Introduction
Organizations across the world have a common goal of fostering good ethics across their business by taking approaches that ensure the management and employees follow acceptable ethical values and moral standards. However, most organizations fail to keep up with the approach because of current information and technology trends that play a big role in increasing risks of unethical behaviors. Moreover, the main objective of the organization is making profits and following all code of ethics might not create good outcomes for the company regarding revenues. According to Berzai (2015), the area of computer technology becomes the most difficult in setting specific codes of ethics because of the constantly changing nature of technologies. The following paper discusses ethical problems encountered a workplace and ethical approaches used to address the problem.
The ethical problem
Technological advancements come with increased ability to capture and store big amounts of personal data because of the overreliance on information systems leading to increased unethical use of information technology (Reynolds, 2014). I am an employee in a famous bank in the United States of America with the highest number of customers as the information technology specialist together with my colleague. I have noticed that the manager in charge of the finance department keeps contacting us requiring that I create software that would steal cash from customer accounts without them noticing. The manager promises us of good money should the software work and even a promotion in the workplace. I understand the idea is ethically and morally wrong, but it places us in an ethical dilemma. The manager threatens to create a situation that will have me sacked from the organization should I fail to consider his demands.
Discussion
Employees face the worst ethical dilemmas ever in the present technological age. Organizations should apply high standards of and principles of ethics on a regular basis following the complexity of the work environment and increase risks of unethical behaviors. According to (Bazerman & Tenbrunsel, 2011), managers should always use an integrity-based approach to ethics that emphasizes on managerial responsibilities for ethical and moral behaviors. Organizations or employees that practice unethical behaviors stand high chances of suffering from financial losses and criminal lawsuits that destroy the reputation of the organization. The ethical problem described above requires a theoretical approach to address. Many theories try to solve ethical dilemmas faced by employees in companies. The most important ethical, theoretical approaches capable of solving the problem are the utilitarianism approach and the common good approach. Both the manager and the employee involved in the ethical problem had the right to choose the best action that would benefit individuals and the society.
The utilitarianism theoretical approach aims at comparing and measuring values created by an action regarding costs and benefits. Utilitarianism is an outcome-based ethical approach that gives the individual an opportunity to choose an action that brings the greatest good for the greatest number (Cross & Miller, 2012; Riazifar, 2015). In the above scenario, the manager wanted to benefit from hacking into the bank system by using IT employees. Moreover, the IT professionals would also benefit from the deal since they benefit from heavy rewards. However, the whole process is a breach of the employment ethical codes. Predicting possible benefits or harms resulting from making a decision following the utilitarianism approach becomes a challenge for the person facing the ethical problem. It would be a good idea to ignore the demand of the finance manager and face the consequences rather than engaging in unethical activity that would affect the whole society.
The second ethical, theoretical approach, the common good approach, argues that individuals experience challenges arriving at a consensus, and it becomes wise to engage in some groups that have the potential of leading a person towards the right direction. Working towards increasing the society’s respect for the company refers to as working for the common good. The approach calls for compassion and respect for every individual in the society (Uys & Harty, 2001). Employees often find themselves in situations that do not create a common good for the society but only meant to benefit a small group. The ethical problem described above needed to be approached through focusing on the outcome that promotes a good common environment. However, people in the modern society ignore the ethical criteria in employee appraisal and decide to take actions that benefit a small group and not the whole society. According to Kernohan (2012), the common good approach plays a major role in addressing organization’s ethical problems because it does not allow development of an anthropocentric environment ethic.
Summary
The study of the chapter on ethics of information technology had a lot of impact on the future decisions when faced with an ethical dilemma. Many organizations worldwide continue raising concerns regarding the ethical use of information technology and dilemmas associated with effective adherence to workplace ethical principles. The chapter plays a significant role in changing the attitude of the reader when it comes to solving ethical dilemmas by ensuring a person takes an action that benefits the society at the lowest individual cost. The utilitarian and common good theoretical approaches have a lot of influence in helping people make ethical and moral decisions.
References
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Bazerman, M. H. & Tenbrunsel, A. E. (2011). Ethical breakdown. Harvard Business Review.
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Kernohan, A. (2012). Environmental Ethics: An interactive introduction. Peterborough, Ontario,
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Reynolds, G. W. (2014). Ethics in information technology (5th Ed.). Cengage Learning.
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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/four-approaches-deciding-ethical-dilemmas-arash-riazifar
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http://www.up.ac.za/media/shared/Legacy/sitefiles/file/46/9742/aacconference2ndregional/yellowwoodvenue/ethicaldecisionmakingaacconf.pdf
