Across history, scholars have authored countless books in an attempt to comprehend the moral, immoral, and amoral conduct of humans, along with its underlying causes. Despite this extensive literature, there remains a lack of consensus on how to analyze ethical scenarios (Hatcher & Aragon, 2000), and public or private discussions about ethical dilemmas are infrequent (McDowell, 2000). Nonetheless, as a collective society, we highly esteem the importance of individuals exhibiting supportiveness, trustworthiness, and fairness in their interactions and professional endeavors.
In both interpersonal interactions and personal actions, we aim to exhibit conduct that promotes the welfare of individuals, organizations, and communities. Nonetheless, recent occurrences have emphasized a mounting problem of professional accountability in our society (McDowell, 2000). Consequently, professional associations have expressed worries about their members’ reputation and have established and enforced ethical codes to protect the public’s interests as well as those of their own companies.
Ethics, also known as morals, is the systematic study of human values and principles of human conduct. It is often referred to as moral philosophy. This study involves theories of conduct and goodness, as well as understanding the meanings of moral terms (Hatcher & Aragon, 2000). An action is considered ethical if it aligns with approved moral behavior or norms. Ethics also includes civic responsibility from citizens and responsibility from society’s institutions, including governments. It addresses questions about the rightness or wrongness of actions and the standards that distinguish ‘good’ from ‘bad’.
The suggestion is to embrace the rule of reason as the governing principle for moral conduct, where rational thinking guides behavior that is beneficial to individuals and society’s overall well-being. This definition aligns with the ongoing ethical discussion, specifically concerning public sector information. UNESCO-supported guidelines stress the importance of granting all citizens and nations equal opportunities to reap the benefits of information and knowledge. These principles coincide with those of today’s information revolution and the emerging knowledge society.
IT practitioners adhere to a code of ethics that encompasses general moral obligations, specific responsibilities within their field, organizational leadership imperatives, and adherence to this code.
An IT Practitioner is expected to contribute to society and human well-being by adhering to general moral imperatives. This involves protecting fundamental human rights and respecting cultural diversity. IT practitioners also have a responsibility to minimize the negative consequences of computing systems, including threats to health and safety. When designing or implementing systems, they must prioritize socially responsible use, meeting social needs, and avoiding harm to health and welfare.
In addition to ensuring a safe social environment, human well-being also encompasses the preservation of a safe natural environment. Hence, IT professionals responsible for designing and developing systems must remain vigilant and raise awareness regarding potential harm to the local or global environment. Moreover, as an IT professional, it is crucial to prevent causing harm to others. Harm can manifest as physical injury or unfavorable consequences such as information loss, property damage, or adverse environmental effects. This principle unequivocally prohibits the utilization of computing technology in ways that may inflict harm upon users, the general public, employees, or employers.
Harmful actions involve deliberately destroying or altering files and programs, resulting in significant loss of resources or unnecessary use of human resources, such as the time and effort needed to remove computer viruses from systems. Even well-intentioned actions, including those fulfilling assigned responsibilities, can unintentionally cause harm. In such cases, the individuals responsible must make every effort to undo or minimize the negative effects. To prevent unintentional harm, it is important to carefully assess the potential consequences on all those impacted by decisions made during the design and implementation process.
To minimize the potential harm to others, IT practitioners should adhere to established standards for system design and testing. Additionally, they should evaluate the societal impact of systems to forecast the possibility of significant harm. If an IT practitioner misrepresents system features to users, coworkers, or supervisors, they bear the responsibility for any resulting harm. In the workplace, IT practitioners are obligated to report any indications of system risks that could lead to substantial personal or societal damage.
If an organization’s superiors fail to take action to limit or lessen these dangers, it might become necessary to “blow the whistle” in order to address the issue or decrease the risk. IT professionals have a responsibility to be truthful regarding their qualifications and any situations that could potentially result in conflicts of interest. Honesty is a crucial element for establishing trust within an organization, as effective functioning is impossible without it. A sincere IT practitioner will not make intentionally false or misleading assertions about a system or its design. Instead, they will provide complete transparency in regards to all relevant system limitations and issues.
The principle of honesty applies to maintaining the secrecy of information in two cases: when one has explicitly promised to keep it confidential, or when private information unrelated to one’s job duties becomes accessible. In his book, Ethics and Excuses, McDowell states that the ethical duty is to honor all obligations to keep information confidential for employers, clients, and users, unless legal requirements or other principles in this Code release one from such obligations (2000). Wolf emphasizes in his book, Moral Freedom, that individuals must act with fairness and avoid discrimination (2001).
The importance of upholding values such as equality, tolerance, respect for others, and equal justice is of utmost importance. Any form of discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin or similar factors goes against IT ethics and will not be tolerated. The unequal treatment among different groups can result from the use or mishandling of Information and technology. In a fair society, every person should have an equal opportunity to participate in or gain advantages from the utilization of computer resources regardless of their race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin or similar factors.
