Using the selected references, articles, and studies from business journals, this briefing will examine whether there is a valid need for ethics and ethics training in the Information Technology field. By reviewing studies and surveys it argues that behavior in Information Technology is no different than other businesses fields and concludes that a code of ethics and ethics training is required to maintain the health of the industry.
Overview
Today Information Technology, or Information Technology, is everywhere one looks. Information Technology in some form of fashion is a part of almost every facet of our lives. It is in the home, the work place, the shopping centers, the schools, automobiles, and now it is in our televisions and other home appliances. Over the last couple of decades, the Information Technology industry has exploded much of it due to the Internet and mobile phones such as the iPhone and the DROID that offer access the Internet and email while on the go. In the schoolhouse and the place of business there are codes consisting of a set of rules created by the academic institution or the business organization that govern how students and employees should conduct themselves. Whether in the classroom, the work place, with each other, and with the customers and stakeholders, these codes are important.
Ethics and development
What are ethics? How does one acquire them? Does everyone have ethics? Ethics are derived from values and are principles that guide one to know what is right and what is wrong (Payne and Landry, 2006). Ones values are defined and influenced by family, environment, community, and society (Payne and Landry, 2006). Values or principles are what we as people hold very valuable. However, there are many definitions of the term. According to Carrol as cited by (Payne and Landry, 2006, p.82), ethics are a concept of acceptable and appropriate conduct and behavior. To expand even further Berdichevsky and Neunschwander (as cited in Payne and Landry, 2006, 82), state that ethics are the �rational system designed to determine right and wrong.� The definition provided by Laudon (as cited in Payne and Landry, 2006, p.82), believe that people take responsibility for their actions by stating that ethics are, �Freely made choices by informed and rational persons who accept the accountability and liability for the actions.� However, Carrol�s definition of ethics (as cited by Payne and Landry, 2006, p.82) may be the best of all, �Ones ability and desire to make moral or ethical judgments implies that the decision maker is concerned with the �spirit of the law� rather than just the letter of the law.� This addresses those who justify inappropriate behavior by reasoning that if it were wrong or inappropriate then it would be illegal.
Definition of Information Technology
Exactly what is Information Technology? What comprises Information Technology? There a several definitions of the term �Information Technology� offered by several credible sources. Miller, Fellbaum, Tengi, Langone, Ernst, & Jose, (2010) define Information Technology as, �The branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to retrieve and store and transmit information.� The definition of Information Technology as offered by the International Foundation for Information Technology:
The organization in an enterprise or business that is held responsible and accountable for the technology used for planning, design, construction, testing, distribution, support and operations of software, computers and computer related systems that exist for the purpose of Data, Information and Knowledge management and/or processing. (IF4IT, 2010)
A leading governing body within the Information Technology industry, the Information Technology Association of America (2010), defines Information Technology as "The technology used for the study, understanding, planning, design, construction, testing, distribution, support, and operations of software, computers and computer related systems that exist for the purpose of Data, Information, and Knowledge processing." Another definition provided by the ITS Tutorial School, a Hong Kong based online education institution, �Technology that is tasked with processing, storing and communicating information using computers, cellular phones (smartphones, pocket PCs) Personal Data Assistants, and related peripherals (Its tutorial school, 2010).� The definition of Information Technology covers a broad range of technology from mainframes to small portable devices and peripherals. According to Oz and Attaya (as cited by Payne and Landry, 2005) the Information Technology industry is comprised of programmers, systems analysts, database administrators, telecommunications experts, information systems executives, network engineers and administrators, network security engineers, system administrators, and data input specialists (Payne and Landry, 2005).
Information Technology in Academics
According to the results of survey on American Youth conducted by the Josephson Johnson Institute (as cited by Molnar, Kletke, and Changwatpol, 2008) in which 36,000 high school students were interviewed, an large number admitted to using Information Technology to cheat on their academics. In a study conducted by the Josephson Johnson Institute study (as cited by Molnar, et al., 2008, p. 657) revealed that 60% of the students freely admitted to cheating on exams, while 33% admitted to plagiarizing sources from the Internet. The Josephson study continues (as cited by Molnar, et al., 2008, p. 657) that 92% of the surveyed students consider themselves to be ethical and of good character and more than 70% believe they have better understanding of what is right than other people.
