Ethical Aspects of Information Technology integrates case studies with key philosophical frameworks suitable for analyzing ethical issues and a comprehensive overview of the various moral and social problems raised by the pervasive use of information technology. Each of the topics covered in this book, such as privacy or intellectual property, is analyzed in some depth. This analysis is followed by several case studies that provide the opportunity for further reflection and discussion.
All cases are based on actual events or significant ongoing controversies in information technology. They are richly detailed in order to convey the complex and challenging situations in which value-laden decisions must be made. The dilemmas that emerge from these cases are ones that are typically encountered by information technology vendors and by corporate managers or executives who are responsible for managing an organization's computer systems and information resources.
Content highlights:
- Offers a thorough and lucid overview of ethical frameworks and normative principles as a basis for analyzing cases.
- Identifies and explains the major moral issues involved in the management of technology: privacy, intellectual property rights, anti-competitive practices, vendor/client relations, and computer system security.
- Focuses on both consumer privacy and employee privacy in the workplace.
- Presents background material on technical issues such as networking, electronic monitoring, expert systmes, and so forth.
- Includes chapter summaries to reinforce salient points in each chapter
About the Author
Richard A. Spinello is Associate Research Professor at Boston College, USA, where he teaches courses on ethics, social issues in management, and corporate strategy. He has written nine books on ethics, and has published in journals such as Business Ethics Quarterly and Ethics and Information Technology.
