Professional Ethics in IT: ACS Assignment on Ethical Dilemma Analysis

This assignment analyzes an ethical dilemma faced by an IT manager, Sally, who is responsible for a government tourism website developed by Han. The dilemma centers on whether Sally should take responsibility for the website's potential liability due to uncovered operations or blame Han. The solution employs the Thomas White Framework, examining consequences, actions, and decisions, considering stakeholders such as Han, Sally, and the government's tourism department. The analysis highlights the values of honesty and morality, emphasizing Sally's duty to act fairly and responsibly. The assignment explores potential outcomes, including the allocation of blame and liability, recommending that Sally acts ethically and responsibly in her duties. The assignment references the ACS Code of Ethics and the Corporations Act 2001.

Running head: ACS
Assignment Cover Sheet
Subject Name: Professional Environments
Assignment Name/Number:
Date of Submission:
Participant Name:
ACS Member Number
Email Address:

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Declaration:
I declare that the assignment is based on my own work and that all material previously
written or published in any source by any other person has been duly acknowledged in the
assignment. I have not submitted this work, or a significant part thereof, previously as part of
any academic program. In submitting this assignment I give ACS permission to copy for
assessment purposes only.

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Australian Computer Society Professional Code of Ethics
As an ACS member, you must uphold and advance the honor, dignity and effectiveness of
being a professional. This entails, in addition to being a good citizen and acting within the
law, your conformance to the following ACS values (www.acs.org.au 2018).
The Primacy of the Public Interest
You will place the interests of the public above those of personal, business or sectional
interests.
The Enhancement of Quality of Life
You will strive to enhance the quality of life of those affected by your work.
Honesty
You will be honest in your representation of skills, knowledge, services and products.
Competence
You will work competently and diligently for your stakeholders.
Professional Development
You will enhance your own professional development, and that of your staff.
Professionalism
You will enhance the integrity of the ACS and the respect of its members for each other.

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For the purpose of solving the ethical dilemma the following steps re to be undertaken in
accordance with the Thomas White Framework.
Step one: Analyzing the consequences
The IT manager was Sally who had given HAN the responsibility to develop the
website for the government development of tourism. Hence, she undergoes an ethical
dilemma. In this scenario, the ethical dilemma that has been recognized is whether Sally will
be taking responsibility for the liability of the website that uncovered all the operations and
activities of the government or whether she would be able blame HAN the public servant
who had the authority of developing the tourism website.The maximum and main
stakeholders implicated in this given situation included Han, Sally and the tourism
department of the government. In the given scenario, it can be stated that Sally had a
fiduciary duty to the government as she was employed as the IT manager. By being the IT
manager, she inherited the responsibility of checking the activities of her website. However,
Han had developed the website and thus Sally had imposed the liability of the website on
Han. Therefore, the stakeholders must identify the problems involved with the activities that
have been carried out. Morality and Honesty are the two values included in this situation. In
this particular situation, the basic value that has been a part is honesty. Being the IT
manager, Sally was responsible enough in having a check of the website personally.
Therefore, in this scenario, she should act with honesty and show morality by admitting her
faults. Taking responsibility is also a part of the morals involved in this situation. Hence, on
the other hand she was unaware of the existing facts that the website must show the
controversial links and due to this Sally ignore taking the liability for the same (Leicester
2016). This is because Han had developed it completely. Nonetheless, her duty is to act with
fair actions towards the tourism department of the government.
Step Two: Analyzing the actions
As mentioned in the Sections of 180 to 183 of the Corporations Act 2001, the officers
of every organization should act in a fair and attentive way and should carry out the activities
in good faith. Therefore, as per the Corporations Act 2001 she should take the responsibility
of the activities.In this scenario, Sally can discuss the dilemma with the relevant
stakeholders that consist of all the friends, colleagues, senior managers and the family
members. It can be stated from the given situation that Sally should take the responsibility of
the scenario if it is her fault in the website. As observed it can be said that Sally should take
the responsibility if anything is wrong in the website. This is because it would pledge her that
she had acted in fair means and in the best interests of the department of tourism.
Step Three: Decision
This particular situation states that either of the ethical decisions considered will have
burdens and benefits. If Sally takes the responsibility of the malfunction caused to the
website then she should be blamed for such a scenario (Acs.org.au. 2018). She will also be
answerable to the other and higher authorities for keeping a check on the website that have
been developed by Han. Therefore, in such a situation, Han will have the benefits and the
liability will be decreased. On the contrary, if Sally fails to take the responsibility then Han will
be facing the actions for not testing the website in relation to the legal provisions. Hence, it
can be concluded stating that Sally will not be affected.
Recommendation: While carrying out the duties of the website, Sally must carry out the
activities in an ethical manner and responsibly.

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Bibliography
ACS Code of Professional Conduct Professional Standards Board Australian Computer
Society. , 2014. 1st ed.
Acs.org.au., 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-
documents/Code-of-Ethics.pdf [Retrieved on May 11. 2018].
Acs.org.au., 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/rules-and-
regulations/Code-of-Professional-Conduct_v2.1.pdf [Retrieved on 11 May. 2018].
Australian Computer Society Professional Code of Ethics
Corporation Act 2001
Leicester, N., 2016. Ethics in the IT Profession: Does a Code of Ethics have an Effect on
Professional Behaviour?.