Ethical Issues in ICT Professional Practice: A Report

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Assessment Item 2

Introduction
This assessment is developed on basis of a video stated in the brief which describes the different
actions and consequences related with ethical dilemma faced by an ICT professional. This
assessment mainly aims to explain different ethical issues related to ICT along with the analysis
of ethical problems arise in reference with ICT. Moreover the assessment involves critical
evaluation and solution for ethical problems. The identification and formulation of individual
responsibility and action in reference with moral and ethical policy are also described in the
assessment. This assessment also includes appropriate recommendations for efficiently dealing
with the ethical problems associated with the situation stated in the video.

Ethical Dilemma involved in Case
The video stated in the brief of the assessment includes the description of certain ethical dilemma
related with company operation and the responsibility of Ken, professional of ICT as in the video
Ken faces a severe ethical dilemma situation related with the company work. The ethical
dilemma faced by Ken in the video is first with technical failure during business operation
because of which Ken was faced another dilemma of resigning from the company due to his
unaware fault in system failure and lastly Ken faces a dilemma of failure in paying EMI to the
load department. Thus the ethical dilemma further to be in an confusing situation and under
extreme pressure he decided to resign from his post in the company.
Moreover along with Ken, the company also faced certain ethical dilemma due failure of
engineers and other developers associated with project to carry out quality assurance test of the
product which further leads to unaware situation. The organization also faces failure while
launching the system online on time because the engineers fails to carry out the test on the
product which further forced Ken to not allow the system to live stream (Sampson, et. al., 2015).
Ken took the decision of not allowing the system to go live stream as testing of the new system is
essential for avoiding further problems for both the developers and clients. As if the system goes
live stream, then bug and defects could impact the company image in the market and among
clients which has the ability to further affect the organization future sale of the company in the
competitive market. The issues present in the system have the ability to impact the activities of
the organization as the issues directly impact organization performance and efficiency in the
market and among the clients (Capurro, 2018).
Ethical Base of Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct
ACS code of professional generally refers to an Australian computer society and this society is
basically dependent on certain constitution and code of ethics which further upholds the
effectiveness and dignity of ACS professionals. The major ethical values of ACS consist
requirement for developing professional environment are professionalism to improve the image
of industry and proper decision-making process, professional development for updating work
and encourage team members, competence to provide proper work advice, honesty for proper

maintenance of professionalism, enhance of quality life and primary of public interest for making
public priorities.
Ethical Problems
The video describes the emergence of various ethical problems associated with business
operation in reference with ICT. The ethical issues that a business organization and clients face
that arise in reference with ICT and other technology error in the business organization. In the
video the organization and the professional of ICT, Ken face is related with the system error
which further impacts the image of the organization in the market and this also leads the
organization to lack behind in the business competition (Weckert, et. al., 2013). The organization
faces ethical issues as the engineers and other developers of the organization fails in testing the
new system which further forces the ICT professional of the organization to take the decision of
not allowing the system to stream online as if the system goes online without testing it may
further lead to the emergence of other ethical issues face by both clients and organization such as
bugs and other technological issues. Moreover other ethical issues that could emerge because of
failure of engineers testing are hacking of system, malpractices of the system due to viruses and
impact on data access right and privacy of customer which further also affect customer’s
behavior and preference towards the new system and the organization in the market (Miñano, et.
al., 2015).
Ethical Issues raised in reference of ICT
The video also represent certain ethical issues that the organization and Ken face in reference of
ICT as ICT consist the ability to impact the image of the organization and employees could also
face the issue related to losing their job as Ken lost his job because of engineers and other
developer failure in testing the new system. The other ethical issues related with ICT of the
organization are:
 Develop negative image of the organization due to failure of launching the system in
market on time.
 Establish social consequences related with the organization system.
 Impacts client’s preference and opinion towards organization.
 Uncertainty of the company outcomes.

