IT Ethics Report: Analysis of Early Software Launch Ethical Dilemma

This report presents an analysis of an IT ethics case study, focusing on the ethical dilemmas surrounding the early launch of software. The scenario involves a project manager pressuring a project director to release software before its scheduled completion, without encryption, to meet an earlier deadline. The report explores the ethical implications of this decision, referencing the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct. It examines the potential consequences for the director, the development team, and the company, including legal and reputational risks. The analysis identifies three possible courses of action for the project director and recommends against succumbing to unethical pressure. The report emphasizes the importance of prioritizing ethical considerations, secure software development, and consulting with the team to make informed decisions. It highlights the potential for severe consequences if ethical standards are compromised, advocating for a commitment to professional integrity and responsible software engineering practices.

Running head: IT ETHICS
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The continuous and constant increment on the information technology as well as
computer dependence for different purposes has become very much important or crucial. The
scope for the legal, social and the ethical issues has been provided by the society functionality
along with the economy of it. Making decisions which will be ethical is very much essential in
the software and computer engineering field and is required to be unified with the professional
skills (Acevedo, 2013). Engineering is considered to be to an activity which is risky. However, it
is already known that sudden major disasters are very much rare as well as unfortunate. Most of
the organizations of business which are seen to be dealing with information technology all over
the world remains very much concerned about their market positions. This can happen only for
maintaining their respective positions within the market by possessing several protocols and
products of business which are highly secured. These aspects will always remain confined to any
particular organization. Organizations of business always keep awareness about the fact that the
business operations in any kind of sector has seen to have become excessive inextricably. They
are well associated with a number of IT elements (Aliti, 2017). These particular elements are
considered to be very complex during balancing all the requirements and aligning all of the
parties which are invested. These are also seen to have been further assisting in the orientation of
displaying services of quality as well as products to all the clients and customers.
As per the YouTube video is concerned, the business scenario in the sector of
information technology, like some other organization of business, is noticed to be filled with
dilemmas which are ethical which are prevented by the employees at the management levels
(YouTube, 2018). For this particular assignment, the ethical scenario case of the early launch of
any software has been highlighted. In this particular video, it has been noticed that the manager
of a project of a company developing information technology had a conversation with the

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director of the software development project (Runciman, Merry & Walton, 2017). It is noticed
that the director of the project was working with his associated team members and was scheduled
for a delivery within a particular deadline. Suddenly, the manager of the project gets a call from
the client who asks for an early launch of the developed software without including any
encryption on it.
The manager of the project then insisted the project director for delivering the software
one month earlier as compared to the date which was actually scheduled earlier. The pressure the
completion of the software devising one month earlier is enough for a director of that project and
also for the team who is developing it (Braude& Bernstein, 2016). After that, the pressure from
the manager for the software delivery without any encryption attachment rises an ethical
dilemma situation. Providing and delivering any software to a client without any kind of
encryption is very much risky. It even carries a lot of obligations legally which cause serious
consequences for the entire team, director and manager of the project and also the company as a
whole. Even the project manager bribed the project manager related to the earlier software
delivery. When the director tried to describe the consequences of delivering the software without
any encryption, the manager made him aware that he will be paid with huge amount of bonuses
as well. He even tried to lure the director with a number of offers which both the company as
well as the project direct would get if he submits the software one month before and without any
encryption which is fully illegal Davis (2017). The conduction of the ethical dilemma
identification is done with the procedures of Australian Computer Society Cod of Professional
Conduct. This is quite evident that the manager wanted the director to deliver the developed
software earlier without any encryption. He would even be packed back in bonuses. The facts
within this case also refer to all the dialogues exchanged by both the persons involved in the

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scene. Issues which are either ethical or non-ethical which can occur in this case are completely
depended upon the project director actions (Van Hooft, 2014).
There are mainly three scenarios which is going to decide both the project director’s ethical and
the non-ethical implications as well as the characteristics (Coates, 2016). It is clearly seen from
the video that manager of the project had an unethical mind in such a setting which is
professional. If the director of the project made any kind of decision which will be unethical
related to the software encryption then the whole team developing the software, director,
manager as well as the company as a whole will be at a stake of high risk involving the
implications which are legal. There may be three possibilities of the action of the project
director. First possibility can be the project director’s surrender to the project manager’s
enforcement. This will have several implications which will be legal and can even spoil the
image and totally cease the total organization of business from its operation. This will ultimately
make the team members, manager, director and the company legally accountable in all the
aspects. Even the software which the company is going to submit to the respective client will
have high chance of being hacked which will cost a lot in terms of both the client as well as the
service provider. The second possibility can be such that the project director totally deny all the
suggestions which are given by the project manager. This will not cause any obligations for any
party. The last possibility can be such that the director consults with his team on every aspects.
This may result in both positive as well as negative resolutions as that of other two possibilities.
It can be definitely recommended to the project director to not give in to this unethical
procedure which the manager of the project is suggesting as it may lead to consequences which
may be quite serious. It will be best if the director of the project consults with the team and
fasten the development of the software and the process of encryption for delivering the client

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with a software which is highly oriented. In this case, he feels that it is impossible for submitting
the software at such a limited time limit and he should definitely deny the manager.

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References
Acevedo, A. (2013). But, is it ethics? Common misconceptions in business ethics
education. Journal of Education for Business, 88(2), 63-69.
Aliti, A. (2017, March). Ethical dilemmas of software engineers. In Dilemmas 2015 Papers from
the 18th Annual International Conference Dilemmas for Human Services: Organizing,
Designing and Managing.
Braude, E. J., & Bernstein, M. E. (2016).Software engineering: modern approaches. Waveland
Press.
Coates, A. J. (2016). The ethics of war.
Davis, M. (Ed.). (2017). Engineering ethics. Routledge.
Van Hooft, S. (2014). Understanding virtue ethics. Routledge.
Runciman, B., Merry, A., & Walton, M. (2017). Safety and ethics in healthcare: a guide to
getting it right. CRC Press.
YouTube. (2018). Scenario 3: Early Launch. Retrieved 26 March 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA