes is essential for professionals aiming to align their practices with accepted moral and ethical norms.