Report on Ethics, Sustainability, and Social Impact in Business

This report delves into the intricate relationship between ethics, sustainability, and social impact within the domains of information technology and international business. The analysis commences by examining the ethical considerations surrounding law enforcement's access to personal data, evaluating potential worst-case scenarios arising from unrestricted access, and contrasting the security of digital information with traditional methods. The report then identifies key ethical principles relevant to information technology, such as confidentiality and honesty, illustrating each with practical examples. Furthermore, it explores the issue of forced labor in the communication and information industries, particularly in countries like China and Malaysia, highlighting the exploitation of labor forces for profit maximization. The report also addresses the digital divide, emphasizing its importance. In the context of international business, the report investigates ethical principles such as honesty and adherence to rules and regulations, providing relevant examples. Overall, the report underscores the significance of ethical practices in both IT and international business, emphasizing the need for responsible conduct to ensure sustainability and positive social impact.

Ethics Sustainability and Social Impact
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Should law enforcement agencies be allowed unrestricted access to such complete and
intrusive information on people’s lives?......................................................................................3
Worst case scenario that may arise in case when there is unrestricted access to
communications, general population may have on digital platform............................................4
Comparison of security between private email accounts or documents that are being locked in
desk drawers, also to describe about the situation in which law enforcement agencies needs to
have a warrant so as to access and see the documents.................................................................5
Describe which ethical principles are most relevant to information technology. Support each
of them with an example in relation to IT....................................................................................5
Labour forces in communication and information.......................................................................6
What are the arguments is important for digital divide?..............................................................1
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................1
Investigate which ethical principles are more relevant towards international business. Along
with examples..............................................................................................................................1
Optimising illegal profit through forced labour...........................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4
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INTRODUCTION
The present study initiates to analysing the ethics, sustainability and social impact in
information technology, therefore, Ethics and moral philosophy is recognised as a branch of
philosophy which mainly includes systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of
right and wrong behaviour of people towards others. Thus, the area of ethics, along with
aesthetics, concerns matters of value, and thus comprises the branch of philosophy called
axiology. In the context to information technology, ethics are important as it restrict an
individual be get involve in individual life (Aledo-Tur and Domínguez-Gómez, 2017). Privacy is
recognised as the most important concern of an individual and business and breaching the
privacy hamper an individual life and business as well, thus there are assorted ethics related to
maintaining the safety and privacy of performance information that are needs to be followed in
respect to managing the ethics of information technology and international business. In the
context to the working scenario, it is important for an individual to follow the ethics in respect to
managing the efficiency of the information to gain more progression and development. The key
underpinning for employed in the business are the ethical values, as the business who are not
having the ethical value they will eventually damage the atmosphere and they will also be not
able to stay in the market for that long.
The present study mainly contains analysis about the ethics in information technology and
ethical issues in international business.
TASK 1
Should law enforcement agencies be allowed unrestricted access to such complete and intrusive
information on people’s lives?
Privacy is recognised as the primary concern within the United States and all around the
globe. Therefore, the spread of digital technologies, internet and the apparently boundary less
choices for accumulating, saving, distributing or evaluating data trigger customer uncertainties.
Thus the online practices of organisations and government agencies may contemporary new
ways to compromise privacy, and e-commerce and technologies which create a wide range of
individual data present to anyone with a Web browser only begin to hint at the possibilities for
unfortunate or unjustified intrusion into personal lives of people (Bacq and Eddleston., 2018).
However, here are assorted agencies that all are keeping an eye over the day to day activities of
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the people. Specifically, the law enforcement agency is recognised as the one which is having the
power and authority to access individual personal information. The power of access individual
data is mainly rendered to these agencies for the purpose of managing the safety and security of
their live and making use of data at the time of any issue of crime (Crane and et. al., 2019).
Government mainly posing these rights to accessing personal data for the sack of handing any
risk situation like fraud, misshaping, crime and so on. With the assistance of the data that the
people is having can be implemented to solve various types of issues.
The law enforcement agencies, needs to have the power to access all the data in relation to
individual personal life for instance, private data, family information, personal account
information. Thus, this sort of act is chasing their different type of rights that are rendered by the
government of the country.
