Effective Organizational Communication 101

It really is all about communication. Effective organizational leaders spend a great deal of time communicating with others (with their peers, with their subordinates,with their suppliers, with their customers) -- they need to communicate the organization's goals; they need to communicate professionally when delivering messages to all organizational members; they need to communicate effectively with customers, including when complaints arise; they need to communicate in an encouraging and persuasive way to the target audience in their advertising -- all of the organizations needs really boil down to effective communication. Basically, controlling the direction of your organization is simply not possible without effective written or oral communication. So, in a sense, you could say that effective communication is the blood of the organization. How do organizations establish goals (in regards to effective communication)? Before anything else, you should start with the Mission Statement. This serves as a reminder to the employees of why the company exists, and what the founders envisioned when they breathed life into it. A great example of an organizational Mission Statement is the one that was created by the Starbucks Company. It's a bit lengthy, but I believe it's worth taking a look at: Our Starbucks Mission Statement: Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. Here are the principles of how we live that every day: Our Coffee: It has always been, and will always be, about quality. We’re passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. We care deeply about all of this; our work is never done. Our Partners: We’re called partners, because it’s not just a job, it’s our passion. Together, we embrace diversity to create a place where each of us can be ourselves. We always treat each other with respect and dignity. And we hold each other to that standard. Our Customers: When we are fully engaged, we connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers – even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. It’s really about human connection. Our Stores: When our customers feel this sense of belonging, our stores become a haven, a break from the worries outside, a place where you can meet with friends. It’s about enjoyment at the speed of life – sometimes slow and savored, sometimes faster. Always full of humanity. Our Neighborhood: Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbors seriously. We want to be invited in wherever we do business. We can be a force for positive action – bringing together our partners, customers, and the community to contribute every day. Now we see that our responsibility – and our potential for good – is even larger. The world is looking to Starbucks to set the new standard, yet again. We will lead. Our Shareholders: We know that as we deliver in each of these areas, we enjoy the kind of success that rewards our shareholders. We are fully accountable to get each of these elements right so that Starbucks – and everyone it touches – can endure and thrive. Now that you have your goals laid out, here is how you use communication to achieve them: Secondly (after the Mission Statement), there is the importance of setting standards for business conduct. Many companies communicate these to their employees by means of a brochure, or through an employees-only online website, etc. - effective and successful business will take care to communicate exactly what they expect in clear and concise terms, so that the employees know from the very start what is expected of them (and here comes the importance of making your employees aware often that their jobs are an integral part of the company's end, and that their performances very much matter): all employees make decisions that impact the company's reputation, both on and off the clock - but instead of needlessly over-using threats and (unofficial) warnings to get this across to your employees, you can do much about this to your advantage in a much more positive way that facilitates a feeling of cooperation, teamwork, and joy among your staff using one simply rule: Instead of threatening them, empower them! Make them feel that they are as much a part of the company's mission statement as you are. Let them know that they count! Share how you see everyone working together as a circle in which everyone is equal and on the same level, rather than a pyramid where supervisors and administrators are at the top, and the staff is at the bottom. Everyone is equal because every job is equally important in fulfilling the mission of the organization. Third, there is giving credit, giving recognition, showing appreciation, being straightforward with direction (in a tactful, yet firm manner) when counseling an employee, and taking responsibility. The bottom line for the organization to remember is that it is their job to ensure that the work is a comfortable, yet professional, workplace. Fourth, be consistent and firm on all of the legal and ethical aspects of achieving your company goals. Ensure that your employees know how to properly communicate with each other, as well as their customers. Be an example to your employees that you communicate in such a way that it promotes an environment that is inclusive of all people and their unique abilities, strengths and differences, and promotes diversity as a strategic and competitive business advantage for the company. Fifth, always bear in mind that communication is a source of information to all organizational members when it comes to decision-making and planning out courses of action. Always keep your employees up to speed (and make sure that they all understand any company changes, new promotional sales, etc.). Asking your employees for their input and ideas is also a very wise course of action -- not only will this breed feelings of teamwork and cooperation (and, always remember: a well-informed employee will have a better attitude than a less-informed employee -- and an employee that understands the business inside-out will gain more respect from the customer -- so all the way around, this important aspect of communication plays a very crucial role in altering individuals attitudes), but generally speaking, most organizational managers are not full-time handling customer interactions: their employees are. Therefore, utilize this, and be sure to ask for suggestions on customer needs and promotional direction from your employees, as well. Sixth, create a connection with your customers. Understand that a large part of communication is the art of listening (this also applies to employees), and knowing how to maintain good eye contact (even if you're the most understanding listener, a customer won't feel taken seriously if you're staring at the floor). Make your communication personable -- "How was your day?" "How was your trip?" "How are you doing?" -- because little things like this go a long way. At the end of the day, your customers are responsible for company growth and profit -- so value them, and treat them all with respect and dignity. Seventh, handle customer stress in a smooth and constructive manner. Talking to customers can sometimes be stressful and intense, but no matter how strongly you may feel, always keep calm when communicating. The first thing you want to do if a customer has a complaint is to communicate empathetically, and show that you understand the customer's dilemma. This will help the customer to remain calm. Also, trying to put yourself in their shoes will help you deal with the situation better, as well as build good will and good customer relations. As you can see, communication really goes a LONG way in helping an organization grow, to gain a good reputation, and to ultimately reach its goals.

