We're launching a new ethics monitor -- a series of periodic surveys in which we gauge readers' positions on a number of topics and everyday scenarios. Right now, we've got six short questions -- which you can answer to help us gauge the state of ethics at work.
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Recent Comments | 2 Total
February 18, 2005 at 1:44pm by Steve Portigal
How's about sending your ethics czar out for a course in basic survey writing? One of the first rules is not to put someone in a situation where they can't answer the question.
The first question presupposes that the respondent actually HAS an assistant. Many of your readers - and potential respondents - do not. How are they supposed to respond? They can't.
At the very least offer a "Does not apply to me" choice. Otherwise, how can you possibly place any value at all on the numbers you get back? Will people without an assistant put "yes" "no" or will they leave it blank? You don't know.
Really, guys. This comes off like a high school project or something. If you want to tap the zeitgeist, you had better learn the tools!
February 18, 2005 at 2:11pm by Heath Row
Thanks for your feedback, Steve. I didn't get hung up on that question, and I don't have an assistant -- and, no, I didn't write the survey. I just answered it interpreting it as asking whether I let phone calls go to voicemail when I don't want to be bothered. Or if I tell a caller I need to call them back when I could really talk to them. It doesn't have the same ethical element, but it's basically the same issue. We'll take your comment to heart and strive to improve our future surveys!