Ethics in Information Technology
Chapter 2
Ethics for IT Professionals and IT Users
IT Professionals
Profession is a calling that requires
-Specialized knowledge
-Long and intensive academic preparation
Are IT Workers Professionals?
Partial list of IT specialists
Programmers
Systems analysts
Software engineers
Database administrators
Local area network (LAN) administrators
Chief information officers (CIOs)
Are IT Workers Professionals?
Legal perspective
IT workers are not recognized as professionals
Not licensed
IT workers are not liable for malpractice
Professional Relationships That Must Be Managed
IT professionals have many different relationships with:
-Employers
-Clients
-Suppliers
-Other professionals
-IT users
-Society at large
Relationships Between IT Professionals and Employers
IT professionals must set an example and enforce policies regarding the ethical use of IT
Software piracy is the act of illegally making copies of software or enabling others to access software to which they are not entitled
Software piracy is an area in which IT professionals can be tempted to violate laws and policies
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is a trade group that represents the world’s largest software and hardware manufacturers
Its mission is to stop the unauthorized copying of software produced by its members
Members of Business Software Alliance (as of July 2005)
Trade secret
Information used in business
Generally unknown to the public
Company has taken strong measures to keep confidential
Whistle-blowing
Attracts attention to a negligent, illegal, unethical, abusive, or dangerous act that threatens the public interest
Relationships Between IT Professionals and Clients
IT professional provides
Hardware, software, or services at a certain cost and within a given time frame
Client provides
-Compensation
-Access to key contacts
-Work space
Relationship is usually documented in contractual terms
Ethical problems arise if a company recommends its own products and services to remedy problems they have detected
A company is unable to provide full and accurate reporting of a project’s status
Legal Overview: Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Breach of Contract
Fraud
Crime of obtaining goods, services, or property through deception or trickery
Fraud is proven in court
Breach of contract
One party fails to meet the terms of a contract
IT projects are joint efforts in which vendors and customers work together
Difficult to assign blame
Relationships Between IT Professionals and Suppliers
Develop good relationships with suppliers
Deal fairly with them
Do not make unreasonable demands
Bribery
Providing money, property, or favors to someone in business or government to obtain a business advantage
U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) makes it a crime to bribe a foreign official, a foreign political party official, or a candidate for foreign political office
Bribery
At what point does a gift become a bribe?
No gift should be hidden
Perceptions of donor and recipient can differ
Distinguishing Between a Bribe and a Gift
Relationships Between IT Professionals and Other Professionals
Professionals owe each other adherence to a profession’s code of conduct
Ethical problems between members of the IT profession
Résumé inflation
Inappropriate sharing of corporate information
Relationships Between IT Professionals and IT Users
IT user is a person for whom a hardware or software product is designed
IT professionals’ duty
Understand users’ needs and capabilities
Deliver products and services that best meet those needs
Establish an environment that supports ethical behavior by users
Relationships Between IT Professionals and Society
Actions of an IT professional can affect society
The Ethical Behavior of IT Professionals
Corporations are taking actions to ensure good business ethics among employees
Professional Codes of Ethics
A professional code of ethics states the principles and core values that are essential to the work of a particular occupational group
Main parts:
Outlines what the professional organization aspires to become
Lists rules and principles by which members of the organization are expected to abide
Benefits for individual, profession, and society
Improves ethical decision making
Promotes high standards of practice and ethical behavior
Enhances trust and respect from the general public
Provides an evaluation benchmark
Professional Organizations
No universal code of ethics for IT professionals
No single, formal organization of IT professionals has emerged as preeminent
Most prominent organizations include:
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)
Computer Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE-CS)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Certification
Indicates a professional possesses a particular set of skills, knowledge, or abilities in the opinion of a certifying organization
Can also apply to products
Generally voluntary
Carries no requirement to adhere to a code of ethics
Vendor certifications
Some certifications substantially improve IT workers’ salaries and career prospects
Relevant for narrowly defined roles
Or certain aspects of broader roles
Require passing a written exam
Workers are commonly recertified as newer technologies become available
Industry association certifications
Require a certain level of experience and a broader perspective than vendor certifications
Lag in developing tests that cover new technologies
Government Licensing
Generally administered at the state level in the United States
Case for licensing IT professionals
Encourage IT professionals to follow the highest standards of the profession
Practice a code of ethics
Violators would be punished
Issues associated with government licensing of IT professionals
There are few international or national licensing programs for IT professionals
No universally accepted core body of knowledge
Unclear who should manage content and administration of licensing exams
No administrative body to accredit professional education programs
No administrative body to assess and ensure competence of individual professionals
IT Professional Malpractice
Negligence has been defined as not doing something that a reasonable man would do, or doing something that a reasonable man would not do
Duty of care refers to the obligation to protect people against any unreasonable harm or risk
Courts consistently reject attempts to sue individual parties for computer-related malpractice
IT Users
Employees’ ethical use of IT is an area of growing concern
Common Ethical Issues for IT Users
Software piracy
Inappropriate use of computing resources
Inappropriate sharing of information
Private data
Confidential information
Supporting the Ethical Practices of IT Users
Policies that protect against abuses:
Establish boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior
Enable management to punish violators
Policy components include:
Defining and limiting the appropriate use of IT resources
Establishing guidelines for use of company software
Structuring information systems to protect data and information
Installing and maintaining a corporate firewall
Manager’s Checklist of Items to Consider when Establishing an IT Usage Policy
Summary
A professional from a legal standpoint
Has passed the state licensing requirements
Has earned the right to practice there
IT professionals have many different relationships
Each with its own set of ethical issues and potential problems
Professional code of ethics
States the principles and core values essential to the work of an occupational group
Licensing and certification of IT professionals
Many people feel that certification will increase the reliability and effectiveness of information systems
Raises many issues
IT-related professional organizations have developed a code of ethics
IT usage policy defines appropriate and inappropriate IT user behavior
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Nouns
Nouns
Noun is a name of person, place, things and ideas.
Categories of Nouns
There are several different kinds of nouns.
1. Common Nouns
A common noun is the word used for a class of person, place or thing.
Examples:
boy, car, building, book, cellphone
2. Proper Nouns
A proper noun is the name of a person, place or thing (i.e., its own name). A proper noun always starts with a capital letter.
Examples:
Ariel
Italy
University of Cebu
3. Collective Nouns
A collective noun is the word used for a group of people or things.
Examples:
choir
orchestra
family
team
faculty
4. Compound Nouns
Compound nouns are nouns made up of two or more words. Some compound nouns are hyphenated.
Examples:
mother-in-law
grandfather
court-martial
forget-me-not
paper-clip
5. Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns are names of abstract things. Emotions, ideas and concepts would come in this category. These are words that cannot be definitively described or calculated.
Examples:
love
purity
nationalism
courage
6. Concrete Noun
Concrete nouns are those that are tangible and obvious. The concept of concrete nouns is the exact opposite of that of abstract nouns. In fact, other than abstract nouns, all nouns are concrete nouns.
Examples:
books
kite
bird
table
7. Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are those that show its numerical status. As in, whether it is single or plural. In the this statement, the words in italics are the countable nouns.
The guys were meeting at the gym.
In the statement, the first noun is in plural state. Which refers to the fact that there is more than one guy subject to the action. The second noun is singular in state. Which shows that there is only one gym subject to the action.
8. Mass Nouns
These nouns are the exact opposite of countable nouns. Hence, they are often known as uncountable nouns. These nouns are words that never let out the numerical status of the subject. In the following statements, the words in italics are the mass nouns.
Examples:
water
wood
information
sugar
Sample Sentences
We need to get them some water.
The wood was burning.
The information was incomplete
The nouns in all the statements refuse to let the reader know if they are singular or plural.
Characteristics of Nouns
1.Nouns are marked by the presence of prepositions and thus they function as object of prepositions.
Examples:
2. Almost all nouns can be or at times must be preceded by the following determiners:
a. articles
the -definite article
a -indefinite article
an -indefinite article
Examples:
the student
a book
an airplane
b. possessive pronouns
my, her, his, its, our, your, their
Examples:
my mother
her letter
his pen
its fur
our house
your wallet
their parents
c. demonstratives
this, these, that, those
Examples:
this paper
these papers
that tree
those trees
d. indefinite pronouns
both, each, many, few, several, all
Examples:
both girls
each store
many children
few tables
several buildings
all books
3.Nouns may be recognized from the blending of two or more words to function as single nouns.