Web Design -- iLab: Design Elements Exercise.

My Assignment:

The circle, triangle, and square are the basis for all designs. All three shapes provide the backbone for most designs. The design elements exercise is one of the most rudimentary exercises for beginning students in a design course. Originally, students would cut these shapes out of construction paper and paste them onto a white background. The positive space of the shapes and the negative space between the shapes form the design. This exercise has now been re-created digitally for students to perform. No more scissors, rubber cement, and construction paper. Just the use of a mouse and some creativity will allow you to perform this fundamental exercise. You will be able to arrange the shapes on the screen however you see fit, and then save the composition as a .jpg to be submitted to the Dropbox as an assignment.

So, in other words, we had to make three designs, of anything, using only black triangles, black squares, and black circles, because these three shapes are the backbone of all design.


My three submissions:



My design based on the solar system.




My design based on the moon's rotational system.




My design based on the law of gravity.

Well, to be more specific, it's based on the experiment testing Newton's law, by Henry Cavendish, in 1798.

Web Design: Image Deconstruction Paper.

"Fragment", posted by Dan Hill on March 05, 2006 on cityofsound.com with the following note:

"The 'email magazine' Artkrush featured a glimpse one of my old 'fragments' images in their latest Architecture and Design issue, in the blogs section. Thanks! This image contains elements of Barcelona, New York and London (Brick Lane and Stoke Newington)."

First of all, I really like how this has a very "sketchbook" feel to it; it feels like a personal scrapbook collection of photos, clipped together, and I'm looking at memories -- not just photographs of distant places. The way that this is put together makes these places feel very familiar somehow, even though, with exception of New York, I've never been. One might think that this looks sloppy, but to me, it looks personal.

The tinting very much helps with making this graphic seem 'personal', as well -- it creates a mood, perhaps of how the person was feeling while making these observations firsthand. It makes words unnecessary. It feels almost like I’m invading on a private moment, somehow -- as if I were looking through the eyes of another person, and I’m catching a stolen glimpse of what the world must look like through this person’s eyes. One might say, this is what a diary entry looks like before it hits the page.

The two basic design elements that I see are squares and triangles -- these two shapes are, very clearly, the backbone for the entire design. I can spot them right away, and this is what keeps the 'collection' of images looking organized. It gives this graphic a 'flow', if you will.

But there is so much more than just the basic 'pulling' element of the squares and the triangles -- there is design in the details. The bricks [or is that tiles?] on the bottom of the image; the signs; the windows on the skyscraper -- there is so much design in just this one graphic, and yet, I don't feel I'm overconsuming to the point of combustion -- it's not too much. It is simply intricate, and it has just enough elements; just enough spacing; just enough sizing; and, ultimately, just enough mood, to make this graphic work.