Worst case scenario that may arise in case when there is unrestricted access to communications,
general population may have on digital platform
Through the process of unrestricted information access that various agencies have can
result into some serious issues. There is a way large part of population, who is still unaware of
the fact, that there is an individual out there, who have every piece of information, right from the
time individual gets on from bed till the time, he is going back to the bed. this means that
individual is every time under surveillance (Eriksson and et. al., 2020). This information may
also consist of some private information, that may lead to serious conflicts, if gets leaked
(Eriksson and et. al., 2020). This data may lead to literal kind of wars between countries. In
today’s environment, there are various agencies those are working with the motive of
safeguarding rights of general public. And another main objective is to realise benefits for
common people. To answer present requirement, here is the worst case scenario, that would
result if these agencies leaks the private and confidential information. This information is mainly
related to undercover agents who are serving for the company (Floridi., 2018). Now in this
scenario, the main issue comes in front when information related to these individuals are leaked
due to some selfish motive of that agency or any individual working in that place. This seepage
of information can also be life threatening to these undercover agents and can also harm
country’s security.
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Comparison of security between private email accounts or documents that are being locked in
desk drawers, also to describe about the situation in which law enforcement agencies needs
to have a warrant so as to access and see the documents.
There should be a demarcation between the information that agency can get access to
directly or in the other case, they will need a warrant to access the information. There should be a
level to the disclosure of information to the agency. This will be helpful as it will help in
improving the intensity of security of information of the country. To illustrate, here the example
for the personal information of an undercover agent can be stated. If the agency will have this
piece of information, it can be really hazardous for the security of country and that agent, in case
of any leakage. The major cause of this situation can be intense corruption prevailing in every
sector.
Privacy is a fundamental right of every individual, but these agencies are just joking
around and making the general people compromise for this hazard (Lee and Ha-Brookshire,,
2017). There are two sides of every coin and the same situation for the security warrants in the
present case. Above is explained about the reasons that makes it obligatory to have a warrant to
access private information. On the contrary, there are various cases or lawsuits which could had
not been solved due to limited access of information.
Describe which ethical principles are most relevant to information technology. Support each of
them with an example in relation to IT
Ethics can be decided as those values which draws a line between the sections defined by
right or wrong. There are various principles those are drawn from the knowledge set of these
ethical values that defines the working process of information and technology sector:
 Confidentiality- Very first principle is related with the practice of keeping the
information safe. This means that the keeper of the information or the agency is
responsible and accountable for meeting the scale of keeping information of clients
confidential and ensuring the same time, that information will not be leaked (Floridi.,
2018).
 Honesty- As per aforementioned information, the main reason behind leaking of private
information is corruption, thus, it is expected from employees of agency that they are
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performing their roles with complete honesty and will not indulge in any unlawful
activity.
Labour forces in communication and information
Rather than fashion industry, information and communication industry is also opting
forced labor sources through which they can earn maximum profits. By suing these forced labor,
there are several big businesses which manufacture electronic items at cheaper rate which are
less than their competitors by which such businesses can make use of resources efficiently and
earn maximum amount of profit.
Research methodology
Research methodology which is used in this project report is based on secondary source
of data. By using these secondary sources of data, researcher can conduct research in wider
concept. Secondary data help researcher in finding all necessary information regarding name and
information regarding several countries which are related to force labor.
Findings
The major findings which was found after conducting the research, are mentioned below:
 Force labors in electronic sector were majorly found in China and Malaysia.
 One of the largest country who manufactures semi-conductors by the help of forced
labors is Malaysia.
 Quarter share of global market for manufacturing of semiconductors is hold by China.
General findings
The general findings which were observed by conducting both researches was that China
and Malaysia are encouraging and promoting force labor and focus on maximizing more profits
from such illegal practices (Michelucci, 2017). Companies in these countries who are engaged in
such forced labor practices are forcing them to work in such non-hostile conditions and they do
not focus on the upliftment of these people and their lifestyles. It was observed that companies
which are engaged in forced labor are violating basic rights of individuals that are stated by the
government which must be provided to all citizens. Several big organizations just focus on
earning maximum profit for their organization with the help of forced labors. These
organizations do not value the needs and demands of force labors who are working with them.
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What are the arguments is important for digital divide?
In overall agency of legislation there is information of clients and some other clients their
information not available. The term digital divide depicts about gap arises between demographic
and regions that have access to modern information as well as communication technology. There
is some restricted on some information which is not easy to access. The resources which involves
in digital divide is telephone television, personal, computers and internet. The closing of digital
divide is important as overall citizen must have access or sources to scrutinize information in
effective manner.
Task 2.