Playground frame-up function room
grandchild sister-in-law high school
weekend attorney-at-law bulletin board
4.Nouns are also recognized by the presence of some derivational suffixes.
-ment government, adjustment, attachment
-ness cleanliness, politeness, happiness
-cy policy, currency, urgency
-ship relationship, courtship, friendship
- hood neighborhood, parenthood, adulthood
-ure pleasure, failure
-dom kingdom, freedom
-ism mechanism, vandalism
-ist artist, pianist
-ance acceptance, attendance
- ion, tion, sion, application, commission, education
-ty, ity clarity,
- or actor, elevator, doctor
-ee employee, committee
- er laborer, founder, dancer
-ian comedian, librarian
-age cottage, message, baggage
-ice notice, police
-ing spelling, accounting
5.Nouns have the possibility of inflectional endings 's and s' to show possession and -s or -es to show plurality.
Examples:
Santa Ana's store
students' reports
pen-pens
window-windows
computer-computers
mango-mangoes
potato-potatoes
Uses of Nouns in Sentence Construction
1.Noun is used as subject of the sentence.
Maria shouted to get my attention.
The children are playing chess under the mango tree.
2. Noun also functions as subject complement. Complement can be noun or adjective. Here, we will just limit to nouns.
Sam is a newscaster.
He is a basketball player.
3. Noun functions as direct object of the verb.
The students submitted their assignments on time.
Abner read the letter from his friend.
4. Noun also functions as indirect object.
The office clerk provided the customer the necessary details.
My parents gave me all the support I needed for my trip to Hongkong.
5.Noun also functions as object complement. An object complement tells something about the object of the verb.
The people elected Roldan mayor of the city for three consecutive terms.
DO
(Mayor of the city tells something about the direct object him.)
Posted by kca777 at 7:53 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 2, 2010
Professional Ethics for IT (Chapter 1)
Ethics in Information Technology, Second Edition
Chapter 1
Objectives
1. What is ethics, and why is it important to act according to a code of principles?
2. Why is business ethics becoming increasingly important?
3. What are corporations doing to improve business ethics?
4. Why are corporations interested in fostering good business ethics?
5. What approach can you take to ensure ethical decision making?
6. What trends have increased the risk of using information technology unethically?
What is Ethics?
Moral code
-Set of rules
-Establishes boundaries of generally accepted behavior
-Different rules often have contradictions
Morality
-Social conventions about right and wrong
-Widely shared
Morality may vary by:
-Age
-Cultural group
-Ethnic background
-Religion
-Gender
Definition of Ethics
-Ethics is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior
-Ethical behavior conforms to generally accepted social norms
Virtues
-Habits that incline people to do what is acceptable
Vices
-Habits of unacceptable behavior
Value system
-Scheme of moral values
The Importance of Integrity
-Integrity is a cornerstone of ethical behavior
-People with integrity
*Act in accordance with a personal code of principles
*Extend to all people the same respect and consideration that you desire
*Apply the same moral standards in all situations
Ethics in the Business World
-Risk is the product of multiplying the likelihood of an event by the impact of its occurrence
-Risks associated with inappropriate behavior have increased due to Globalization
Heightened vigilance by
-Employees
-Shareholders
-Regulatory agencies
Recent scandals in IT companies
-WorldCom
-Qwest Communications International Inc.
-Adelphia Communications Corp.