This is the sort of artwork that I can find myself staring at, wondering what the artist meant by the piece or was trying to say. It feels like nostalgia; bittersweet nostalgia. Perhaps this is aided by the old man in the top right corner, as your eyes begin to view the image, and the two little children at the bottom left, as you finish. It feels like you're looking back in time.

It is both warm, and sad.

Perhaps, this is all simply my own interpretation and imagination, and I’m putting more thought into this work than even the artist and the photographers did [assuming they were separate people] – but, this is certainly the way that the graphic captures me.

It makes me think. It makes me feel.

Everything about this image -- everything about the design, everything about the tinting, everything about the arrangement -- everything about the way that it was put together, was just excellent. Terrific use of Photoshop; great photo selection; this artist definitely knew what he was doing when he sat down and made this graphic.

Mr. Dan Hill, graphic designer, I tip my invisible hat.

Critical Thinking: A poem from Week One's lecture.

What you aren't knowledgeable about,

what you aren't aware of,

what you don't believe in or value,

is just as impactful on your life

and on your environment,

as what you are knowledgeable about,

what you are aware of,

and what you do believe in.

(Balistrieri, 2000).

Critical Thinking: Leading Your Life.

These past six weeks have passed very quickly, haven't they?

Your remaining classes will also go very quickly, and graduation will be here before you know it. As A DeVry student, you have an amazing Career Services department supporting you. Be sure to check out the Career Services website to find out everything that is available to you. You can also watch this video to learn more about the services.

For now, let's take one last opportunity to think about where we have been and where we are going. To start our final discussion, think big. Share with the class where you are now in terms of your education, your personal life, and your career. Where do you see yourself in these same areas five years from now? Ten years? At the end of your life, what do you hope to have accomplished?

PRESENT:


Education:

Well, I'm here. That's saying a lot, considering that this year has been very difficult for me, to put it mildly. Earlier this year, I honestly did not see how I would make it through school for the rest of the year, and I would get sick to my stomach at the thought - but now, it's August, and I may be hanging in there by a thread, but I'm hanging in there. I can't exactly say that this is where I want to be, but considering my circumstances -- I'm grateful to still be here.


Personal Life:

Hah, well -- in January of this year, I was disowned by my family for leaving their religion, and I have not seen my immediate family -- with exception of my older sister -- for going on nine months now. For the first couple of months, my father was threatened with divorce if he ever so much as deliberately saw me; my mother and my identical twin sister would harass me with one of my aunts and cousins; my mother threatened to kill herself with pills over the stress my 'leaving the true religion' caused her; I was threatened to be thrown out into the street by my grandmother, who's couch I currently live on, also because I was no longer of her religion; last, but not least - in the religion I grew up with, you're forbidden to make any friends on the outside ['in the world' is the term used], so when I was disowned, I was left with no social support whatsoever. If it were not for my older sister, I know that I would not have managed to stay in school. As I mentioned earlier, I currently live with my elderly, very disabled, and extremely anxious grandmother (I'm also pretty sure she's becoming senile; I want her to go to the doctor about this) who is currently in the process of filing for bankruptcy -- with no car and, for the first seven months, I had no computer, as well. Rain or horrid heat, I would walk several blocks both ways, every single day, to use the computer at the library. I've been unemployed for over a year now -- most jobs seem to be in L.A. or Irvine, it seems. As I stated in the Education segment -- I can't exactly say that this is where I want to be, but -- surely, however slowly -- it's all getting somewhere, and I have a goal that I am heading towards with the velocity of a runaway freight train. I'm not staying in this place [both literally and figuratively].


Career:

As I've stated in the previous segment, I have been unemployed since last April -- I worked at Starbucks for going on four years. I've been walking through the streets of Whittier and taking buses to surrounding areas, banging down doors practically for work, but it's extremely difficult right now. Keep your fingers crossed for me, and if you hear of anything in the Uptown Whittier area especially, do let me know!! Now, to end this segment -- no, this is not where I want to be at all right now, but that will change.


