Introduction
The word ethics comes from the Greek word “ethikos ” ,meaning character. There is a similar term that prevail in and many times considered synonym of ethics, is “morality“. But in essence these are quite different concept the word morality has been derived from the Latin root ‘moralist’ which means behavior. Ethico-moral actions thus pertain to set of actions engineered by the characters and expressed through behaviors.
Ethics is a set of standards, or a code, or value system, worked out from human reason and experience, by which free human actions are determined as ultimately right or wrong,good or evil. If acting agrees with these standards, it is ethical, otherwise unethical. Code of value principles that we use in a particular context generally refers to ethics.
To be more specific, ethics among it professionals is the study of good and evil, right and wrong just and unjust action of it professionals.
Corresponds to basic human needs, it is a human trait that man desires to be ethical not only in his private life bu also in his IT Professional affairs where, being a professional, he/she knows their decisions may affect the live of thousands of programmer or software that they build. Importance of ethics for IT Professional is used to control the behavior of professionals in the form of commands to do so and leave the things that cause offense either in the country legally or status as professional.
Based on Mansueto Ventures LLC (2012),companies with strong ethics programs has found that these efforts can reduce potential costly fines,decrease vulnerability,improve reputation,provide access to capital,favorably influence their bottom line, positively affect their employees' commitment to work and enhance customer loyalty.
According to Thea Mcbride(2012), there are five(5) importances of codes of ethics that encourages IT professionals to behave more ethical and responsible in their jobs.
1. Standards
A code of ethics document sets the standards for what is expected of the IT Professional. It reinforces what is considered right and wrong by using verbiage such as "always" or "never" to be as clear as possible.
2. Access
A code of ethics reminds IT Professionals that they are not to impede or manipulate pre-authorized access to the information of hardware of which they are in control.
3. Prevention
A code of ethics helps prevent IT Professionals from behaving in a malicious or harmful manner with cmpany information and equipment.
4. Skills
A code of ethics helps motivate an IT Professional to stay current in her chosen skill set in order to be more effective on the job for his/her employer. A motivated IT Professional may also be encouraged to learn new skill sets as technology changes.
5. Types
Code of ethics documents can be tailored with verbiage that specifically affects only certain types of IT Professional such as programmers, networkers or cyber forensics experts.
The following is a rough and general summary of some ethical principals that various code address:
1. Honesty
Strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data,results, methods and procedures,and publication status. Do not fabricate,falsify,or misrepresent data.Do not deceive colleagues,granting agencies,or the public.
2. Objectivity
Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis,data interpretation, peer review,personnel decisions. grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is expected or required. Avoid or minimize bias or self-deception.Disclose personal or financial interest that may affect research.
3. Integrity
Keep your promises and agreements act with sincerity,strive for consistency of thought and action
4. Carefulness
Avoid careless errors and negligence, carefully and critically examine your own work and the work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities,such as data collection,research design,and correspondence with agencies or journals.
5. Openness
Share data,results,ideas,tools,resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.
6. Respect for intellectual Property
Respect your colleagues and treat them fairly.
7. Social Responsibility
Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research,public education and advocacy.
8. Non-Discrimination
Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex,race,ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.
9. Competence
Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education and learning, take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
10. Legality
Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.
11. Human Subjects Protection
When conducting research on human subjects,minimize harm and risks and maximize benefits, respect human dignity,privacy, and autonomy, take special precautions with vulnerable populations and strive to distribute the benefits and burdens of research fairly.
To be more specific, ethics among it professionals is the study of good and evil, right and wrong just and unjust action of it professionals.
Importance
Corresponds to basic human needs, it is a human trait that man desires to be ethical not only in his private life bu also in his IT Professional affairs where, being a professional, he/she knows their decisions may affect the live of thousands of programmer or software that they build. Importance of ethics for IT Professional is used to control the behavior of professionals in the form of commands to do so and leave the things that cause offense either in the country legally or status as professional.
Based on Mansueto Ventures LLC (2012),companies with strong ethics programs has found that these efforts can reduce potential costly fines,decrease vulnerability,improve reputation,provide access to capital,favorably influence their bottom line, positively affect their employees' commitment to work and enhance customer loyalty.
According to Thea Mcbride(2012), there are five(5) importances of codes of ethics that encourages IT professionals to behave more ethical and responsible in their jobs.
1. Standards
A code of ethics document sets the standards for what is expected of the IT Professional. It reinforces what is considered right and wrong by using verbiage such as "always" or "never" to be as clear as possible.
2. Access
A code of ethics reminds IT Professionals that they are not to impede or manipulate pre-authorized access to the information of hardware of which they are in control.
3. Prevention
A code of ethics helps prevent IT Professionals from behaving in a malicious or harmful manner with cmpany information and equipment.
4. Skills
A code of ethics helps motivate an IT Professional to stay current in her chosen skill set in order to be more effective on the job for his/her employer. A motivated IT Professional may also be encouraged to learn new skill sets as technology changes.
5. Types
Code of ethics documents can be tailored with verbiage that specifically affects only certain types of IT Professional such as programmers, networkers or cyber forensics experts.
The following is a rough and general summary of some ethical principals that various code address:
1. Honesty
Strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data,results, methods and procedures,and publication status. Do not fabricate,falsify,or misrepresent data.Do not deceive colleagues,granting agencies,or the public.
2. Objectivity
Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis,data interpretation, peer review,personnel decisions. grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is expected or required. Avoid or minimize bias or self-deception.Disclose personal or financial interest that may affect research.