-Computer Associates (CA)
Legal Overview: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
1. Enacted in response to public outrage over several major accounting scandals
2. Section 404 requires that the CEO and CFO sign any SEC filing to attest to its accuracy
3. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) provides oversight for auditors of public companies
4. T organizations must build controls that ensure information stands up to audit scrutiny
Why Fostering Good Business Ethics Is Important
1. To gain the goodwill of the community
2. To create an organization that operates consistently
3. To produce good business
4. To protect the organization and its employees from legal action
5. To avoid unfavorable publicity
Gaining the Goodwill of the Community
Basic responsibilities to society
-Declared in formal statement of company’s principles or beliefs
Include:
*Making contributions to charitable organizations and nonprofit institutions
*Providing benefits for employees in excess of legal requirements
*Choosing economic opportunities that might be more socially desirable than profitable
*Goodwill that socially responsible activities create can make it easier for corporations to conduct business
Creating an Organization That Operates Consistently
Many business values include:
*Operating with honesty and integrity, staying true to corporate principles
*Operating according to standards of ethical conduct, in words and action
*Treating colleagues, customers, and consumers with respect
*Striving to be the best at what matters most to the company
*Accepting personal responsibility for actions
*Valuing diversity
*Making decisions based on facts and principles
Good Ethics Can Mean Good Business
1. Produce safe and effective products
-Avoid costly recalls and lawsuits
2. Provide excellent service
-Maintain customers
3. Develop and maintain strong employee relations
-Suffer less turnover
-Enjoy better employee morale
4. Suppliers and other business partners prefer companies that operate in a fair and ethical manner
5. Bad ethics can lead to bad business results
Protecting the Corporation and Its Employees from Legal Actions
U.S. Justice Department sentencing guidelines suggest more lenient treatment for convicted executives if their companies had ethics programs
Fines for criminal violations can be lowered by up to 80 percent if the organization has implemented an ethics management program and cooperates with authorities
Avoiding Unfavorable Publicity
-Public reputation of company strongly influences
*Value of its stock
*How consumers regard products and services
*Degree of oversight received from government agencies
*Amount of support and cooperation received from business partners
Improving Corporate Ethics
1. Risks of unethical behavior are increasing
2. Improvement of business ethics is becoming more important
Appointing a Corporate Ethics Officer
1. Corporate ethics definition includes
-Ethical conduct
-Legal compliance
-Corporate social responsibility
2. Corporate ethics officer
-Is a senior-level manager
-Provides vision and direction in the area of business conduct
-Tries to establish an environment that encourages ethical decision making
3. Responsibilities include:
-Complete oversight of the ethics function
-Collecting and analyzing data
-Developing and interpreting ethics policy
-Developing and administering ethics education and training
-Overseeing ethics investigations
Ethical Standards Set by Board of Directors
1. Board responsible for supervising management team
2. Directors of company are expected to
-Conduct themselves according to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity
-Set standard for company-wide ethical conduct
-Ensure compliance with laws and regulations
Establishing a Corporate Code of Ethics
Code of ethics:
-Highlights an organization’s key ethical issues
- Identifies overarching values and principles important to an organization
-Focuses employees on areas of ethical risk
-Cannot gain company-wide acceptance unless
*Developed with employee participation
*Fully endorsed by organization’s leadership
-Must continually be applied to company’s decision making
Conducting Social Audits
Social audit
-Identifies ethical lapses committed in the past
- Sets directives for avoiding similar missteps in the future
Requiring Employees to Take Ethics Training
1. Comprehensive ethics education program encourages employees to act responsibly and ethically
Often presented in small workshop formats
2.Principle-based decision making is based on principles in corporate code of ethics
Including Ethical Criteria in Employee Appraisals
1. Some companies base a portion of employee performance evaluations on:
-Treating others fairly and with respect
-Operating effectively in a multicultural environment
-Accepting personal accountability
-Continually developing themselves and others
-Operating openly and honestly with suppliers, customers, and other employees
When Good Ethics Result in Short-Term Losses
1. Operating ethically does not always guarantee business success
2. Organizations that operate outside the United States
-Deal with a “business as usual” climate
- Are placed at a significant competitive disadvantage
3.Hope good ethics will prove to be good business in the long term
Creating an Ethical Work Environment
1. Good employees sometimes make bad ethical choices
2. May be encouraged to do “whatever it takes” to get the job done
3. Employees must have a knowledgeable and potent resource available to discuss perceived unethical practices
Ethical Decision Making
1. Get the facts
2. Identify stakeholders and their positions
3. Consider the consequences of a decision
4. Weigh various guidelines and principles
5. Develop and evaluate options
6. Review a decision
7. Evaluate the results of a decision
Philosophical Theories for Ethical Decision Making
Ethics in Information Technology
1. Public concern about the ethical use of information technology includes:
-E-mail and Internet access monitoring
-Peer-to-peer networks violation of copyright
-Unsolicited e-mail
-Hackers and identify theft
-Plagiarism
-Cookies and spyware
2. The general public has not realized the critical importance of ethics as applied to IT
3. Important technical decisions are often left to technical experts
4. General business managers must assume greater responsibility for these decisions
5. They must be able to make broad-minded, objective, ethical decisions based on technical savvy, business know-how, and a sense of ethics
6. They must also try to create a working environment in which ethical dilemmas can be discussed openly, objectively, and constructively
Summary
1. Ethics is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior
2. Ethics in business is becoming more important because the risks associated with inappropriate behavior have grown
3. Corporations want to protect themselves and their employees from legal action
4. 7-step approach to ethical decision making
5. Trends contributing to the risk of using information technology unethically include:
-Growth of the Internet
-Ability to capture and store vast amounts of personal data online
-Greater reliance on information systems
Posted by kca777 at 2:16 AM 0 comments
Nouns
Noun is a name of person, place, things and ideas.