FIVE YEARS FROM NOW:

I see myself married to the man I'm in love with, and living in New England. I plan to be finishing school right about then [with a Master's]. I see myself living a simple life, and happy that way. I try not to plan too far ahead into the future, but this is the general idea of what I want in my life.


TEN YEARS FROM NOW:

I see myself happily working off my degree -- I don't see myself making "mega-bucks", but I see myself being in an okay place, and that is just perfect for me. I see myself as still married, and still living a simple life -- after the complicated, overly-dramatic, anxiety-ridden, downright depressing, awkward, and difficult transition that I've had trying to fit in somewhere as an adult -- the way I see it: the simpler, the better. Assuming that everything was just smooth-sailing at this point, than I can see myself possibly wanting a child at this time. That's still unclear to me, though. I don't like to plan this far ahead. We'll wait and see what actually happens.


AT THE END OF MY LIFE:

I hope to have made all of my hard work worth it -- that all of my blood, sweat, tears, labor, stress, heartache, pain, sacrifices: it was all worth it, and by "worth it", I mean that in spite of it all -- in spite of all of the ugliness and complications of life -- I managed to create and to become a part of something very beautiful; that, not only was I happy, but I inspired others to do the necessary labors in order to create their own path, and to do it all with the goal in mind of making life wonderful -- not just for yourself, but for those that you love; and once you have that love in your life, to protect it -- down to your tooth and nail -- and, as far as it depends on you, to not ever let it go. Don't ever take it for granted. Don't ever push it away. Don't let petty differences and misunderstandings take that away from you. Life only gives you so many second chances, so use your opportunities as wisely as you can.

And don't just build a wonderful life -- maintain a wonderful life.

A career is a very critical part of my life, of course, that goes without saying -- but it's not my end-all, be-all. However much I may enjoy graphic design, it is simply a necessary means to an end. Through my work [career work], I want to send a message that's even bigger than just making money.

Critical Thinking: Leadership/Role Model Paper.

[ITT Technical Institute, Class of 2007
Top row, left to right: Jamie Steele [me]; James Steele; Sal Corona.
Bottom, l-r: Cheryle Steele; Amber Corona; Jessica Steele.]

My older sister of three and a half years, Amber Corona [formerly Amber Steele] has very much inspired me to try my best, even when circumstances are very difficult -- or, rather, especially when circumstances are very difficult.

As is written in the 30-first person accounts by teenagers who have overcome major life obstacles in the book, True Stories by Teens about Overcoming Tough Times [Al Desetta & Sybil Wolin. 2000], my older sister has shown me the importance of these seven resiliencies: insight, independence, relationships, initiative, creativity, humor, and morality. Though some times in her life were heart-wrenching, she has a strong will, and has proven herself capable of turning it all around to a positive note -- against great odds.

Through her own personal struggles, and through the lessons she's verbally passed down -- she's taught me the art of evolving a self-generated definition of self; embracing self-worth; awareness of oppression, and the beauty of self-reliance. With my older sister in my life, I know that I am connected to support, let alone hope by her example that I can do it, too.

An excerpt from an article I recently read reminded me of something else that my sister taught me:

"Alcoholism runs in families, but there are some children of alcoholics who do not repeat their parents' drinking problems; parenting disabled children is stressful, but there are some who are able to hold on to their joy in life despite anxieties and pain. Such an ability to stand strong and invincible in the face of adversity is what is termed “resilience” in The Struggle to Be Strong and its companion A Leader's Guide to The Struggle to Be Strong." [Wolin, S., Desetta, A., & Hefner, K. (2000)].

My older sister instilled in me the heart of this same lesson - to not be stuck in the rut of blaming your parents for your life; blaming the world for your life; blaming *life* for your life - your life is what you make of it. You are your own problem, but you are also your own solution -- and whatever mistakes your parents made, they are not hereditary. Whatever mistakes you made -- you can learn from them, and change your path. Your future is not written in stone. It is what you make it.