3. Integrity
Keep your promises and agreements act with sincerity,strive for consistency of thought and action
4. Carefulness
Avoid careless errors and negligence, carefully and critically examine your own work and the work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities,such as data collection,research design,and correspondence with agencies or journals.
5. Openness
Share data,results,ideas,tools,resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.
6. Respect for intellectual Property
Respect your colleagues and treat them fairly.
7. Social Responsibility
Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research,public education and advocacy.
8. Non-Discrimination
Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex,race,ethnicity, or other factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.
9. Competence
Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education and learning, take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
10. Legality
Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.
11. Human Subjects Protection
When conducting research on human subjects,minimize harm and risks and maximize benefits, respect human dignity,privacy, and autonomy, take special precautions with vulnerable populations and strive to distribute the benefits and burdens of research fairly.
Benefits
Based on what Josephson(November 2,2010),the single measure that would most improve corporate governance is the establishment by senior management of an ethical business culture.
As that being said, it shows how ethics will influence senior management to operation management within business or corporate governance to improve their business performance in synchronizing the attitude and behavior of IT Professionals is acceptable in community to impress quality of working indirectly will outstand their credibility where as they should have followed the standard and procedures set by the company or organization. Despite the business return, Josephson (2010) also mentioned that “companies should have ethics codes to promote ethical behavior – not to enhance productivity, profits or public relations. Still, a sound, well-administered code can benefit a company and its stakeholders in a variety of ways” that exactly explain one’s characters and manners are vital so that it will become the first impression out of whole other matters in working environment regardless to the benefit of the company solely.
Besides that, ethics programs are highly recommended in an organization. Some of the potential benefits associated to a successful ethics program towards IT Professionals includes forming and retaining top-quality professionals, developing a more satisfying and productive working environment, structuring and maintaining association’s reputation within the communities in which operate, maintaining the trust of members to ensure continued self-regulation, verifying open discussion of ethical issues, providing ethical regulation and resources for employees prior to making difficult decisions and aligning the work efforts of staff with the association’s broader mission and vision.
Companies should have ethics codes to promote ethical behavior – not to enhance productivity, profits or public relations. Still, a sound, well-administered code can benefit a company and its stakeholders in a variety of ways. It can:
- Guide employees in situations where the ethical course of action is not immediately obvious.
- Help the company reinforce – and acquaint new employees with – its culture and values. A code can help create a climate of integrity and excellence.
- Help the company communicate its expectations to the staff to suppliers, vendors and customers. Also, by soliciting feedback and questions, a company can use the code to encourage frequent, open and honest communication among employees.
- Minimize subjective and inconsistent management standards. A code explicitly outlines the rights and responsibilities of staff members and helps guard against capricious and preferential treatment of employees.
- Help a company remain in compliance with complex government regulations. The landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires public companies to have an ethics code for senior financial officers.
- Build public trust and enhance business reputations. Also, a code helps demonstrate the company’s values to socially responsible investors.
- Offer protection in preempting or defending against lawsuits.
- Enhance morale, employee pride, loyalty and the recruiting of outstanding employees.
- Help promote constructive social change by raising awareness of the community’s needs and encouraging employees and other stakeholders to help.
- Promote market efficiency – especially in areas where laws are weak or inefficient – by rewarding the best and most ethical producers of goods and services.
Conclusion
Ethics should be considered as a set of principles that every IT professionals should obey. Ethics encompasses social mores, usually expressed today as good manners; an ethical IT professional can be work more properly and effectively in their workplace. The IT professional must have the ability to make a correct decision without any bad impact on a cooperate. The world is operates on trust. Trust is a belief that others will act in accordance with ill defined, but generally accepted standards of behavior and respect for others. If trust is absent then very little of what we deem necessary, to allow the free flow of social intercourse and commerce, will occur. All these matters are governed by ethics.
Indeed, part of professional ethics has to do with the fairness with which issues are handled and cases are decided. IT Professionals have a duty to report colleagues’ wrong-doing and disciplinary measure may have to be taken depends on situation. Plus, procedural fairness is part of ethics, and so there must be adequate warnings, notice, a hearing of all sides and an even-handed and consistency in the approval taken. Like cases must be treated alike
References:
- Ajithsrc, (2010). Module 1 - What is Ethics? Retrieved on Feb 18, 2012 [online] http://www.slideshare.net/ajithsrc/new-1-3685486
- David B. Resnik, J.D. (2010). What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important?Retrieved on Feb 20, 2012 [online]http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/
- Kirby J (2009). Australian High Court, Journal Of South Pacific Law, The Importance of Ethics and The Application of Ethical Principles to The Legal Profession, Volume 13 Issue 1. Retrieved on Feb 21, 2012 [online] http://www.paclii.org/journals/fJSPL/vol06/8.shtml
- Mansueto Ventures LLC (2012). Inc.com - The importance of Being Ethical. Retrieved on Feb 21, 2012 [online]http://www.inc.com/articles/2000/11/14278.html
- Josephson M. (November 2, 2010) Business Ethics and Leaderships by Michael Josephson, Ten Benefits Of Having An Ethics Code. Retrieved on 23 Feb, 2012 [online] http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2010/11/ten-benefits-of-having-an-ethics-code/
- Winter G (2000) Ethics in the Workplace by Joshua Joseph, Ethics Resource Centre, Inc.Retrieved on 24 Feb 2012 [online]http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13073
- Resnik, 2011. What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important? [online]http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/
- McBride. The Importance of a Code of Ethics for IT Professionals?[online] http://www.ehow.com/facts_6060876_importance-code-ethics-professionals.html
- Russ Buchanan. Code of Ethics in Information Technology. [Online]http://www.ehow.com/facts_5764997_code-ethics-information-technology.html
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