Investigate which ethical principles are more relevant towards international business. Along with
examples.
At present situation of business there are two types of market of it one is national and
another international market. In which international market is consider by most of business
venture as it involves variety of aspect through which various types of factor influence on
organisation in international market. On perspective of business wants to expand internationally
they assess overall situation in terms of customer, product demand and number of buyers. While
individual business venture consider with the business expansion of many things where it aspects
to conducts effective ethical code of conduct which business must have to obtained effectively.
Some of ethical principles which are enhance through organisation on working are as follows:
 Enhance honesty in working: The organisation while they have are operating within
internationally market must have individual honesty and integrity working (Rawhouser,
Cummings and Newbert., 2019). To not having exploit about the resources and it will
also hurts the emotions and sentiments of persons. For example: If the organisation or
employees are not honest and loyal enough with their services they will not must sustain
in competitive business as well as customer will not have trust on them.
 Follow up rules and regulations: As per most of times the organisation in order to
utilize profit through choosing different illegal path ways. Many of organisation where
encouraging about to forced labour that are organisation satisfy with their profitability.
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Optimising illegal profit through forced labour.
As many of industries are there who constant connected with their human resources into
forced labour or workforce. This is because that specific organisation can earn more profit as
unethical way. Such as Fashion industry make their manpower enforced where they have motive
to earn more profitability in successful manner.
Research method:
There are various ways to collection of information about the method where used of
conduct through this research about the secondary method as overall information is elaborates
about research which is been undertakes different secondary sources (Stahl and et. al, 2020). The
data collection was conducts through researcher was able to collect more information as well as
able to scrutinise findings. On the support of secondary base of data collection where the key
was able to justify findings on facts and figures.
Key Findings:
There are some findings as followings:
 In the region of south region where many big multinational brands who are picking up
practise towards forced manpower.
 Big valuable brands are forcing the children also in forced labour and they are conducts
violating to provide them effectively.
 Apart from it, it is been found that working condition is not considered as hostile. These
laws of brands are forcing them into labour and they are not providing with basis hostile
working condition.
 The 24.9 millions people are engaged in force labour and they are generates millions for
illegal profit.
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CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that in this digitalized world it has become
easy to get information about common people and also there are various organisations and
institutions working on it. The organisations and industries are taking various corrective
measures and understanding the behaviour of general public with surveillance of different data
and industries. Due to advancement in the technology there are many hackers who can use the
information in wrong manner hence it is important to keep the information confidential. The
government has formulated various ethical principles which can be effectively applied in
different situation with the motive to carry the business activities and operations at international
level in ethical and effective manner. The organisation which are working at international and
national level are considering forced labour and other illegal practices. The companies with this
strategy would able to manufacture products at cheaper rates and able to sell at high prices and
make high profits.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Aledo-Tur, A. and Domínguez-Gómez, J.A., 2017. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) from a
multidimensional paradigmatic perspective: challenges and opportunities. Journal of
environmental management. 195. pp.56-61.
Bacq, S. and Eddleston, K.A., 2018. A resource-based view of social entrepreneurship: How
stewardship culture benefits scale of social impact. Journal of Business Ethics. 152(3).
pp.589-611.
Crane and et. al., 2019. Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the
age of globalization. Oxford University Press, USA.
Eriksson, S. and et. al., 2020, April. Ethics in Movement: Shaping and Being Shaped in Human-
Drone Interaction. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems (pp. 1-14).
Floridi, L., 2018. Soft ethics, the governance of the digital and the General Data Protection
Regulation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical
and Engineering Sciences. 376(2133). p.20180081.
Lee, S.H. and Ha-Brookshire, J., 2017. Ethical climate and job attitude in fashion retail
employees’ turnover intention, and perceived organizational sustainability performance:
A cross-sectional study. Sustainability. 9(3). p.465.
Michelucci, F.V., 2017. Social impact investments: Does an alternative to the Anglo-Saxon
paradigm exist?. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit
Organizations. 28(6). pp.2683-2706.
Rawhouser, H., Cummings, M. and Newbert, S.L., 2019. Social impact measurement: Current
approaches and future directions for social entrepreneurship research. Entrepreneurship
Theory and Practice. 43(1). pp.82-115.
Stahl and et. al, 2020. Enhancing the role of human resource management in corporate
sustainability and social responsibility: A multi-stakeholder, multidimensional approach
to HRM. Human Resource Management Review. 30(3). p.100708.
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