She's far more than a professional role model to me -- she's a role model for dealing with my life.

* * * * * *

References:

• Singh, A. A., Hays, D. G., & Watson, L. S. (2011). Strength in the Face of Adversity: Resilience Strategies of Transgender Individuals. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89(1), 20-27. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

• Struggle to Be Strong (Book Review). (2000). Book Report, 19(3), 70. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

• Chance, P. (2000). The Struggle to Be Strong (Book Review). Psychology Today, 33(6), 75. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Critical Thinking: Nonverbal Communication.

Nonverbal communication accounts for up to 93% of the emotional content of a message: Remember that body language must always be interpreted within the context of the conversation, the natural habits of the speaker, and the culture of the speaker. European Americans may consider lack of eye contact to be a sign of someone telling lies, whereas some Native-American cultures may see that as a sign of respect.

The way that we breathe is a powerful communication cue. If we are breathing in a shallow manner, then we are apt to be feeling nervous. If someone is taking long, slow deep breaths, then we can assume a certain level of calmness and centeredness. You can change the way that you feel by changing your breathing pattern. Practice taking long, slow relaxing breaths throughout the day. Take at least three slow breaths each time and notice how you might feel different.

Pay attention to the messages that you send others with the nonverbal communicators mentioned in your text. Remember that electronic communication, such as e-mail and text messaging, do not allow us to effectively communicate the emotional content of our words.

Critical Thinking: Barriers To Communication.

The main barrier to effective communication, according to Marshall Rosenberg, communication and conflict resolution expert, is that we are afraid that we are not going to get our basic needs met (1999). The following is my understanding of his work:

There are six main barriers to communication that cause conflict:

• Denial of accountability for ourselves;
• Judging and evaluating others;
• Honestly expressing our judgments instead of our own needs;
• Not expressing our feelings and needs;
• Not empathizing with ourselves and others; and
• Demanding that others do things for us.

Denial of accountability for ourselves: We deny responsibility for our thoughts, feelings, and actions when we say things such as, "You make me angry" or "I have to do this." As soon as we deny responsibility, we take away our own power. If I think I "have to take attendance because it is the policy at DeVry," then I am not owning my own power to make choices about what I will do. I take attendance because I want to stay employed here and I have agreed to fulfill that part of my job description.

We have little control over what the world serves up to us, but we do have control over how we respond to those events. If I make you the cause of my feelings, then I am stating that I have no control over my own emotional state. However, we all know that each of us has different emotional responses, given similar situations. Some people are "fit to be tied" after waiting 10 minutes for their ride to pick them up, while other people stay relaxed even after waiting 20–30 minutes. It may depend on whether you make the judgment that your ride "doesn't respect your time" or whether you make the judgment that "it is so great for this person to take time out of their busy day to give me a ride." We make the first and major step towards communicating effectively when we accept responsibility for our thoughts, feelings, and fulfilling our needs and desires.

Rosenberg has spent his whole life exploring means for increasing our communication effectiveness. He developed a model to find a way around the communication barriers listed above. Rosenberg states that these steps are not the "right" or "proper" steps that you "should" follow when communicating. They are, however, steps that are more likely to enable you to get your needs met, thus reducing conflict and increasing a sense of connection with others. Here are the four steps of his communication model:

• Make an observation (without evaluation);
• State your feelings;
• Connect your feelings to unmet needs; and
• Make a request of what would make life more wonderful.


Step 1 – Observation:

When we combine our observation with our evaluation, we are attempting to make our personal bias (evaluation, analysis, judgment) as "factual" as what it is that we objectively observed. An observation is that "you arrived home 30 minutes after you said that you would be here." An evaluation of this scenario might be that "you don't care about my feelings." A mixture of the two could be something like, "You're always home late because you don't even care about me!" If you mix an evaluation into your observation, then people are likely to only hear criticism and they are less likely to hear the rest of your message about what you need.


