Further Research on Pedagogical Implications of Teaching Codes of Ethics at Tertiary Level


Abstract


The present paper is a second step into the study of the integration of codes of ethics (CoEs) into the syllabus of a Business English course in an Italian public university. As highly specialized corporate documents, CoEs represent a specific genre, as intended by Swales (1990). They are commonly used to implement ethical principles into business practice (Krč 2015), however, studies on the pedagogical implication of using CoEs in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses, especially in Italy, are scarce. On one hand, CoEs as a specific genre are expected to reveal their potentiality in providing students with the necessary tools to meet the needs of disciplinary communication (Bhatia 2002). On the other hand, they could be considered useful in raising content, communication, cognition and culture-related skills in EFL learning, thus exemplifying the integration of content and language in education at large. Previous findings (Giglioni & Patat 2020) suggested that CoEs are functional pedagogical tools for students in terms of lexicon enhancement and overall engagement in corporate communication and behaviors. Within the theoretical framework of genre analysis and its possible implications for language teaching, this paper addresses issues raised in the first phase of the study. More specifically, this second stage of the research, which provides data for comparison, focuses on students’ perceptions and achievements in their EFL learning process with special attention to language awareness at a micro-textual, Even if based on a small sample, it is believed that this qualitative and quantitative approach to CoEs allows for learners’ improvement in language proficiency without neglecting corporate discourse.

DOI Code: 10.1285/i22390359v52p97

Keywords: codes of ethics; ESP; genre-based instruction; corporate discourse

References


Adams, J.S., Tashchian, A. and Shore T.H. 2001, Codes of ethics as signals for ethical Behavior, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 29 [3], pp. 199-211.

Andrade, J., Hamza, K.M. and Xara-Brasil, D.M. 2017, Business ethics: International analysis of Code of ethics and conduct, in “REMark” 16 [1], pp. 1-16.

Bhatia, V.K. 2002, Applied genre analysis: a multi-perspective model, “Iberica” 4, pp. 3-19.

Bhatia, V.K. 2004, Worlds od written discourse: A genre-based view, Continuum, London.Brown, R.B. 2006, Doing Your Dissertation in Business and Management: The Reality of Research and Writing, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks.

Catenaccio, P. and Garzone, G.E. 2017, Poster session held at Association for Business Communication 82nd Annual International Conference, Dublin, Ireland.

Chua, F.C-K. 2015, Discourse analysis of corporate codes of ethics. A thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Accountancy. Manawatu, Massey University, New Zealand.

Fairfax, L.M. 2007, Easier said than Ddone: -A corporate law theory for actualizing social responsibility rhetoric, in “Florida Law Review” 59 [4], pp. 771-828.

Farrell, B. J. and Cobbin, D. 2000, A content analysis of codes of ethics from fifty-seven national accounting organizations, in “Business Ethics: A European Review”, 9 [3], pp. 180- 190.

Farrell, H. and Farrell, B.J. 1998, The language of business codes of ethics: Implications of knowledge and power, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 17 [6], pp. 587-601.

Gazzetta Ufficiale, Legislative Decree n.231/2001, https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2001/06/19/001G0293/sg

Giglioni, C. 2019, Legalistic and commitment-oriented corporate codes of ethics: Distinctive macro textual and lexico-syntactic traits, in “Ostrava Journal of English Philology” 11 [2], pp. 5-21.

Giglioni, C. 2020, Italian corporate codes of ethics: Legalistic or commitment-oriented?, in “BRNO Studies in English” 46 [1], pp. 5-20.

Giglioni, C. and Patat, E. 2020, Pedagogical implications of teaching codes of ethics at tertiary level: an Italian case study in “Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages. E- JournALL” 7 [2], pp. 51-69.

Herrington, J., Reeves, T.J. and Oliver, R. 2014, Authentic learning environments, in J.M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. Elen, and M.J. Bishop (eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology”, Springer, New York, pp. 401-412.

Holder-Webb, L. and Cohen, J. 2012, The cut and paste society: Isomorphism in codes of ethics, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 107 [4], pp. 485-509.

Hyland K. 2007a, Genre Pedagogy: Language, Literacy and L2 Writing Instruction, in “Journal of Second Language Writing” 16, pp. 148-164.

Hyland, K. 2007b, Genre and Second Language Writing, The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.

Hyon, S. 2018, Introducing Genre and English for Specific Purposes. Routledge, Oxon-New York.

Jaworska, S. 2020, Corporate Discouse, in A. De Fina and A. Georgakopoulou-Nunes (eds.), Handbook of Discourse Studies, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 666-686.

Kaptein, M. 2011, Toward effective codes: Testing the relationship with unethical behavior, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 99 [2], pp. 233-251.

Krč, M. 2015, Codes of ethics and their place in education, in “Acta Technologica Dubnicae” 5 [3], pp. 1-10.

Krippendorff, K. 2013, Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology (3rd ed.), Sage, Thousand Oaks.

Langlois, C. and Schelegelmilch, B. 1990, Do corporate codes of ethics reflect national character? Evidence from Europe and the United States, in “Journal of International Business Studies” 21 [4], pp. 519-539.

Long, B.S. and Driscoll, C. 2008, Codes of ethics and the pursuit of organizational legitimacy: Theoretical and empirical contributions, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 77 [2], pp. 173-189.

Morgan, G. A. (2000). “Quasi-Experimental Designs”. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 39 [6], pp. 794–796.

Paltridge, B. 2001, Genre and the Language Learning Classroom, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.

Pierce, M.A. and Henry, J. W. 1996, Computer ethics: The role of personal, informal, and formal codes, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 15 [4], pp. 425-437.

Pollach, I. 2003, Web: A discourse analysis of selected company websites, in “Business & Society” 42 [2], pp.277-287.

Saunders, M.NK., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. 2007, Research Methods for Business Students, Pearson Education

.Singh, J.B., Carasco, E., Svensson, G., Wood, G. and Callaghan, M. 2005, A comparative study of the contents of corporate code of ethics in Australia, Canada and Sweden, in “Journal of World Business” 40 [1], pp. 91-109.

Singh, J.B. 2011, Determinants of the effectiveness of corporate codes of ethics: An empirical study, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 101 [3], pp. 385-395

Somers, M.J. 2001, Ethical codes of conduct and organizational context: A study of the relationship between codes of conduct, employee behavior and organizational values, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 30 [2], pp. 185-195.

Stevens, B. 2008, Corporate ethical codes: Effective instruments for influencing Behavior, in “Journal of Business Ethics” 78 [4], pp. 601-609.

Swales, J.M. 1990, Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Tamo, D. 2009, The use of authentic materials in classrooms, in “Linguistic and Communicative Performance Journal” 2, pp. 74–78.

Wood, G. (2000), A Cross Cultural comparison of the Contents of Codes of Ethics: USA, Canada and Australia, “Journal of Business Ethics”, 25 [4], pp. 287-298.

Wood, G. and Rimmer, M. 2003, Codes of ethics: What are they really and what should they be?, in “International Journal of Value-Based Management” 16 [2], pp. 181-195.

Yang, W. 2012, A study of students’ perceptions and attitudes towards genre-based ESP writing instruction, in “Asian ESP Journal” 18 [3], pp. 50-73.

Yin, R.K. 1994, Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage, Thousand Oaks.


Full Text: PDF

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 3.0 Italia License.