A Moral Debate: The Responsibility of Human Resource Professionals in the Implementation of a Code of Ethics

The overarching idea of this thesis is that human resource professionals have a responsibility to oversee a code of ethics that governs employee behavior within an organization. Although the development and implementation of such a code is a collaborative effort between stakeholders, human resource managers bring value to a code through factors such as training and communication. Initially, one must define ethics and a code of ethics, in order to better understand the creation, management, and implementation of the code. Recent ethical situations in the world today, such as Enron and TI Instruments, establish and exemplify the purpose and overall effect of a code of ethics. A final look at the role of human resource management within an ethical framework establishes its position as a strategic business partner in the ultimate implementation of a code of ethics