Step 2 – Expressing our feelings:

It is important to be able to express what you are feeling in order to be genuine. Oftentimes, we see expression of feelings as a choice to be vulnerable. It is one of the great qualities of being human, because it allows us to connect with others. Consequently, from lack of practice, many of us don't know how to express our feelings. We often say something similar to "I feel like you should . . ." (or "I feel that you . . .") This is not a feeling. It is a thought. Feelings are simply expressed as, "I am feeling overwhelmed" or "I am feeling so amazed!"

Usually, when we are feeling angry, it is because of the moral judgments that we are making. We are trying to play God by seeing the other person as wrong and in need of punishment. It is more helpful to focus on our needs than to disempower ourselves by focusing on the actions of others. The feelings of anger are not bad or wrong, but they are more superficial expressions of what we are really feeling and needing.

Expressing honesty of judgments instead of honesty of our needs and feelings often leads to more conflict. Failure to express feelings can lead to more misunderstandings, as people must create their own stories about how they feel.


Step 3 – Connecting our feelings with needs:

It is of utmost importance that we connect our feelings to our needs. We feel unhappy because we have an unmet need, not because of what someone else did. They did not do anything wrong. They were doing the best that they could to get their needs met, given what options they saw at the time. It is our responsibility to meet our needs. Our feelings about our unmet needs are our responsibility, and it is within our power to get them met.

When you are thinking about your needs, it is important to remember that needs are universal and that they don't contain reference to specific things or specific people. I don't "need you to go to the store to get potato chips for me," rather "I need food." Our strategy to get our needs met is best left for our request (Step 4) of asking someone to do something. Women, more than men, have been taught not to have needs. Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which clarifies basic human needs, may be especially helpful to women who are apt to express needs like a legal case because they have internalized the belief that they have no right to their needs. If we don't connect our feeling to our need, but instead connect it to what someone else has done, we will come across as criticizing and will have given the power of our feelings to others.


Step 4 – Requesting that which would make our lives more wonderful:

When people request us to do something, we usually do it with more joy in our hearts than when people make demands on us to do something. It is easy to tell a request from a demand by the response: if the request/demand is denied and the person responds badly (verbal attack, pouting, criticism), then it was a demand.

The request is a strategy for meeting our needs. If the person denies our particular request, perhaps he or she will have some other ideas on strategies that might be helpful in getting our needs met. If we have grown up in a dysfunctional family, we will often have limited strategies for getting our needs met. If we can clearly express our need, oftentimes, others will have ideas on how we can get the need met.

The purpose of a request or fulfilling a request is to make someone's life more wonderful. Marshall Rosenberg says that if you can't fulfill the request with "the joy of a child feeding the ducks in the park," then don't do it. Always ask yourself whether you are giving freely, giving in, or giving up. If you or the other person is not giving freely, someone is going to pay.

Another important aspect to sound communication is to make sure that we clearly heard what others said. An effective tool for this is reflective listening: Most people will not speak to us by stating their observations, feelings, needs, and requests. It will be our job to hear the feelings and needs behind the words that the person is saying. We can try asking them about their feelings, or if we think that would not be helpful, ask them what they need. If we empathize with the person and put ourselves in his or her shoes, it should be quite easy to know what the person might need.

It is often difficult for us to listen fully to someone else. We often think that we have to solve the problem or ease their pain. Often, all we have to do is really listen and validate what the person said without inserting our opinion or evaluation. Observe what has been said and mirror it back (without parroting it).

Values play a major role in communication. Values are the ideas, actions, and behaviors that are of worth and importance to us as human beings. They provide the foundation for human behavior. Most of what we value has been taught to us by others, such as our families and our peers. Some things that we value are self-respect, fame, friendship, wisdom, and financial security. Since we act on what we believe, it is easy to see how our values and our judgment of what the truth is can impact our logic and decision making.

It's important to prioritize your values. Think about why your values are important to you, who taught them to you, how they have affected your past decisions, and in what ways they will impact your future decisions.

