What corporate America is teaching about ethics

Executive Overview Many corporations are convinced that an ethical corporate culture is related to strategic advantage. To establish this culture, corporations have worked at establishing codes of ethical conduct. Now, as corporations complete the establishment of codes, more and more are turning to ethics training as the next step in incorporating ethical considerations into decision-making. What constitutes ethics training varies widely. Corporations conducting ethics training generally include messages from CEOs or other managers, discuss codes of ethics, and provide mechanisms for reporting problems. Corporate classes on ethics also include case studies, guidelines for ethical decisions, decision-making frameworks, and cognitive intervention. This article examines the current state of the objectives, extent, and content of ethics training. Implications for management are discussed.