Companies are increasingly using written ethical codes to communicate their prin
ciples and practices; however, there have been few attempts to examine the complex lan
guage decisions the composers of such documents are likely to face in their attempt to
"manage" the differing expectations of their readers. To reveal some of the rhetorical
concerns that arise in constructing a code that is truly affiliative and inclusive of the
readership and yet reflective of the goals of the corporation itself, this study focuses on
the Dana Corporation's code. Using the standard linguistic technique of substitution to
examine possible alternatives, especially the ways in which Dana refers to itself and its
employees, brings to light some of the subtle rhetorical decisions that composers of ethi
cal codes need to negotiate.
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