Final answer:
Both a specific ethics code and an inherent understanding of ethical behavior are valuable in the workplace. Ethics codes provide clear guidelines for professional conduct, while individual moral judgment helps navigate complex or unforeseen situations. A combination of both ensures a comprehensive ethical approach within organizations.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering if employees should be provided with a specific ethics code or if they should inherently know what constitutes ethical behavior, it is necessary to acknowledge the complexity of modern business practices and the diverse backgrounds of employees.
Businesses, professional organizations, and even fields like science and technology have developed detailed ethics codes to guide professional behavior. The Software Engineering Code of Ethics, for example, provides stringent guidelines for the conduct of software engineers, ensuring safe and responsible professional practices that respect privacy and environmental impact.
Morality and ethics, while closely related, are not identical concepts. Morality is often considered a societal phenomenon, influenced by the interactions between individuals within a social context. Ethics, meanwhile, involve the systems of moral principles that govern how individuals conduct themselves. An ethics code in the workplace can therefore serve as a concise reference that clarifies the expectations regarding ethical issues in the professional realm, from corporate responsibility to emerging technology concerns.
In conclusion, both having a specific ethics code and possessing an inherent understanding of ethical behavior are valuable. A specific code provides clear guidelines and a shared understanding to which all employees can be held accountable, while personal moral judgment supports individuals in navigating situations that may not be specifically addressed by formal codes. Therefore, it is a combination of both that contributes to the ethical landscape of an organization.