Nonetheless, the aforementioned principles do not provide a valid excuse for utilizing computer resources without authorization or committing any other transgression mentioned in this code of ethics. It is imperative that IT professionals demonstrate utmost regard for the privacy of others. The rapid progress in computing and communication technology has enabled an unparalleled level of data collection and sharing, thus heightening the potential threat to individuals’ and groups’ privacy. Professionals bear the responsibility of safeguarding personal data’s confidentiality and integrity.
To ensure data accuracy and protect it from unauthorized access or accidental disclosure, precautions must be taken. Additionally, procedures should be established to enable individuals to review and correct their records. This involves collecting only necessary personal information, defining and enforcing retention and disposal periods, and obtaining consent before using information for purposes other than its original intent.
Unauthorized collection or tracking of user information in electronic communications, such as email, is prohibited. However, if any user data is discovered during routine system maintenance, it should be treated as confidential unless it indicates a violation of the law, organizational rules, or this Code. In these instances, only the appropriate authorities should have access to this information.
IT professionals have a set of specific responsibilities that they must adhere to in their work. These responsibilities include ensuring quality, effectiveness, and dignity in their processes and products. The profession places high importance on achieving excellence as the main obligation. IT practitioners are required to strive for quality and be aware of the potential negative consequences of a low-quality system. It is crucial for IT professionals to continuously acquire and maintain professional competence. Ultimately, excellence depends on individuals who take responsibility for developing and upholding their professional competence.
According to Jennings & Krane (2008), IT practitioners should play an active role in setting proficiency standards and strive to meet them. They propose several ways to enhance technical knowledge, including self-study, attending workshops or conferences, participating in training programs, and joining professional associations. It is vital for IT practitioners to comply with applicable laws at various levels unless there are ethical justifications for not doing so.
While it is important to adhere to organizational policies and procedures, it is also crucial to acknowledge that there may be occasions when these laws and rules are morally wrong or unsuitable, requiring scrutiny. If a law or regulation lacks moral justification or contradicts a higher law, it can be deemed ethically acceptable to disregard it. Nevertheless, if an individual decides to violate a law or rule for ethical reasons or any other motivation, they must take complete responsibility for their actions and the ensuing consequences.
The contract and assigned responsibilities must be upheld to maintain integrity and honesty. This is especially important for IT practitioners who are responsible for the proper functioning of system elements. It is also crucial to keep third parties informed of progress when working with them. If a practitioner cannot fulfill an assignment as specified, they should request a change. However, it is important to assess the situation carefully and openly communicate any risks or concerns to the employer or client before accepting the assignment.
The primary principle is the responsibility to personally take accountability for professional work. While other ethical principles may sometimes outweigh this, it may not be permissible to decline a particular assignment even if there are valid concerns and reasons for doing so. If efforts to change the assignment are unsuccessful, there may still be an obligation under contract or law to comply with instructions (Raul, 2008). Ultimately, the IT practitioner’s ethical judgment should determine whether or not to proceed.
Irrespective of the decision made, individuals must accept responsibility for the outcomes. Nevertheless, performing tasks against personal judgment does not free professionals from accountability for negative results. The future of IT practitioners depends on achieving both technical and ethical excellence to uphold and advance the principles stated in this code. It is imperative not only for professionals to adhere to these principles, but also for each member to strive towards encouraging and supporting fellow members in doing so.
As a manager, it is my duty to ensure that all supervisors have conducted the Code of Ethics session with their team and possess a signed copy stored in their personnel files. It is also essential to distribute a copy of the code to employees. Moreover, it is crucial to annually review the Information Technology Employee Code of Ethics with practitioners or employees. To effectively offer technical assistance to multiple IT professionals, practitioners must grant authorized access to equipment for eligible Information Technology employees (Wood, 1999).
The IT practitioners are obligated to use systems ethically and legally within their authorized job functions. They are dedicated to promoting ethical and responsible use of all information technology resources. According to Wood (1999), the goals of the IT Practitioner Code of Ethics include establishing a culture of trust, responsibility, excellence, integrity, while avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining a professional appearance.
IT professionals are uncompromising when it comes to the misuse of privileged access, whether it is illegal, dishonest, improper, or irresponsible. According to Act 49 of 1993, all individuals and organizations who wish to sell and/or use computing facilities or offer professional computing services must be registered by the council and have a valid license. Failure to meet these requirements is considered illegal, and engaging in computing professional practice without them is strictly prohibited (Raul, 2008).
If the application is accepted, the applicant must submit payment for both the registration fee and the license fee of the current year. This payment will grant them inclusion in the register and allow them to commence their professional endeavors. Ethics holds significant importance not just in business but also in every sphere of life, serving as a fundamental element and basis upon which society thrives. A business devoid of ethical principles is destined to falter ultimately.
Ethics is a set of guidelines that governs social interactions. Business Ethics, which falls under the category of applied ethics, delves into ethical principles and possible moral dilemmas within the business industry. It addresses matters related to a company’s ethical duties, responsibilities, and corporate governance towards various stakeholders including shareholders, employees, customers, media, government, suppliers, and distributors. As Henry Ford once stated: “A business solely focused on profit lacks true success.”
