Abstract
Everybody in America wants to be wealthy. We also want to be well-known and well-respected in society. The desire to be successful in our careers and profession we choose is just as important. To be successful an individual would choose a profession that would allow them to advance and climb the corporate ladder. Each and every profession has a standard code of ethics and professional values. Likewise, each has their own set of codes within the corporation or company. A person choosing their profession should really consider their own values and ethics before pursuing a professional career in an area that would later be conflicting with ones self-conscience. Professional values are usually framed from our own personal values. The customs, beliefs, and ideas we hold dear are our values. Ethics are the things we think of as right and wrong. A person who has high values and ethic should reconsider the job offer if they feel the corporation is dishonest

Professional Values and Ethics
Sexual Harassment

“Professional values are the principles that guide your decisions and actions in your career.” According to Chrissy Scivicque, there are some universal values that should be and usually are held and practiced in all of them and they are: “first, do no harm; keep it simple; honesty is the best policy; we’re all in this together and stay balanced.” Professional ethics concerns the moral issues that arise because of the specialist knowledge that professionals attain, and how the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public. Professional values and ethics are usually a standard in many corporations. As time changes professional values and ethics also change with new State and Federal Regulations applying to every corporation in America. With each new generation and new corporation forming what was once considered to be acceptable is now a viewed as unacceptable. Dealing with corporate America’s values and ethics were different for men than for women but with today’s growing corporate America men could it be possible that the roles have reversed?
In corporate America, sexual harassment has always been a source of conflict. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defined sexual harassment as any uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority toward a subordinate. It was in the late 1970’s that sexual harassment was brought to the public’s attention. Interaction with society via real life situations, television, web, or radio sexual harassment has been known to be geared toward women in the office. Sexual harassment viewed and considered to be full of negative values and ethics. With all the changes in happening and women are smarter and advance faster the number of women in the corporate world has increased. Therefore, the roles are reversed and men can be sexually harassed as any woman out in the corporate world of today.
Therefore, it is necessary for corporations and/ or companies to strictly enforce and stress the level of importance of unprofessional ethics and values as well as consequences for such behavior. Sexual harassment is usually a misuse of power. Professional laws and ethics help to set the guidelines of what is expected from each and every employee. They help prevent an embarrassment to the corporation or company as well as the individual who is the victim whether it is male or female. Discrimination has been around for as long as society can recall whether it be based on race, creed or sex. What is discrimination? Discrimination is the effect of a law or established practice that confers privileges on a certain class or that denies privileges to certain class because of race, age, sex, nationality, religion, or disability. (Black’s Law Dictionary pg. 393) According to Black’s Law Dictionary, racial discrimination is discrimination based on race. (394) and sex discrimination is based on gender, esp. woman (394) Racial discrimination is destructive, pervasive, and real. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that one day all races would be able to be treated equal. It is sad to say that equality has still not been achieved and discrimination has not ended. Texas Constitution states equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, or national origin. This amendment is self-operative. (Tex. Const. art.I, § 3a.) In the Declaration of Independence, it is stated "...all men are created equal...", but unfortunately all men are not treated equally. Things have changed since the old days to try to prevent discrimination. In current times, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws making it illegal for employers to discriminate against job applicants or current employees. Even with the EEOC in place, sexism and racism still happens. From past educational teachings and reading material back in the earlier days of civilization women were not allowed to do some jobs that were considered "men" work such as being a police officer, a firefighter, or even serving in the military. Women are not the only one discriminated; some men also receive the same treatment. Some men are looked at in a different light if they work in a profession that is considered a woman's job such as being a nurse, a babysitter, or a house cleaner. An example of sexual discrimination would be the Wal-Mart case that was originally filed June 2001. Six former and current employees at the time stated that the Bentonville, Ark location denied women equal pay and opportunities for promotion. Duke v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 222 F.R.D. 137, 141-42(N.D. Cal.2004).
What are trade secrets and how is embezzlement defined? Trade secrets is a formula, process, device, or other business information that is kept confidential to maintain an advantage over competitors; information – including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process – that (1) derives from independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known or readily ascertainable by others who can obtain economic value disclosure or use and (2) is the subject of reasonable efforts, under the circumstances, to maintain its secrecy. (1252) Corporations entrust individuals to be named officers, directors, board members, presidents, vice-presidents, chairmen’s, treasurers and secretaries of and for the corporation. The corporation is where and who employs these individuals. A person is has been entrusted with such high powers should not abuse those powers granted to them. Embezzlement is defined as the fraudulent taking of personal property which one has been entrusted, especially as a fiduciary. Black’s Law Dictionary) (443) Obeying the law in spirit is the foundation for all corporations. Ethical standards are built so that the corporations can outperform the competition fairly and honestly. They seek competitive advantages through superior performance, never through unethical or illegal business practices. Directors, officers and employees of the Corporation must respect and obey applicable laws of the jurisdictions in which the corporation operate. Failure to do so could severely damage the Corporation and its reputation. Although not all employees are expected to know the details of these laws, but it is important to familiarize yourself to determine when to seek advice from supervisors, managers or other appropriate personnel. The Company holds information and training sessions to promote compliance with laws, rules and regulations within the Corporation and outside of the Corporation. Of the fifty states only forty-three states and the District of Columbia have trade secret laws adopted from the Uniform trade Secrets Act (UTSA) http://www.ndasforfree.com/UTSA.html#States_that_have_not_adopted_the_UTSA.
Texas being one out of the eight is one that carries its own statutes and common law. A recent study by the Milwaukee Business Journal, describes a list 415 cases dealing with embezzlement worth more than $100,000.00. This huge amount of embezzlement crime is due to the downfall of the economy. (http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/01/11/daily58.html) According to The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct in some circumstances, a lawyer may be justified in delaying transmission of information’. Tex. Disciplinary R. Prof’l Conduct 1.03 cmt. 4. Why do attorneys have special treatment? Values, professionalisms, ethics are the key words that could make an attorney wealthy or mediocre. It’s contradicting itself; only the federal government can implement their rules and regulations. Is the key for running a high powered corporation keeping all trade secrets but what if an individual who leaves a corporation only to go to another and give the previous corporation’s trade secrets? Some corporations don’t own their trade secret for various reason and self-interests. Coca cola does not own their trade secrets. Even when ordered by a judge to render their trade secrets they refused. Every corporation is in a league of their own. If an individual has a good code of conduct and regulations to stop that individual form taking that trade secret or embezzlement of corporations funds it would prevent major embarrassment and shame to the corporation involved. In conclusion, corporate America would be a better work environment for everyone if it would generate an exceptional hand book and code of ethics manual for every up and coming corporation as part of the requirement before forming the corporation. Ensuring employees are of good morals, professionalism, values, and ethics will show good faith to the company. So whether one is of different nationality or gender does not disqualify them from harassing, discriminating, embezzling, or handing out trade secrets in corporate America.

References http://www.ehow.com/about_5048393_definition-professional-values.html Smith, J. (200, July 3). Re: Definition of Professional Values
Sexual Harassment (noun). Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexual%20harassment http://www.eeoc.gov http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sex.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1519911.html http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CN/htm/CN.1.htm#1.3a http://www.ndasforfree.com/UTSA.html#States_that_have_not_adopted_the_UTSA. http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/01/11/daily58.html
http://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Grievance_Info_and_Ethics_Helpline&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=96