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This comprehensive guide explores the intersection of ethics in information systems, focusing on the rules of right conduct in the business and gaming realms. It delves into ethical decision-making, leadership, and corporate governance, debunking misconceptions and outlining basic duties in ethical IS practices. Understanding the domain of IS ethics, the text emphasizes the components and actions involved, including access, use, creation, and destruction of information. Addressing conflicts in duties, it references Bentham's Law and offers insights on how computers can prevent unethical behavior. Readers are guided on making ethical decisions, resolving conflicts, and cultivating a positive attitude towards ethical behavior. The text also highlights ethics issues in IS, covering honesty, competence, end user concerns, and professional and stakeholder issues.
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Information Systems Ethics IS 460 NotesbyThomas Hilton
Definition of Ethics • “Business” Ethics • “Gaming” Ethics • Rules of right conduct in business • IS Ethics: Rules of right conduct in IS
Business Ethics • Role of Business in Society • Ethical Decision-Making • Ethical Leadership • Corporate Governance
Misconceptions About IS Ethics • Not different from other business ethics • Not relative to the individual (consensual) • Not the same as getting caught • Not security • Not law • Not conscience • Not common sense
Basic Duties of IS Ethics • Order: filling agreed-upon role(s) • Cooperation: helping (or not hindering) others to fulfill their proper role • Improvement: continually improving goods, services, or their production • Trust: Giving one's best efforts to achieving agreed-upon goals
The Domain of IS Ethics • Information Systems Components • Information, hardware, software, procedures, people, data • Information Systems Actions • Access • Use • Creation • Destruction
When Duties Conflict Bentham's Law (legitimized by John Stuart Mill) • “Seek the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number” • What’s “good”? • Who counts in the “greatest number”? • Subject to abuse • Use only in context of the Four Duties
How Computers Remove Barriers to Unethical Behavior • Location • Time • Power • Separation
How to Make an Ethical Decision • Is it an IS issue? • What are feasible responses? • Which duties does each response fulfill/neglect? • Resolve conflicts among duties? • Carry out the most ethical response • Although doing nothing is a legitimate alternative, don’t succumb to “Analysis Paralysis”
The Other Half of the Story • Knowing ethics rules isn’t enough. • We must choose to behave ethically.
How to Develop a Good Attitude Toward Ethical Behavior? Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory… • Introduce a credible model • Have the model demonstrate the desired behavior • Show the model being rewarded for engaging in the behavior • Repeat steps 1-3 often
Is Such Manipulation Ethical? • Very good question… • We can do this consciously/deliberately to ourselves • Our actions very likely contribute to others’ attitudes
Ethics Issues in IS • Honesty • Competence • End User Issues • Professional Issues • Other Stakeholder Issues
End User Issues A la Mason, 1986… • Privacy • Accuracy • Property • Access
Professional Issues • Developer (errors, controls, etc.) • Team (interpersonal relations, overtime, resources, etc.) • Managerial (vendor relations, management relations, project management)
Other Stakeholder Issues • Regulation • Legislation • Professional Society Participation