Since the world is so incredibly diverse and communication comes in such a wide variety of forms, it is important to know many appropriate and helpful interpersonal skills. By practicing the few suggestions found here, you will find yourself understanding more of what people say and repeating yourself less to other people. Your co-workers and friends will have the confidence to come to you when they find themselves in need. Remember, great communication skills take practice. Do not give up on Day One. Your ability to express yourself will grow almost daily as long as you apply yourself in improving communication skills.

Ethics: Plagiarism.

According to Kant, nothing ever exempts a man from his moral duty. Sandra LaFave summarized Kant's definition of what makes a bad act, bad, perfectly, and I wouldn't word it any other way:

"Kant analyzes evil as a kind of logical error, or mistake in reasoning. A contradiction is the worst logical error. It would obviously be a contradiction for a rational being to say “Every rational being should do X, except me.” Contradiction of this form is called special pleading. When rational beings will to do bad things, they want a contradiction: they want everybody else to do the right thing, because that's exactly what makes their wrongdoing possible. For example, the liar wants everyone else to tell the truth; if everyone lied, no one would believe the liar's lie. So the liar in effect is willing a contradiction: “Every rational being should tell the truth, except me.” This is special pleading: wanting the rule to apply to everyone AND not to me. Such a contradiction is a failure of universality."

With that being said - would you recommend that everyone should cheat? -- or is it "different" when you do it?

Do not make an exception to a rule that you think everyone else should follow.

Consider:

• It means that other who worked hard, diligently and actually thought out their assignments are being robbed by other students who copy/paste and may get a better grade, since it's from a professional standpoint.

• It's too easy. It teaches you nothing, and it garnishes undeserved credit.

• It hampers the lessons you are supposed to learn leading to more failure later.

• People deserve money for all of their research, you cannot just lift it directly, you are allowed to make reference and take ideas however, but a direct lift is just theft.


And consider this thought carefully, as well: Not only is this harmful to the person from whom you are stealing, but it is also harmful to the thief. If you plagiarize another author's work, you risk your credibility as an author and your reputation for originality and honesty. Also, plagiarism is against the law and you are also risking control of your finances, should a lawsuit result in a judgment against you. Also risked is your freedom should you be convicted of the crime of plagiarism and sentenced to time in jail or prison.

The entire point of creating something is to express YOUR thoughts; YOUR opinions; YOUR ideas; YOUR vision about something. Plagiarism is lifting someone else's. You miss the opportunity to express yourself -- which, again, is the entire point of creativity.

It's stealing of intellectual property.

Ethics Essay: Kant on Deontological Ethics.

What would Kant do?

Of all the ethical theorists that I've read on thus far, I find myself having the most regard for Immanuel Kant's deontological theory. His theory goes beyond what 'feels right', what benefits the ego, or what fits in with societal norms, to determine what is right and wrong - his theory, to me, seems to be much more based on fundamental reason. According to Kritik der practischen Vernunft (Critique of Practical Reason, 1788):

"... good will is intrinsically good; its value is wholly self-contained and utterly independent of its external relations. Since our practical reason is better suited to the development and guidance of a good will than to the achievement of happiness, it follows that the value of a good will does not depend even on the results it manages to produce as the consequences of human action.

Kant's moral theory is, therefore, deontological: actions are morally right in virtue of their motives, which must derive more from duty than from inclination. The clearest examples of morally right action are precisely those in which an individual agent's determination to act in accordance with duty overcomes her evident self-interest and obvious desire to do otherwise."

In other words, the purpose of life is not simply to achieve happiness -- else, wouldn't we all be simply seeking self-gratification all of the time, with little to no regard towards helping others? Happiness is also not completely within our control; many external powers shape our lives, and our situations vary accordingly. It goes without saying that the consequences of our actions are simply beyond our control. Also, standing up for others -- and also for ourselves -- can, at times, have sad consequences; i.e., being a "whistleblower" at one's company can lead to the loss of a job, and the loss of income for one's family -- does this mean that having integrity in this matter was wrong? That because there were negative consequences, it was, therefore, the wrong thing to do?