Categories of Nouns
There are several different kinds of nouns.
1. Common Nouns
A common noun is the word used for a class of person, place or thing.
Examples:
boy, car, building, book, cellphone
2. Proper Nouns
A proper noun is the name of a person, place or thing (i.e., its own name). A proper noun always starts with a capital letter.
Examples:
Ariel
Italy
University of Cebu
3. Collective Nouns
A collective noun is the word used for a group of people or things.
Examples:
choir
orchestra
family
team
faculty
4. Compound Nouns
Compound nouns are nouns made up of two or more words. Some compound nouns are hyphenated.
Examples:
mother-in-law
grandfather
court-martial
forget-me-not
paper-clip
5. Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns are names of abstract things. Emotions, ideas and concepts would come in this category. These are words that cannot be definitively described or calculated.
Examples:
love
purity
nationalism
courage
6. Concrete Noun
Concrete nouns are those that are tangible and obvious. The concept of concrete nouns is the exact opposite of that of abstract nouns. In fact, other than abstract nouns, all nouns are concrete nouns.
Examples:
books
kite
bird
table
7. Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are those that show its numerical status. As in, whether it is single or plural. In the this statement, the words in italics are the countable nouns.
The guys were meeting at the gym.
In the statement, the first noun is in plural state. Which refers to the fact that there is more than one guy subject to the action. The second noun is singular in state. Which shows that there is only one gym subject to the action.
8. Mass Nouns
These nouns are the exact opposite of countable nouns. Hence, they are often known as uncountable nouns. These nouns are words that never let out the numerical status of the subject. In the following statements, the words in italics are the mass nouns.
Examples:
water
wood
information
sugar
Sample Sentences
We need to get them some water.
The wood was burning.
The information was incomplete
The nouns in all the statements refuse to let the reader know if they are singular or plural.
Characteristics of Nouns
1.Nouns are marked by the presence of prepositions and thus they function as object of prepositions.
Examples:
2. Almost all nouns can be or at times must be preceded by the following determiners:
a. articles
the -definite article
a -indefinite article
an -indefinite article
Examples:
the student
a book
an airplane
b. possessive pronouns
my, her, his, its, our, your, their
Examples:
my mother
her letter
his pen
its fur
our house
your wallet
their parents
c. demonstratives
this, these, that, those
Examples:
this paper
these papers
that tree
those trees
d. indefinite pronouns
both, each, many, few, several, all
Examples:
both girls
each store
many children
few tables
several buildings
all books
3.Nouns may be recognized from the blending of two or more words to function as single nouns.
Playground frame-up function room
grandchild sister-in-law high school
weekend attorney-at-law bulletin board
4.Nouns are also recognized by the presence of some derivational suffixes.
-ment government, adjustment, attachment
-ness cleanliness, politeness, happiness
-cy policy, currency, urgency
-ship relationship, courtship, friendship
- hood neighborhood, parenthood, adulthood
-ure pleasure, failure
-dom kingdom, freedom
-ism mechanism, vandalism
-ist artist, pianist
-ance acceptance, attendance
- ion, tion, sion, application, commission, education
-ty, ity clarity,
- or actor, elevator, doctor
-ee employee, committee
- er laborer, founder, dancer
-ian comedian, librarian
-age cottage, message, baggage
-ice notice, police
-ing spelling, accounting
5.Nouns have the possibility of inflectional endings 's and s' to show possession and -s or -es to show plurality.