According to Molnar et al. (2008) although there have been many studies performed that examined the attitudes of students regarding cheating in academics, there have been very few studies performed to examine the use of Information Technology as an aid to cheating (Molnar, et al., 2008). Gulli, Kohler, & Patriquin (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p.657) reference the results of a study performed by the Academy of Management Learning and Education in which business students followed by engineering students were the greatest offenders when it came to inappropriate academic behavior i.e. cheating on academics. McCabe and Trevino and Crown and Spiller (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008) relate in their separate articles that business students cheat more frequently than non-business students and display a greater tolerance towards cheating (Molnar et al., 2008, p.657). In a 2005 article (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p. 657), McCabe adds another striking bit of information, revealing that a 2005 study found 40% of students surveyed admitted to blatantly copying from the Internet using the �cut-and-paste� technique in comparison to 10% of students admitting to using the same technique in 1999. This is a five percent increase each year. The troubling aspect is that according to McCabe (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p. 658), more than 75% of the students surveyed believe that �cut-and-paste� from Internet sources is not a serious form of cheating. Wood (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p. 658) states a possible reason for this in that students today, �have grown up in the world of the Internet with its easy access to information and they simply do not consider cut-and-paste copying as copying.� According to Calluzzo and Cante (2004), college students had difficulty discerning appropriate from inappropriate use of Information Technology, information systems, and software. If students have no idea and cannot determine for themselves whether their behavior is appropriate, then most likely this behavior will continue and become, in their minds, acceptable (Calluzzo and Cante, 2004). �People are willing to commit intellectual property violation using the Internet when they would not otherwise,� according to Phukan (as cited by Molnar, et al., 2008), �because they do not perceive there is a real victim.� Messmer points out (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p. 658) there is a growing misconception of what students of today perceive as ethical when it comes to intellectual property. Messmer continues (as cited by Molnar et al., 2008, p. 658) that these same students are tomorrow�s employees and �we need to understand and address this gap in students� ethical behaviors before they enter the working arena.� Calluzzo and Cante (2004) add that studies show that unethical behavior and the abuse of Information Technology extend beyond the classroom and homework assignments and follow students into the work place.
Ethical issues encountered using Information Technology
Information Technology has changed the way people interact, no longer is there is face-to-face communication (Molnar, et al., 2008). Electronic-based information, with its ease of access is raising questions of intellectual and property rights (Molnar et al., 2008). Sibley (as cited by Calluzzo and Cante, 2004, p. 302) adds that, �This is especially relevant today because the complexity of ethical issues increases with the complexity of technology.� Besides the ethical issues encountered in academics, inappropriate behavior occurs in the work place. Inappropriate and illegal behavior by Information Technology personnel comes in many forms such as the unauthorized viewing of a co-workers email or files (Payne and Landry, 2005). The introduction viruses and worms into the company network, unauthorized access by employees into network resources, destruction or modification of data and systems, hardware theft and software piracy (Payne and Landry, 2005). Defamation and harassment of coworkers, monitoring of employee usage of company resources (Payne and Landry, 2005). Additionally lax access controls, database misuse, data, and algorithm inaccuracies are all forms of abuse (Payne and Landry, 2005). Not to mention the behavior of employees while using organizational resources, playing games, making online purchases of products for personal use, reading personal email, participating in chat or Instant Messaging, non-work related browsing, conducting personal business or operating and personal business using organizational resources, and probably the most recognized, the viewing of adult websites. Cohen (as cited by Calluzzo and Cante, 2004, p. 302), observed that unethical behavior is not limited to lower level employees but occurs throughout the organization from the executives at the top the entry level employee.
