Introduction
Ethical codes are essential parts of any field, helping to establish standards for conduct as well as expectations of professionals. For instance, sports organizations have ethical codes wherein the leadership strives to promote fair play, integrity, and respect. In addition to such approaches, such guidelines aim to eliminate discrimination and concentrate on sportsmanship.
Consequently, organizations cannot simply maintain their integrity but protect the well-being of the athletes. In the 2016 article by De Waegeneer and colleagues, the authors focus not simply on the definition of the codes but on their effect on athletes’ and organizations’ conduct, claiming that their length might not affect the outcomes.
Study Analysis
Respondents and Instruments Used in the Study
Before delving deeper into the study’s results, paying attention to the participants is necessary. The sports organizations that responded by saying they had an ethics code were contacted and asked to complete the s-ECI (Ethical Climate Index) (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). Sixty-two sports clubs, over half of whose codes were examined, had this situation (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). Authors have information on the s-ECI in these clubs’ organizations and their ethical codes (De Waegeneer et al., 2016).
Average Length of Codes of Conduct Analyzed
The authors then emphasized that an average of 6.81 replies per club were received, ranging from 3 to 44 (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). For the s-ECI test, athletes made up most respondents, a bit over 80% (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). The mean score of the replies from each club was used to determine the s-ECI for every club (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). As a result, the researchers included respondents in their study if they fit the criteria.
Through a variety of statistical techniques, the assumptions were examined. The relationship between the ECI scores and the qualitative variables within the study’s framework, including ethical orientation and tone, was investigated using t-test sampling (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). To investigate the relationship between the ECI scores and the quantitative factors in the framework involving the number of statements, MANOVA tests were run (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). In this case, the authors utilized not only a reliable and effective tool for data analysis.
Moreover, 16.0% of the clubs had codes that were less than half a page long when one considers the length of the codes (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). A little over 50% of the clubs had a code of ethics that was longer than one page, while 31.1% of the groups had one that was between one-half and one page long (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). The ethical codes contained an average of 25.2 statements according to the number of statements (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). By reviewing the codes and paying attention to their length, researchers gained more insights into their effectiveness.
The Effect of the Number of Statements in Codes
As for the effect of statements in the codes, there was no statistically significant relationship between length and sensitivity, judgment, motivation, and character. Researchers discovered that codes with 30 or fewer statements and more than 30 statements significantly impacted the s-ECI and moral motivation (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). Those with more than 30 statements received significantly lower scores than the ones with 30 or fewer statements on both the general ECI and the corresponding subscale for motivation (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). As a result, one can see that the size of the code does not significantly influence the conduct and perceptions of the stakeholders.
The Relationship Between Study Results and Ethical Theories
In terms of the ethical theories, the researchers used several. The ethical direction of the code might have an impact on how well it works in sports clubs. Deontology is unquestionably the most common theory for creating declarations in codes of ethics regarding ethical orientation (De Waegeneer et al., 2016).
The findings explain that sports clubs adopt separate and explicit rules in the hopes that this will produce universal guidance and treatment of all potential issues (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). Sports clubs rarely use consequentialism and virtue ethics in their standards of conduct (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). This might result from sports groups wanting to set very rigorous guidelines for conduct, as is typical for the rules in the sporting discipline.
Sports clubs’ ethical atmosphere is more affected by codes with a single ethical direction than codes with many ethical orientations. When deontology is the involved orientation, the impact is considerably more pronounced (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). This shows that adhering to one ethical stance across the entire code of ethics is crucial. This need may even take precedence over the potential risk of rigidity in deontological norms (De Waegeneer et al., 2016).
The Relationship Between Tone and Codes of Ethics/Conduct
Furthermore, when examining the content of ethical norms, tone is frequently seen to be a significant factor. When the ethical code comprised both inspirational and regulatory remarks, moral judgment was much higher than when simply the mentioned remarks were present (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). At the same time, another vital component is comprehension aids. However, as the authors mention, including examples with each sentence in the ethical code did not appear to improve ethical behavior in sports groups (De Waegeneer et al., 2016).
Identification of Target Audiences in Codes of Conduct
An ethical code’s guidelines may specifically target particular stakeholders. The authors consider internal and external stakeholders, including the board of directors, management, coaches, and athletes (De Waegeneeret al., 2016). These various organizations contribute to the sporting environment and its ethical climate, which might lead to multiple declarations about their particular ethical obligations in the code of ethics (De Waegeneer et al., 2016).
Conclusions About Well-Designed Ethical Codes in Organizations
Finally, the authors conclude that the number of statements in a code of ethics, the tone of those assertions, and whether or not the code includes recommendations for the directors all appear to affect the code’s efficacy (De Waegeneer et al., 2016). Raising moral consciousness in sports clubs may still be one of the actual accomplishments of the ethical code.
A Sport-Related Example of a Code of Conduct and Its Components
An example of a code of conduct is the one used by an organization, Sport Ireland. In its document, among the most interesting elements is that the athletes are expected not to engage in verbal abuse toward authorities or other athletes or players, nor to purposefully annoy or anger a rival (Sport Ireland, n.d.). Moreover, athletes must work as diligently for their team as they do for themselves and be cooperative (Sport Ireland, n.d.). The code focuses on the promotion of sportsmanship and integrity of its stakeholders.
Conclusion
In summary, the authors of the 2016 piece by De Waegeneer and colleagues suggest that the length of the codes may not impact the results; instead, they concentrate on how the codes affect the behavior of athletes and companies rather than just their descriptions. This circumstance existed in 62 sports clubs, more than half of the clubs whose codes were analyzed.
Using independent t-test sampling, the connection between the ECI scores and the qualitative factors was examined. No statistically significant correlation existed between length and sensitivity, judgment, motivation, or character. However, there was a correlation between the number of statements in the codes. Sport Ireland’s code of conduct serves as an illustration of a code of conduct.
References
De Waegeneer, E., Van De Somplele, J. & Willem, A. (2016). Ethical codes in sport organizations: Classification framework, content analysis and the influence of content on code effectiveness. Journal of Business Ethics, 136(3), 587-598. Web.
Sport Ireland. (n.d.). Code of conduct. Web.