Examples:
Santa Ana's store
students' reports
pen-pens
window-windows
computer-computers
mango-mangoes
potato-potatoes
Uses of Nouns in Sentence Construction
1.Noun is used as subject of the sentence.
Maria shouted to get my attention.
The children are playing chess under the mango tree.
2. Noun also functions as subject complement. Complement can be noun or adjective. Here, we will just limit to nouns.
Sam is a newscaster.
He is a basketball player.
3. Noun functions as direct object of the verb.
The students submitted their assignments on time.
Abner read the letter from his friend.
4. Noun also functions as indirect object.
The office clerk provided the customer the necessary details.
My parents gave me all the support I needed for my trip to Hongkong.
5.Noun also functions as object complement. An object complement tells something about the object of the verb.
The people elected Roldan mayor of the city for three consecutive terms.
DO
(Mayor of the city tells something about the direct object him.)
Posted by kca777 at 7:53 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 2, 2010
Professional Ethics for IT (Chapter 1)
Ethics in Information Technology, Second Edition
Chapter 1
Objectives
1. What is ethics, and why is it important to act according to a code of principles?
2. Why is business ethics becoming increasingly important?
3. What are corporations doing to improve business ethics?
4. Why are corporations interested in fostering good business ethics?
5. What approach can you take to ensure ethical decision making?
6. What trends have increased the risk of using information technology unethically?
What is Ethics?
Moral code
-Set of rules
-Establishes boundaries of generally accepted behavior
-Different rules often have contradictions
Morality
-Social conventions about right and wrong
-Widely shared
Morality may vary by:
-Age
-Cultural group
-Ethnic background
-Religion
-Gender
Definition of Ethics
-Ethics is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior
-Ethical behavior conforms to generally accepted social norms
Virtues
-Habits that incline people to do what is acceptable
Vices
-Habits of unacceptable behavior
Value system
-Scheme of moral values
The Importance of Integrity
-Integrity is a cornerstone of ethical behavior
-People with integrity
*Act in accordance with a personal code of principles
*Extend to all people the same respect and consideration that you desire
*Apply the same moral standards in all situations
Ethics in the Business World
-Risk is the product of multiplying the likelihood of an event by the impact of its occurrence
-Risks associated with inappropriate behavior have increased due to Globalization
Heightened vigilance by
-Employees
-Shareholders
-Regulatory agencies
Recent scandals in IT companies
-WorldCom
-Qwest Communications International Inc.
-Adelphia Communications Corp.
-Computer Associates (CA)
Legal Overview: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
1. Enacted in response to public outrage over several major accounting scandals
2. Section 404 requires that the CEO and CFO sign any SEC filing to attest to its accuracy
3. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) provides oversight for auditors of public companies
4. T organizations must build controls that ensure information stands up to audit scrutiny
Why Fostering Good Business Ethics Is Important
1. To gain the goodwill of the community
2. To create an organization that operates consistently
3. To produce good business
4. To protect the organization and its employees from legal action
5. To avoid unfavorable publicity
Gaining the Goodwill of the Community
Basic responsibilities to society
-Declared in formal statement of company’s principles or beliefs
Include:
*Making contributions to charitable organizations and nonprofit institutions
*Providing benefits for employees in excess of legal requirements
*Choosing economic opportunities that might be more socially desirable than profitable
*Goodwill that socially responsible activities create can make it easier for corporations to conduct business
Creating an Organization That Operates Consistently
Many business values include:
*Operating with honesty and integrity, staying true to corporate principles
*Operating according to standards of ethical conduct, in words and action
*Treating colleagues, customers, and consumers with respect
*Striving to be the best at what matters most to the company
*Accepting personal responsibility for actions
*Valuing diversity
*Making decisions based on facts and principles
Good Ethics Can Mean Good Business
1. Produce safe and effective products
-Avoid costly recalls and lawsuits
2. Provide excellent service
-Maintain customers
3. Develop and maintain strong employee relations
-Suffer less turnover
-Enjoy better employee morale
4. Suppliers and other business partners prefer companies that operate in a fair and ethical manner
5. Bad ethics can lead to bad business results
Protecting the Corporation and Its Employees from Legal Actions
