Ethics in Information
Technology, Fourth
Edition
Chapter 2
Ethics for IT Workers and IT Users
1
Learning Objectives
• As you read this chapter, consider the following
questions:
– What key characteristics distinguish a professional
from other kinds of workers, and is an IT worker
considered a professional?
– What factors are transforming the professional
services industry?
– What relationships must an IT worker manage, and
what key ethical issues can arise in each?
Ethics in Information Technology, 2
Learning Objectives (cont’d.)
– How do codes of ethics, professional organizations,
certification, and licensing affect the ethical behavior
of IT professionals?
– What is meant by compliance, and how does it help
promote the right behaviors and discourage
undesirable ones?
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IT Professionals
• Profession is a calling that requires:
– Specialized knowledge
– Long and intensive academic preparation
• Professionals:
– Require advanced training and experience
– Contribute to society, participate in lifelong training,
assist other professionals
– Carry special rights and responsibilities
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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)
Ethics in Information Technology, 5
Are IT Workers Professionals?
(cont’d.)
• Legal perspective
– IT workers do not meet legal definition of professional
• Not licensed by state or federal government
• Not liable for malpractice
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Professional Relationships That Must
Be Managed
• IT workers involved in relationships with:
– Employers
– Clients
– Suppliers
– Other professionals
– IT users
– Society at large
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Relationships Between IT Workers and
Employers
An IT worker and an employer typically agree on the
fundamental aspects of this relationship before the
worker accepts an employment offer.
• Job title,
• General performance
• Expectations,
• Specific work responsibilities,
• Dress code,
• Location of employment,
• Salary,
• Work hours, and
• Company benefits.
Many other aspects of this relationship may be
addressed in a company’s policy and procedures
manual or in the company’s code of conduct, if one
exists.
Relationships Between IT Workers and
Employers
• Software piracy
– Act of illegally making copies of software or enabling
access to software to which they are not entitled. Area in
which IT workers can be tempted to violate laws and
policies
– The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is a trade group
representing the world’s largest software and hardware
manufacturers; mission is to stop the unauthorized copying of
software
– SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association) promotes the
common interests of the software and digital content industry.
It protects the intellectual property of member companies and
advocates a legal and regulatory environment that benefits
the entire industry.
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Relationships Between
IT Workers and Employers (cont’d.)
IT workers must set an example and enforce
• policies regarding the ethical use of IT in: (cont’d.)
– Trade secrets
• Business information generally unknown to public
• Company takes actions to keep confidential
• Require cost or effort to develop
• Have some degree of uniqueness or novelty
– Whistle-blowing
• The term is used when a worker passes on information
concerning wrongdoing.
• Employee attracts attention to a negligent, illegal,
unethical, abusive, or dangerous act that threatens the
public interest.
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Relationships Between IT
Workers and Clients
• IT worker 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
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Relationships Between
IT Workers and Clients (cont’d.)
• Client makes decisions about a project based on
information, alternatives, and recommendations
provided by the IT worker
• Client trusts IT worker to act in client’s best
• interests
IT worker trusts that client will provide relevant
information, listen to and understand what the IT
worker says, ask questions to understand impact of
key decisions, and use the information to make wise
choices
Ethics in Information Technology, 12
Relationships Between
IT Workers and Clients (cont’d.)
• Ethical problems arise if a company recommends its
own products and services to remedy problems
they have detected.
– Creates a conflict of interest
• Problems arise during a project if IT workers are
unable to provide full and accurate reporting of
a project’s status.
Ethics in Information Technology, 13
