ITC506 Assignment 1: Ethical Issues in Software Development

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ITC506 Assignment 1
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Case Background.........................................................................................................................3
Ethical issues................................................................................................................................3
Code of ethics of Australian Computer Society...........................................................................4
Recommendation.........................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................6
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Introduction
The main aim of this report is to introduce the code of ethics and its importance in the
organizations of information and communication technology. It is significant for the business
organizations to abide by all the significant and vital code of Ethics of the Australian Computer
Society for achieving long term success. The business organization that deals with the
information and communication technology are abode and follows all the standards and code of
ethics of Australia. The main aim of this report is to identify the ethical issues and problems that
are faced by the business organizations in the field of the information and communication
technology as per the code of ethics of the Australian Computer Society. To resolve the unethical
issues in the business organization and mentioned recommendations that assist to resolve
problems in an ethical manner.
Case Background
The background of the given case study deals with the business organization deal with the
expansion of the software. The employee is responsible for software development for one of the
important client of the business. The employees are burdened to create the software and
pressurize to develop the software within the specified period of time. In this case, the behavior
of the senior manager with the project manager is unethical. The manager of the projects consults
about this to the senior developer about the project status which becomes the challenge for the
employees, project manager as well as the senior developer of the software. For saving the cost
and time the project manager guides the senior manager to launch the software without testing.
In the context of the project, the project manager is decided to launch the software with no
testing.
Ethical issues
In this case, the way the manager the senior manager talks with the project manager are unethical
as it is the responsibility of the senior manager to work in cooperation and behave in an ethical
manager with the employees. The main ethical issues in the given case are that the project
manager guides the senior manager to launch the software without testing just for fulfilling the
time specifies for such software. In this, it is the accountability of the project manager to test the
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software successfully and efficiently (Huda, et. al., 2017). The project manager of the company
so only focuses on satisfying the time limit for the product but not focusing on fulfilling the code
of ethics so as to accomplish the practices of the company in an ethical manner. By creating the
pressures on the employees for developing the software and unethical behaviors does not come
under the code of ethics. It is important for the organization so information and communication
technology to fulfill the code of ethics so as to avoid the unethical situation in the company. To
achieve the goals in the ethical method it is important that the company posses the ethical
practices in the organizations and abides with all the ethical codes (Iphofen, 2016). Further, it is
also important that the superior authorities behave ethically while making things clear to the
others in moral mode.
Code of ethics of Australian Computer Society
The professionals who are working in the information and technology companies must abide by
the code of ethics while performing the duties and responsibilities (Arık, et. al., 2018). As per the
given case study, the company faces several ethical issues in this regard. In this context there are
various elements that are mentioned in the Australian Computer Science code of ethics includes
the enhancement of the standard of life, honesty, competence, professionalism, enhance the
development of the profession, increase in the stage of the competition and increase in the public
interest. In this context, the main moral issues that are faced by the company are privacy,
cybercrime, internet regulation, ICT professionalism, safety measures, community and identity,
social inclusion, convergent computing. The main issue of this case is that the project manager
not abides with the code of ethics and gets rid of with their moral duty (Shaw & Barry, 2015).
The project manager shows their negligence over the initiation of the product without testing.
The product is a launch with no testing can impact over the health of the people and in this, the
project manager is responsible for not following its obligations and imperative that the senior
authorities behave ethically while making the things clear to the others in ethical way.
It is important that the organization remain professional and honest in relation to their work and
follows the code of ethics while performing their work. In this case, the project manager guides
the senior manager to launch the product without testing the product it is injustice and breach of
the terms of the codes of ethics (Bell, et. al., 2018). Further, professionalism assists the company
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and its management to pursue with the ethics and its standards so as to achieve the organizational
goals in an ethical manner. Create pressures on the employees to accomplish the goals and
meeting the deadlines for developing the software within a particular period of time (Hair Jr, et.
al., 2015). It is important that the company work in the interest of the public which means that
the company has to expand the software’s and launch its product after proper testing so as to
prevent its negative impacts on the users and work on the negative points so as to make the
products effectual and efficient.
Recommendation
As per the Australian Computer Science codes of ethics, it is suggested to the senior authorities
of the company to behave in the ethical manner as it is the duty of the senior developer to guides
the lower authorities to perform their function in an ethical manner. Further, the project manager
is also recommended is to accomplish their moral duties and launch the product after testing so
as to ensure software security.
Conclusion
As per ten discussions above it is concludes that the ICT companies and it's professional have to
follow and abide with all the instruction and rule and regulation so as to perform their operation
in an ethical manner. This assists the company in enhancing its image in society and augment in
the long term achievement and growth.
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References
 Arık, T., Kaptein, M., & Karssing, E. (2018). Ethics Committees (Including Research).
 Bell, E., Bryman, A., & Harley, B. (2018). Business research methods. Oxford university
press.
 Hair Jr, J. F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A. H., Samouel, P., & Page, M. J.
(2015). Essentials of business research methods. Routledge.
 Huda, M., Maseleno, A., Jasmi, K. A., Mustari, I., & Basiron, B. (2017). Strengthening
interaction from direct to virtual basis: insights from ethical and professional
empowerment. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, 12(17), 6901-
6909.
 Iphofen, R. (2016). Ethical decision making in social research: A practical guide.
Springer.
 Shaw, W. H., & Barry, V. (2015). Moral issues in business. Cengage Learning.
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