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Management Information Systems, 13TH ED.
MANAGING THE DIGITAL FIRM
Kenneth C. Laudon ● Jane P. Laudon
continued
Learning Track 1: Developing a Corporate Code of Ethics for IT
As a manager, you will be responsible for developing, enforcing, and explaining corporate ethics
policies. Historically, corporate management has paid much more attention to financial integri-
ty and personnel policies than to the information systems area. But based on what you will have
learned after reading this chapter, it will be clear your corporation should have an ethics policy in
Some corporations have developed far-reaching corporate IS codes of ethics, including FedEx,
IBM, American Express, and Merck & Co. Most firms, however, have not developed these codes
of ethics, leaving their employees unsure about expected correct behavior. ere is some dispute
concerning a general code of ethics versus a specific information systems code of ethics. As manag-
ers, you should strive to develop an IS-specific set of ethical standards for each of the five moral
dimensions:
◆ Information rights and obligations. A code should cover topics such as employee e-mail and
Internet privacy, workplace monitoring, treatment of corporate information, and policies on
customer information.
◆ Property rights and obligations. A code should cover topics such as software licenses,
ownership of firm data and facilities, ownership of software created by employees on company
hardware, and software copyrights. Specific guidelines for contractual relationships with third
parties should be covered as well.
◆ System quality. e code should describe the general levels of data quality and system error
Chapter 4: Ethical and Social Issues in Information Systems
Chapter 4 Learning Track 1 2
individual rights, the protection of property rights, system quality, and quality of life (e.g., job
design, ergonomics, and employee satisfaction). Responsibilities for control of systems, audits,
and management should be clearly defined. e potential liabilities of systems ocers and the
corporation should be detailed in a separate document.
