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Technical Writing in the Digital Age: Difference between revisions
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Technical communicators may occasionally work for an organization with strict privacy policies that prohibit they from using the documents they create outside of the organization. It is important for ethical communicators to follow the privacy policy for their organization because unauthorized release of information could lead to consequences up to an including termination.<ref name=":4" /> | Technical communicators may occasionally work for an organization with strict privacy policies that prohibit they from using the documents they create outside of the organization. It is important for ethical communicators to follow the privacy policy for their organization because unauthorized release of information could lead to consequences up to an including termination.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
Technical communicators have an obligation to the environment. This obligation includes alerting their supervisors, managers, and executive leadership to products or processes that are detrimental to the environment. Disposal of hazardous waste is far more costly than dumping it. Organizations could be tempted to skirt the legal procedures.<ref name=":0" /> One would hope that the penalty of 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day for knowingly disposing of hazardous waste in a way contrary to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulations would be a sufficient deterrent. {{Citation |url=https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/criminal-provisions-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act-rcra | Technical communicators have an obligation to the environment. This obligation includes alerting their supervisors, managers, and executive leadership to products or processes that are detrimental to the environment. Disposal of hazardous waste is far more costly than dumping it. Organizations could be tempted to skirt the legal procedures.<ref name=":0" /> One would hope that the penalty of 5 years and/or up to $50,000 per day for knowingly disposing of hazardous waste in a way contrary to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulations would be a sufficient deterrent.<ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/criminal-provisions-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act-rcra | ||
|title=Criminal Provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act | |title=Criminal Provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act | ||
|website=United States Environmental Protection Agency | |website=United States Environmental Protection Agency | ||
|access-date=November 6, 2023}} | |access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref> | ||
In technical workplaces, resolving ethical dilemmas will be part of one's job. Resources, time, and reputations are at stake, so one will feel pressure to overpromise, underdeliver, bend the rules, cook the numbers, or exaggerate results. Technical fields are also highly competitive, so people sometimes stretch a little further than they should. Ethical dilemmas can force one into situations in which all choices seem unsatisfactory<ref>Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. “Managing Ethical Challenges.” ''Technical Communication Today'', 6th ed., Pearson, Boston, MA, 2018, pp. 71–84.</ref>. | In technical workplaces, resolving ethical dilemmas will be part of one's job. Resources, time, and reputations are at stake, so one will feel pressure to overpromise, underdeliver, bend the rules, cook the numbers, or exaggerate results. Technical fields are also highly competitive, so people sometimes stretch a little further than they should. Ethical dilemmas can force one into situations in which all choices seem unsatisfactory<ref>Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. “Managing Ethical Challenges.” ''Technical Communication Today'', 6th ed., Pearson, Boston, MA, 2018, pp. 71–84.</ref>. | ||