Ethics in Information Technology, Sixth Edition
Chapter 1
An Overview of Ethics
Self-Assessment Questions
1.c. virtues
2.c. Morals
3.False 4.Bathsheba syndrome
5.d. Misuse of company time
6.c. About 40 percent
7.False
8.False
9.c. Some 6.2 million
10.b. Code of ethics
11.c. Become familiar with various philosophers and how they dealt with ethical issues.
12.a. Define the problem
13.a. Drop this option, and implement the same policy as your competitors.
14.True
Discussion Questions 1.What does it mean for an organization to act ethically? How can one evaluate whether this is the case?
Students’ answers may vary. Some students may focus on the need for organizations to follow all laws and regulations governing their industry. Others may suggest that an organization that acts ethically treats its employees fairly, acts responsibly towards the communities where they are located, and has a comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that focuses on its shareholders, employees, suppliers, and customers. Students may say that an organization’s actions can be evaluated by looking at whether or not it follows the law. An organization can also be evaluated by looking at whether or not it has assigned a senior executive, along with other staff, to run and monitor its CSR program and by determining if the organization is meeting its own CSR program goals. Other indicators that students might mention include: an organization’s
volunteer and charitable-giving programs, its commitment to supply chain sustainability, and data on whether or not employees report being able to report unethical behavior without fear of retaliation. 2.Identify two important life experiences that helped you define your own set of morals.
Students’ answers will vary based on their personal experiences.
3.In ethics, a slippery slope begins when one small unethical action is rationalized by the perpetrator as innocuous because nobody really got hurt or because everybody else does it. This rationalization process, called moral disengagement, can lead people to slip into a pattern of bad behavior that becomes difficult to stop. Embezzler Bernie Madoff admitted to starting by stealing a few hundred and then a few thousand from investors. When he got comfortable with that, it eventually ballooned into something really big—he ultimately stole $85 billion from his investors. Can you provide an example of when you or someone you know was tempted to succumb to the slippery slope?
Students’ answers will vary based on their personal experiences. Students may share examples relating to cheating in an academic setting, unethical behavior related to a job,
or bad behavior on social media.
4.It is easy to say that an organization should hire, reward, and dismiss employees based on their character as well as their knowledge and skill, but how could such a policy be implemented? Students’ answers may vary. Student may suggest that to better assess a job candidate’s character, an organization could use new, more creative, screening tools in its hiring process (including a review of the social media activity of all job candidates, the use of online personality tests, and a more extensive interview process that includes the use of
scenario-based questions focused on ethical decision making). An organization could emphasize the importance of ethical behavior when choosing to reward or dismiss employees by establishing a code of ethics and including specific criteria in their employees’ performance evaluations that focus on treating others fairly and with respect; operating effectively in a multicultural environment; accepting personal accountability; continually developing others and themselves; and operating openly and
honestly with suppliers, customers, and other employees.
5.The Ethics Resource Center identified five characteristics of a successful ethics program. Suggest a sixth characteristic, and defend your choice. Which characteristic do you think is the most important and why?
Students’ answers will vary. Students might suggest one of the following as a sixth characteristic:
Employees are treated fairly.
Company conducts regular social audits.
Employees are able to report unethical behavior without fear of retaliation.
Employees regularly participate in ethics training.
Students’ answers about the most important characteristic will vary based on their personal experiences and beliefs. 6.It is a common practice for managers to hold people accountable to meet “stretch”
goals, quotas, and budgets. How can this be done in a way that does not encourage
unethical behavior on the part of employees? Defend your response.
The organization must have a code of ethics, and the employees must know how and to whom they can report violations without fear of retaliation. Managers can set an example by communicating the code of ethics and using it in their own decision making. Employees should be aware of sanctions for breaching the code of ethics. Employees could be rewarded with bonuses of some sort when meeting “stretch” goals while not violating their code of ethics.
7.Hypothesis: It is easier to establish an ethical work environment in a nonprofit organization than in a for-profit organization. Provide three facts or opinions that
support this hypothesis. Provide three facts or opinions that refute the hypothesis. Students’ answers will vary based on their beliefs and experiences with different organizations. 8.Do you believe that software manufacturers should be tolerant of the practice of software piracy in third-world countries to allow these countries an opportunity to move more quickly into the information age? Why or why not?
Students’ responses will vary. Some students might suggest that helping to increase access to software by people in less-developed countries is the right thing to do. Others may say that, given the trend toward globalization, it is in the best interest of all companies to help less-developed countries speed up the development of their economies by encouraging a more rapid implementation of technology in those countries because doing so increases the overall market for software in the long term. Other students may feel that companies (and people) should never be tolerant of behavior that breaks the law. Others may point out that for-profit companies have a right to be compensated for their intellectual property and that companies have a duty to their investors (and to their employees) to protect their intellectual property. 9.Comment on the efforts of your employer to promote a work environment in which employees are encouraged to act ethically.
Students’ responses will vary based on their work experiences. Students may talk about their organization’s corporate social responsibility, values, code of ethics, ethics training, etc.
10.Do you believe that the senior managers and executives of an organization should be able to escape criminal liability for the acts of a few of its employees if the organization has a strong corporate social responsibility program focused on protecting the environment, contributing to charitable causes, hiring and promoting women, and treating customers and suppliers fairly? Why or why not? Students’ answers will vary, but students should consider the following questions in making their decision:
What was the corporation doing to prevent and detect misconduct in the workplace?
Did the managers and executives of the company effectively implement policies designed to ensure that the organization’s employees were acting legally and ethically?
How egregious were the acts of its employees?
How did the senior managers and executives respond once the employees’ misconduct was detected?