Doing the right thing does not ever exactly depend on merely the results that one's action brings. Being happy, and doing the right thing, are, in reality, two very different things. According to Kant's theory, then, not only is doing the right thing a matter of personal integrity, but also of courage -- for courage is defined as doing the right thing despite the negative consequences that it can bring.

It emphasizes heavily on interest of others, and not on the self, which I feel personally is very noteworthy. Kant stated that doing the right thing meant to "act to treat humanity, whether yourself or another, as an end-in-itself and never as a means" - a.k.a., the Categorical Imperative. In other words, do not use people -- and do not allow yourself to be used, either. Recognize that yourself, and other people, have rights that should be respected [as opposed to the tyranny which is emphasized in utilitarian ethics -- which I personally despised].

Kant's theory, to me, personally, seems to be the one that strives to be at the most peace with the universe and with the rights to others living in it. It is a very tolerant and level-headed approach to life that is also very assertive and integral, and it is constant. According to Kant, nothing ever exempts a man from his moral duty. Sandra LaFave summarized Kant's definition of what makes a bad act, bad, perfectly, and I wouldn't word it any other way:

"Kant analyzes evil as a kind of logical error, or mistake in reasoning. A contradiction is the worst logical error. It would obviously be a contradiction for a rational being to say “Every rational being should do X, except me.” Contradiction of this form is called special pleading. When rational beings will to do bad things, they want a contradiction: they want everybody else to do the right thing, because that's exactly what makes their wrongdoing possible. For example, the liar wants everyone else to tell the truth; if everyone lied, no one would believe the liar's lie. So the liar in effect is willing a contradiction: “Every rational being should tell the truth, except me.” This is special pleading: wanting the rule to apply to everyone AND not to me. Such a contradiction is a failure of universality."

Finally, the right act must be performed with the right motive -- else, it is no longer a right act. A good will must be "purified" from inferior motives, and one must want to act according to good will; beyond that, even, Kant argues that any rational being that is capable of forming maxims and recognizing contradictions would want to.

As Kant puts it: "Rational nature is an end to itself."

Ethics Essay: Ford vs. Pinto

"In 1972, a woman, whom for legal reasons we will call Sandra Gillespie, pulled onto a Minneapolis highway in her new Ford Pinto. Riding with her was a young boy, whom we'll call Robbie Carlton. As she entered a merge lane, Sandra Gillespie's car stalled. Another car rear-ended hers at an impact speed of 28 miles per hour. The Pinto's gas tank ruptured. Vapors from it mixed quickly with the air in the passenger compartment. A spark ignited the mixture and the car exploded in a ball of fire. Sandra died in agony a few hours later in an emergency hospital. Her passenger, 13-year-old Robbie Carlton, is still alive; he has just come home from another futile operation aimed at grafting a new ear and nose from skin on the few unscarred portions of his badly burned body. (This accident is real; the details are from police reports.)"

- Adapted from a case by the Foundation Coalition
[http://www.foundationcoalition.org]

The legal issue here is the heavy responsibility that Ford Motors bears for willingly putting the lives of millions at stake, because there priorities were instead focused on the money that would be lost in recalls. They reasoned that the number of people they would be suing - and receiving monetary compensation for damages - would be far less brutal on the companies' pocketbooks than the recalls. As the discussion topic brings out, the assembly line machinery was already tooled when the engineers found the defect - it would have been harsh monetarily to fix the problem before the car was manufactured, let alone the recalls. However, here in lies the ethical issue: Ford *knew* about the problem *before* manufacturing it. They knew that people would be hurt. An exploding gas tank? - definitely, safety was not a major concern. And did they warn the public of this defect? It was not until *1978* that the issue was announced.

The action was NOT ethical by using utilitarian principles - if that had been the case, then Ford Motors would have used a point system to determine which choice would have yielded the greatest benefit to the most people. The public, obviously, is more people than the number of greedy manufacturers behind the Pinto being developed and sold to the masses without so much as a warning.