Discussion: View Thread

On 31 May 98 at 22:11, Jack Ring wrote:

> Managers are responsible for adhering to business law (ignorance of the law
> has not been an excuse since somewhere around 1776), for role modeling
> business ethics, and, among other things, for preparing their successors.
> One of the topics every manager must understand is Intellectual Property
> laws and ethics. Period. Leavenworth is not a positive step on the career
> ladder.
>
> Likewise, people who purport to be educators and developers of managers (be
> you professors, coaches, mentors, mothers-in-law or whatever) must be
> conversant with IP laws and should be role models of IP ethics. Period.

I think several interesting questions and issues are related to this
issue.

Why is there such a high level of misunderstanding of intellectual
property rights amongst some posters on this list?

Why is there general lack of concern about IP rights and is it an
issue that should be focused on more in managerial training?

Is part of the resistance to copyright laws a result of a lack of
ethics? How does that relate to management ed.?


What struck me most about the discussion was the extremeness of some
of the comments, both private and public, and in some people a total
misunderstanding of the laws, their purpose and their meaning...and
that it was clear that some people just don't want to hear the
message that they cannot do as they please with intellectual
property.

IP rights and copyright have practical implications in terms of what
can be distributed in organizations under what conditions; what can
be used in training and education...to name a few...and they relate
to what is legal and illegal with respect to things like the use of
video and software.

Is an understanding of these laws any less important than
understanding any laws regarding dismissal?


Robert Bacal, Inst.For Cooperative Communication, rbacal@escape.ca
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I thought this list was about the education and development of managers.

If I am right about that then I must ask, "About what?"

If the education and development is to be about discharging
responsibilities for employees while furthering the aims of the employer
(or however you want to attribute "manager") then I am greatly underwhelmed
at the recent series of interchanges regarding a) copyright, b)
admonishment, c) whether we should be talking about these things in the
first place and d) whether the way something is said is more important than
what is said.

Managers are responsible for adhering to business law (ignorance of the law
has not been an excuse since somewhere around 1776), for role modeling
business ethics, and, among other things, for preparing their successors.
One of the topics every manager must understand is Intellectual Property
laws and ethics. Period. Leavenworth is not a positive step on the career
ladder.

Likewise, people who purport to be educators and developers of managers (be
you professors, coaches, mentors, mothers-in-law or whatever) must be
conversant with IP laws and should be role models of IP ethics. Period.

Finally, I would strongly suggest that all those who rush to condemn the
way something is said without first acknowledging the accuracy and
appropriatness of what is said would do well to stay away from fledgling
managers. Their work life will be tough enough without an overdose of
situation ethics.

And I will enjoy your appreciation of my caring enough to say this to you
-- in an unambiguous way and with an urgency that is consistent with the
penalty of failure.

Jack Ring
Innovation Management
sendmail: jring@amug.org
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