U.S. Justice Department sentencing guidelines suggest more lenient treatment for convicted executives if their companies had ethics programs
Fines for criminal violations can be lowered by up to 80 percent if the organization has implemented an ethics management program and cooperates with authorities
Avoiding Unfavorable Publicity
-Public reputation of company strongly influences
*Value of its stock
*How consumers regard products and services
*Degree of oversight received from government agencies
*Amount of support and cooperation received from business partners
Improving Corporate Ethics
1. Risks of unethical behavior are increasing
2. Improvement of business ethics is becoming more important
Appointing a Corporate Ethics Officer
1. Corporate ethics definition includes
-Ethical conduct
-Legal compliance
-Corporate social responsibility
2. Corporate ethics officer
-Is a senior-level manager
-Provides vision and direction in the area of business conduct
-Tries to establish an environment that encourages ethical decision making
3. Responsibilities include:
-Complete oversight of the ethics function
-Collecting and analyzing data
-Developing and interpreting ethics policy
-Developing and administering ethics education and training
-Overseeing ethics investigations
Ethical Standards Set by Board of Directors
1. Board responsible for supervising management team
2. Directors of company are expected to
-Conduct themselves according to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity
-Set standard for company-wide ethical conduct
-Ensure compliance with laws and regulations
Establishing a Corporate Code of Ethics
Code of ethics:
-Highlights an organization’s key ethical issues
- Identifies overarching values and principles important to an organization
-Focuses employees on areas of ethical risk
-Cannot gain company-wide acceptance unless
*Developed with employee participation
*Fully endorsed by organization’s leadership
-Must continually be applied to company’s decision making
Conducting Social Audits
Social audit
-Identifies ethical lapses committed in the past
- Sets directives for avoiding similar missteps in the future
Requiring Employees to Take Ethics Training
1. Comprehensive ethics education program encourages employees to act responsibly and ethically
Often presented in small workshop formats
2.Principle-based decision making is based on principles in corporate code of ethics
Including Ethical Criteria in Employee Appraisals
1. Some companies base a portion of employee performance evaluations on:
-Treating others fairly and with respect
-Operating effectively in a multicultural environment
-Accepting personal accountability
-Continually developing themselves and others
-Operating openly and honestly with suppliers, customers, and other employees
When Good Ethics Result in Short-Term Losses
1. Operating ethically does not always guarantee business success
2. Organizations that operate outside the United States
-Deal with a “business as usual” climate
- Are placed at a significant competitive disadvantage
3.Hope good ethics will prove to be good business in the long term
Creating an Ethical Work Environment
1. Good employees sometimes make bad ethical choices
2. May be encouraged to do “whatever it takes” to get the job done
3. Employees must have a knowledgeable and potent resource available to discuss perceived unethical practices
Ethical Decision Making
1. Get the facts
2. Identify stakeholders and their positions
3. Consider the consequences of a decision
4. Weigh various guidelines and principles
5. Develop and evaluate options
6. Review a decision
7. Evaluate the results of a decision
Philosophical Theories for Ethical Decision Making
Ethics in Information Technology
1. Public concern about the ethical use of information technology includes:
-E-mail and Internet access monitoring
-Peer-to-peer networks violation of copyright
-Unsolicited e-mail
-Hackers and identify theft
-Plagiarism
-Cookies and spyware
2. The general public has not realized the critical importance of ethics as applied to IT
3. Important technical decisions are often left to technical experts
4. General business managers must assume greater responsibility for these decisions
5. They must be able to make broad-minded, objective, ethical decisions based on technical savvy, business know-how, and a sense of ethics
6. They must also try to create a working environment in which ethical dilemmas can be discussed openly, objectively, and constructively
Summary
1. Ethics is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior
2. Ethics in business is becoming more important because the risks associated with inappropriate behavior have grown
3. Corporations want to protect themselves and their employees from legal action
4. 7-step approach to ethical decision making
5. Trends contributing to the risk of using information technology unethically include:
-Growth of the Internet
-Ability to capture and store vast amounts of personal data online
-Greater reliance on information systems
Posted by kca777 at 2:16 AM 0 comments
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