B107 - Principles of Information Systems
Semester 2, 2002
Tutorial 9 (Week 10) – Ethical Decision Making
The purpose of this tutorial is to analyse the ethical dilemma in the ABC Corporation
case below using the four step ethical analysis process covered in Topic 10.
BEFORE THE TUTORIAL
it is essential that you read the case study
and make notes relevant to each of the steps
of the analysis process
ABC Corporation case
Emily Atwater is a Systems Manager in the Information Service Dept of ABC
Corporation, a billion dollar firm, based in Dallas Texas, which specialises in heavyduty oil-well drilling and pumping equipment. The company is establishing a series of
branch offices both in the US and world-wide. Emily's job is to install all hardware
and software in each new office prior to the branch opening. This involves
establishing local networks, linking to the corporate network, and installing
appropriate productivity software. Her target at each site is six months.
Emily's current assignment is the company's first European branch, in Sardvakonia.
After four months she has barely started; the pace of life in Sardvakonia is slower
than Dallas, due to an easy going culture and large bureaucracy. The hardware has
been ordered and shipped from Dallas and arrived last week. Emily foresees few
problems with its installation and estimates completion in two weeks. The real
problem will be installing the commercial software for word processing and
spreadsheets. Emily's boss Pamela Courant, insists that all ABC offices use XYZ's
Zsheet and Zwrite. Emily has spoken to XYZ Sales Department. The US cost of site
licenses for these packages would be $2,000 for 10 -19 users, or $3,250 for 20 - 49
users. However, the cost of an international site license is $5,000 or $8,000. Emily's
budget is only $4,000.
Emily's software manager, Grifolo Frondoso, is a Sardvakonian. He confirms that he
will need at least 35 copies for the site, but dismisses Emily's worries of exceeding his
budget. US copyright laws do not apply in Sardvakonia. Grifolo can obtain as many
copies as needed from local suppliers for $30 each. Updates will also be available.
Alternatively they can buy a single copy from XYZ and make their own copies. No
Sardvakonian laws will be broken. If Dallas HQ forwards a set of manuals, a local
printer can print high quality copies for $5 each.
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In the Tutorial:
The tutor will lead a discussion of the question ‘Should Emily agree with Grifolo's
suggestion?’ The discussion will be structured in terms of the 4 step analysis process
for ethical situations and be based upon student responses to the questions below.
The 4 steps are:
1. Analyse the situation
2. Make a defensible ethical decision
3. Describe steps to resolve the current situation
4. Prepare policies and strategies to prevent recurrence.
Step 1: Analyze the situation
What is the subject of the case? What is it all about?
a) What are the relevant facts?
b) Who are the stakeholders? Who has an interest in the outcome?
Step 2: Make a defensible ethical decision
a) Isolate the ethical issues.
 Should someone have done something or not done something?
 Does it matter that.....(reasons or excuses)
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b) Examine the legal issues
c) Consult Guidelines:
 Do corporate policies apply?
 What codes of conduct apply?
 Does the act violate the Golden Rule? (treat others as you would wish to be
treated)
 Who benefits? Who is harmed?
 Does the action pass tests for right and wrong?
d) Discover the applicable ethical principles.
 Are there ways to minimise harm?
 Analyse relevant rights & duties
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 Examine the situation in terms of egoism and utilitarianism
 Apply concepts of consistency and respect
e) Make a defensible choice.
Step 3 Describe steps to resolve the situation
a) What are the options at this time?
b) What option(s) do you recommend? Why?
c) Is your recommendation legal and ethical?
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d) Can you recommend short term corrective measures?
Step 4 Prepare policies and strategies to prevent recurrence
a)
b)
What organisational, political, legal, technological, or societal change are
needed?
What are the consequences of your suggested changes?
 What happens when this resolution is invoked?
 What obstacles might prevent your plan from working?
 Why should the organisation implement the changes?
 How do the changes benefit the organisation? Are they marketable, or do they
further public relations?
 Do the changes increase the net good for those concerned? Does anyone get hurt?
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