ETHICAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: THEORETICAL MODELS AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
Keywords:
ethical communication, business communication, interpersonal relations, IT sector, organizational ethics, digital communication, trustAbstract
In the context of a highly digitalized economy and intensive organizational change, ethical communication becomes a key factor for business sustainability and the quality of interpersonal relationships. This paper examines the theoretical foundations of ethical business communication and its role in building trust, organizational culture, and social responsibility. It discusses classical and contemporary approaches to communication ethics, with a particular focus on the impact of the digital environment and hybrid forms of work. Recent research emphasizes that ethical communication is associated with honesty, transparency, responsibility, respect, and care for others. Building on this, the paper presents an empirical study conducted in a sample IT company, “DbD IT”, employing 250 staff members.
The research applies a quantitative survey method with 120 respondents (software developers, system administrators, team leaders, and managers), complemented by qualitative data from ten semi structured interviews with team leaders. A measurement scale of ethical communication was developed across five dimensions: honesty and transparency; respect and empathy; fairness and impartiality; privacy protection; and responsibility for communication outcomes. The results demonstrate the strong importance of ethical standards for organizational climate, job satisfaction, and willingness to collaborate. A statistically significant relationship is identified between perceived ethical communication and trust in management, as well as between ethical communication and employees’ willingness to share knowledge within their teams. The study also reveals specific challenges arising from the digital environment, such as increased risk of misunderstandings, distorted tone in mediated messages, and blurred boundaries between professional and private spheres.
The paper concludes with recommendations for organizational policies and practical tools to foster ethical communication in business: adopting and implementing a communication ethics code, targeted training for managers and employees, creating feedback channels, and establishing mechanisms for reporting ethical violations. Finally, a model for developing an ethical communication culture in the IT sector is proposed, integrating dimensions of interpersonal ethics, digital ethics, and organizational responsibility.
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