 Employee’s job and working are impacted.
Thus the function of ICT should be used with proper effectiveness and the company also
required to test its system properly for delivering its products in market on time for seeking
effective outcome. Moreover, the company is required to develop in such system that provides
client with proper assurance of safety and security with the company’s system (Ibrahim, 2018).
Solution to the Ethical Problems
The ethical problems faced by the organization and Ken related with the failure of launching the
new system in the market and technical error the organization could be handled through
implementing certain solutions for the emerging problems in the business organization. The main
solutions that could be adopted for managing and dealing the ethical problems are stated below:
 Gathering significant and proper information associated with the project and system of
the organization for effectively solving the issues that could further arise in relation with
the organization projects and systems.
 Identifying the people of the organization that are engaged with the development, testing
and launching of the new system in the market for the clients.
 Identifying and understanding the ethical issues that are associated with the new system
for avoiding the issues impact on the organization image.
 Drawing and listing back-up plan for efficiently dealing with further ethical issues that
arise and effectively carrying out the organization project.
 Monitoring and maintaining a proper record of significant information of the organization
system and projects by senior members for efficiently developing the project (Poulsen,
2018).
Moreover for ethical issues faced by Ken could be solved through following the above points
and further implicating the ethical codes of Australian Computer Society (ACS) code of ethics
which includes the consideration of six ethical factors such as :
 Privacy of Public Interest.
 Enhancement of Quality of Life.
 Competence.

 Honesty.
 Professionalism.
 Professional Development.
Recommendation
According to the situation prevailing in the organization, Ken is recommended to approach the
ethical issues of the organization with the involvement of other senior members of the
organization for seeking appropriate opinion of the senior members for dealing the ethical issues.
Ken is also recommended to consider appropriate facts and figures in relation with the new
system and project that the organization is developing and launching. Moreover Ken could deal
with his ethical dilemma through properly analyzing the situation and acting according to his
professional role. Ken could solve the situation without adopting the option of resigning from the
company through following and implementing ACS ethic codes in the company as the codes
would help Ken to maintain professionalism at the company’s work place, sustain public interest
along with assuring public privacy, honesty among the other members associated with the
company and competence of people in their work for successfully developing the project.
Moreover Ken could seek proper knowledge related with the ICT and customer rights through
ACS ethic codes and rules for resolving his ethical dilemma in the company (Capurro, 2018).

Conclusion
This assessment is developed with the aim of defining the role of information technology in
reference of an organization, professional of ICT and ICT technology of an organization. This
assessment includes the description of the ethical dilemma involved in the case along with the
explanation of the ethical problems emerge in the case in relation with ICT and other
technological errors. The role and importance of Australian Computer Society Code of
Professional Conduct in the organization for overcoming ethical dilemma of ICT professional are
also explained in the assessment. This assessment includes the description of ethical problems,
ethical issues in reference with ICT and appropriate solution for overcoming the ethical issues.
Moreover, this assessment also includes a brief recommendation that the organization ICT
professional could apply for overcoming the ethical problems.

References:
 Sampson, J.P. and Osborn, D.S., 2015. Using information and communication technology
in delivering career interventions. APA handbook of career intervention, 2, pp.57-70.
 Weckert, J., Lucas, R., & Selgelid, M. J. (2013). Professionalism in the information and
communication technology industry (Vol. 3). ANU E Press.
 Miñano, R., Aller, C.F., Anguera, Á. & Portillo, E. (2015). Introducing ethical, social and
environmental issues in ICT engineering degrees. Journal of Technology and Science
Education, 2015, Vol.5(4), pp.272-285
 Ibrahim, I. A., (2018). Nigeria’s Ethical Issues in the use of ICT. (2018). ITNOW, 2018,
Vol. 60(2), pp.12-13
 Capurro, R. (2018). Intercultural information ethics. In Localizing the Internet (pp. 19-
38). Wilhelm Fink Verlag.
 Poulsen, A., 2018. A post publication review of “Threats to autonomy from emerging
ICTs. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 22.