Module 2: Ethics for IT Workers and IT Users

Question 1

What are the main ethical considerations in the relationship between IT workers and clients?

Answer 1

In relationships between IT workers and clients, key issues revolve around defining, sharing, and fulfilling each part’s responsibilities for successfully completing an IT project. The IT workers must remain objective and guard against any sort of conflict of interest, fraud, misrepresentation, or breach of contract.

Question 2

What are the key ethical issues in the relationship between IT workers and employers?

Answer 2

In relationships between IT workers and employers, important issues include setting and enforcing policies regarding the ethical use of IT, the potential for whistle-blowing, and the safeguarding of trade secrets.

Question 3

What is the goal of IT workers in their relationships with suppliers?

Answer 3

A major goal for IT workers and suppliers is to develop good working relationships in which no action can be perceived as unethical.

Question 4

What is bribery and how does it relate to business ethics?

Answer 4

Bribery is the act of providing money, property, or favors to someone in business or government in order to obtain a business advantage.

Question 5

What is internal control and why is it important in IT?

Answer 5

Internal control is the process established by an organization’s board of directors, managers, and IT group to provide reasonable assurance for the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, the reliability of financial reporting, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Question 6

How do policies, processes, and procedures contribute to business ethics?

Answer 6

Policies are the guidelines, standards, and laws by which the organization must abide. Policies drive processes and procedures. Procedures are a collection of tasks designed to accomplish a stated objective. A procedure defines the exact instructions for completing each task in a process.

Question 7

What is a fundamental concept of good internal control?

Answer 7

A fundamental concept of good internal control is the careful separation of duties associated with any process that involves the handling of financial transactions so that different aspects of the process are handled by different people.

Question 8

What does the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA regulate?

Answer 8

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) makes it a crime to bribe a foreign official, a foreign political party official, or a candidate for foreign political office. The act applies to any U.S. citizen or company and to any company with shares listed on any U.S. stock exchange.

Question 9

What are the ethical priorities in relationships between IT workers and other professionals?

Answer 9

In relationships between IT workers and other professionals, the priority is to improve the profession through activities such as mentoring inexperienced colleagues, demonstrating professional loyalty, and avoiding resume inflation and the inappropriate sharing of corporate information.

Question 10

What ethical issues arise in relationships between IT professionals and IT users?

Answer 10

In relationships between IT professionals and IT users, important issues include software piracy, inappropriate use of IT resources, and inappropriate sharing of information.

Question 11

What is the main challenge for IT workers in their relationship with society at large?

Answer 11

The main challenge for IT workers is to practice the profession in ways that cause no harm to society and provide significant benefits.

Question 12

What qualities define a professional in the IT field?

Answer 12

A professional is one who possesses the skill, good judgment, and work habits expected from a person who has the training and experience to do a job well.

Question 13

What are the societal and developmental expectations of a professional IT worker?

Answer 13

A professional is expected to contribute to society, participate in a lifelong training program, keep abreast of developments in the field, and help develop other professionals.

Question 14

How can IT workers improve their profession’s reputation for professionalism?

Answer 14

IT workers can improve their reputation by subscribing to a professional code of ethics, joining and participating in professional organizations, obtaining appropriate certifications,and supporting government licensing where available.

Question 15

What is the purpose of a professional code of ethics?

Answer 15

A professional code of ethics states the principles and core values that are essential to the work of a particular occupational group.

Question 16

What are the two main parts of a typical code of ethics?

Answer 16

Code of ethics usually have two main parts: the first outlines what the organization aspires to become, and the second list rules and principles that members are expected to live by. They also typically include a commitment to continuing education for those who practice the profession.

Question 17

What are the benefits of adhering to a code of ethics for IT professionals?

Answer 17

Adherence to a code of ethics can produce many benefits, including ethical decision making, high standards of practice and ethical behavior, trust and respect with the general public, and access to an evaluation benchmark for self-assessment.

Question 18

Which IT-related professional organizations have developed a code of ethics?

Answer 18

Several IT-related professional organizations have developed a code of ethics including ACM, IEEE-CS, AITP, and SANS.

Question 19

Why is the licensing and certification of IT workers considered beneficial?

Answer 19

Many people believe that the licensing and certification of IT workers would increase the reliability and effectiveness of information systems.

Question 20

What does a certification indicate in the IT profession?

Answer 20

Certifications indicate that a professional possesses a particular set of skills, knowledge, or abilities, in the openion of the certifying organization. Numerous companies and professional organizations offer certifications.

Question 21

What are some common ethical issues faced by IT users?

Answer 21

IT users face several common ethical issues, including software piracy, inappropriate use of computing resources, and inappropriate sharing of information.

Question 22

What guidelines can be established to encourage the ethical behavior of IT users?

Answer 22

Actions that can be taken include establishing guidelines for the use of company hardware and software, defining an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for the use of IT resources, structuring information systems to protect data and information, installing and maintaining a corporate firewall, and ensuring compliance with laws, policies, and standards.

Question 23

What is the role of the information security (infosec) group in promoting ethical behavior among IT users?

Answer 23

The information security group is responsible for managing the processes, tools, and policies necessary to prevent, detect, document, and counter threats to digital and no digital information.

Question 24

How do the audit committee and internal audit team contribute to the ethical behavior of IT users?

Answer 24

The audit committee of a board of directors and members of the internal audit team play a major role in ensuring that both the IT organization and IT users are in compliance with organizational guidelines and policies as well as various legal and regulatory practices.