The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) conducted a global survey of 1,800 communication professionals and found that while most organizations maintain a healthy ethical climate, less than half of companies encourage open discussions about moral dilemmas in the workplace.

The survey found that 70 percent of respondents agree that their organization makes it clear to employees what is ethically acceptable and what is not acceptable. Additionally, 67 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that top management has let it be known in no uncertain terms that unethical behavior will not be tolerated.

However, the research also found that only 61 percent of companies encourage openness about ethical/unethical conduct in their organizations and only 46 percent of companies encourage discussion of moral dilemmas and censurable conduct in their organizations.

IABC also explored organizational values about ethical conduct of managers. The majority of the study's respondents (69 percent) disagreed with the statement that managers in their company often engaged in unethical behavior.

When questioned further on corporate values on reprimanding unethical behavior, 68 percent of communicators said their companies would promptly reprimand managers found to be acting unethically for personal gain. However, if the unethical behavior was primarily for corporate gain, only half the respondents (51 percent) believed that the manager would be reprimanded by their company.

The Business of Truth: A Guide to Ethical Communication is available for purchase. To order, visit http://store.yahoo.com/iabcstore/knowcenres