Shortcomings of Codes of Ethics

Some controversy does exist in the discussion of professional codes of ethics. Writing from a general business perspective, Brien draws on the work of other ethicists to lay out a case for the ineffectiveness of professional codes of ethics: Often not well known, they do not lay out prescriptive rules for action in all cases and may ultimately be ineffective in reducing unethical behavior. Finally, they might merely exist to allay fears about the ethics of a particular profession. To sum, Brien states:

Codes minister only to the ethical since the unscrupulous will not be persuaded to be ethical or deterred from wrongdoing by a code any more than a thief will be reformed by reading the criminal law.

In fact, some researchers have suggested that codes of ethics might in fact actually fail the profession, rather than bolster it, because such codes are subject to (and in fact require) interpretation. Additionally, multiple codes often guide professional behavior, sometimes at cross purposes. Ultimately, these researchers conclude that while ethical guidelines seem an attractive shortcut to the “right” answer in an ethical quandary, often they fail to meet the task: Professionals seeking to act ethically may derive more value from sophisticated, critical ethical decision-making skills than ethical codes that are often too vague to fit a certain situation.

In spite of the potential problems with codes of ethics, their presence – coupled with good communication about them – can benefit a profession by setting standards for ethical behavior.