A Code of Ethics
Computers have changed the way we live, conduct business, and how we perform our jobs (Molnar et al., 2008). With the continuing advancement in processor power and speed, computers and operating systems become faster and more powerful and combined with the Internet, Information Technology is now a global (Molnar, et al., 2008). New ethical challenges have been introduced into the Information Technology industry due to technological advances and the increased capabilities of computers and networks (Molnar, et al., 2008). Additionally the rapid growth of the industry has necessitated the need for a universal code of ethics to insure the continued growth and health of the industry (Payne and Landry, 2005). According to Laudon (as cited by Payne and Landry, 2005, p. 78) �information technology is not well grounded in either the classis or contemporary theories of ethics.� However, a code of ethics clearly defines what acceptable behavior and aids in making decisions and holding the professional responsible to the organization and society (Payne and Landry, 2005). These codes can educate the IT professional and hold them accountable to stakeholders and the public and would enhance society�s confidence in the profession (Payne and Landry, 2005).
As Payne and Landry point out, there are obstacles blocking the creation of a universal code of ethics (Payne and Landry, 2005). Laws differ from state to state and country to country (Payne and Landry, 2005). Not to mention what may constitute appropriate behavior in one society may be illegal in another (Payne and Landry, 2005). Society plays a major role in what types of behavior is tolerated (Payne and Landry, 2005). For example, foreign students attending school in the U. S. have a different view of the definition of �appropriate� (Calluzzo and Cante, 2004). Additionally Belsie adds (as cited by Calluzzo and Cante, 2004, p. 302), ��the line between right and wrong looks fuzzy in cyberspace.�
Ethics Training
According to Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell (2010), establishing a proper training program is the first step in educating the organization and its members on the importance of ethics. These programs educate the organization by communicating to its members the values, principles, and standards of conduct that are important to the organization and its stakeholders (Ferrell, et al., 2010). According to Robbins and Coulter (2009), an effective training program will impart on each individual the importance of ethical behavior, increase awareness in their own behavior, and conduct as well as the behavior those around them. Ethics programs teach all members of an organization from the top-level managers to first level employee what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behavior and appropriate activities (Ferrell, et al., 2010). Ethics training provides awareness of avenues and to mechanisms put in place where one can report the inappropriate behavior of others (Ferrell, et al., 2010). Furthermore, policies designed to address and resolve behavior that conflicts with the organizations values and principles have been put in place (Robbins and Coulter, 2009).
However, codes of ethics and organization policies cannot address all potential problems, but it does members of the organization a means to deal with issues by restricting or limiting the conduct of its members. By publicly stating their values and principles, an organization demonstrates to their stakeholders, to society, and the community what the organization believes is appropriate conduct; these rules set the standard for ethical behavior by its members (Ferrell, et al., 2010).
Ethics training instills confidence in the public (Payne & Landry, 2005). More and more corporations are publishing the annual reports to their websites so their stakeholders, employees, and the public can see that they are conducting business in a responsible, environmentally safe, socially friendly ethical manner (Friedman, 2009). According to Friedman (2009), more and more companies are demonstrating to their stakeholders that ethical conduct and responsibility to society and the community is just as important as the bottom line.
Conclusion
The advances in computer and communications technology has lead to the explosion of the Information Technology field. Information Technology has influenced all facets of our lives. Computers and the Internet are everywhere we look and everywhere we go. There are computers in our schools, homes, and businesses. There are computers in our automobiles. Our mobile (cellular) telephones are pocket-sized computers with Internet capabilities. There are even network addressable appliances in our homes. Although unheard of 20-30 years ago, computer use by elementary school age children is common today. Because of the common nature of technology in our lives today there will be those whose behavior is inappropriate and seek to exploit others using the technology. Students use Information Technology to cheat on assignments. Employees abuse company resources to play computer games and surf the Internet while on the employers time. This brings the need for a code of ethics to be taught at all levels of our society, beginning with elementary school students and continuing throughout their lives. By doing so may reduce the amount of lost time, resources, and productivity in the workplace.
