Computer and Web Ethics

Abstract

With the freedom of the computer has come a multitude of new ethical issues. Computer ethics is a set of moral principles that systematize the use of computers and supervise the behavior of a group or individual. Ethical failures at large, once-respected firms have dramatically illustrated that ethical behavior is of vital importance to organizations. Information technology may be one type of tool to help get widespread participation in ethical processes in distributed organizations to raise the level of awareness of ethical issues and ethics programs. This paper integrates Jones model of ethical decision making with Weaver and Trevino's findings on compliance with ethics programs to study ethical decision making. The study uses web-based discussion forums to examine the effects of authority and proximity (closeness to the subject) on moral reasoning concerning the punishment for a student guilty of cheating and intent of moral actors to comply with codes of ethics. It was found that authority and proximity affect ethical decisions, but the process did not increase intent to comply with the ethics code. Overall, participants seemed satisfied with the process and their decisions.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Ethical Codes of Conduct5

Compliance5

Jones' Ethical Decision Making Model6

Magnitude of Consequences6

Proximity7

Authority8

The Research Model8

Methodology9

Task9

Treatments10

Electronic Discussion Forums10

Participants10

Results11

Discussion and Conclusion11

References13

Computer and Web Ethics

Introduction

Colossal ethical failures at such firms such as Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and Arthur Anderson have affected the lives of thousands, if not millions, of employees, retirees, investors and other stakeholders. One result of these failures has been increased attention paid to ethical behavior within organizations, including increased rates of implementation of formal codes of ethics and legal compliance programs. It is no longer enough to expect individuals to make ethical decisions, nor is it enough to study those decisions in isolation.

Most large companies today have a formal policy, or code of ethics, and have established departments or assigned responsibility for managing their corporate ethics to high ranking employees; and many companies today offer formal ethics training and have set up telephone lines for reporting problems or resolving questions they face in their work environment. The complexity of ethical decision-making and compliance in today's organizational climate has increased. Large companies are often geographically dispersed making face-to-face meetings difficult if not impossible. Thus, organizations of all types are relying more and more on information and communications technology as a tool to bring geographically dispersed employees together to discuss important issues and reach decisions, resulting in more complex arenas for questions involving codes of conduct and ethical decision making.

Nonetheless, information technology is playing a prominent role in these organizations, enabling a broad range of participation in dispersed organizational decision making processes. Decisions involving compliance with an organization's ethical code of conduct may be made through the use of information technology. The current literature has illustrated that there are several factors that influence an individual's compliance with ethical codes of conduct.

Ethical Codes of Conduct

Ethical codes can be defined as written, distinct and formal documents which consist of moral standards used to guide employee or ...