Issues relating to ethics are often not black or white. What is your reaction to the following scenario? There is not always a clear answer.

You have taken the initiative to propose a comprehensive user manual for customers – something that has not existed before. You have come up with a concept and a detailed outline. The department manager approves the project and you run with it, engaging co-workers to work on different parts of it over the next few months.

When the manual is published, the department manager is listed as the author and there are no acknowledgements (verbal or printed) to anyone who actually worked on the project.

What kind of ethical choice does this omission represent? Are there pros and cons? What does it communicate internally and externally? Should you respond to the situation? If so, how?