Analysis of ICT Ethics and IT Governance at Westfield Group: A Report

This report examines the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within the Westfield Group, focusing on ethical considerations and IT governance issues. The analysis explores the importance of ethical thinking in ICT design and usage, considering socio-cultural perspectives and the impact of communication technology. The report provides an overview of ethical and IT governance frameworks, including the ethical analysis framework (consequentialist framework) and the Information Technology Governance Framework (COBIT), to assess the ethical consequences of Westfield's transition to a digital firm, especially regarding diversity, inclusion, and maintaining competitive advantages. It also offers recommendations for Westfield, justifying the suggestions to convince organizational management to adopt ethical ICT practices. The report emphasizes the importance of digital ethics, data security, and the use of technologies like AI to improve business processes.

Running head: ICT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND ETHICS
ICT Professional Practice and Ethics: Westfield Case Study
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Executive Summary
This report aims in knowing about implementation of ICT in Westfield Group in respect to
ethical and IT governance issues. The entire process of incorporation of ethical thinking is
required to be analysed while designing and using ICT. The socio cultural perspective on ICT
analyses about considering every required artefact or information. Due to the enhancement of
communication technology, it is often considered as one of the most significant and cognitive
processing of information. As ICT could be utilized for successful achievement of every
specific objective in interaction between human beings and inter personal communication.
Ethical and IT governance frameworks are provided in this report with relevant suggestions.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................3
2. Discussion..............................................................................................................................3
2.1 Brief Idea of the Case Study............................................................................................3
2.2 Ethical and IT Governance Frameworks for Analyses....................................................4
2.3 Assessment of Ethical Consequences for moving to a Digital Firm on Diversity as well
as Inclusion of IT Governance Issues and Technologies for maintaining Competitive
Advantages.............................................................................................................................7
2.4 Suitable Recommendations for Westfield with Proper Justification to convince
Organizational Management................................................................................................10
3. Conclusion............................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................14

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1. Introduction
Ethical issues related to proper implementation and utilization of information and
communication technology is extremely important and significant as such issues are
responsible for constituting the major conditions for human attitudes or values that specify
human behaviour and actions (Dutta, Geiger and Lanvin 2015). As a result, proper conditions
are being implied for better maintenance and usefulness of all systems. There exists an
intrinsic relation within ethics and technology, since it is required to be established and
considered as an ethical framework for implementation of ICT (Bilbao-Osorio, Dutta and
Lanvin 2013). Technology mainly characterizes organizational strategies and objectives and
ensures that better effectiveness and efficiency is being obtained without much complexity.
Ethical dimension of proper implementation and utilization of technology requires to be
properly focused on so that it becomes quite easy for the organization to maintain a decision
oriented, creative and iterative practice with the major focus on technology in its widest sense
(Holtshouse 2013). The following report outlines a brief description on ethical approach and
perspective for information and communication technology with suitable frameworks, ethical
consequences and recommendations for the case study of Westfield Group.
2. Discussion
2.1 Brief Idea of the Case Study
The Australian searchable mall of Westfield Group eventually features 100000
products online. They have harnessed the bang with a significant realization that their
successful model to build large and quality shopping mall is being challenged by a new
change in the behaviour of shopper that is driven by technology enabling connectivity
(Kellermann and Jones 2013). Due to this type of realization, it has become apparent that it
can either be a disruption with a big bang or even a significant transformative opportunity for

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digital shopper to get connect with the shopping centre, which has improved the entire
experience of shopping. Westfield Group has set up certain labs for the core purpose of
leveraging the retail ecosystem with distinctive innovative mobile, social as well as
digitalized marketing opportunities, which congregates a digital shopper with physical world
(Lee, Thomas and Baskerville 2015). Recently they have been observing customers’ choices
and after analysis, it is being analysed that shopper’s behaviour is to be digitally connected.
These learnings of Westfield mainly include getting extremely curious around technologies,
hence supporting journeys’ of shopper with a wide range of few new digitalized enabled
innovations like digital storefronts, click and collect hubs, digital in centre signage wireless
fidelity network, frictionless car parking payment service, searchable mall web platform so
that retailers are integrated and helping shoppers to find whatever is needed from the local
Westfield shopping centre (Lee, Thomas and Baskerville 2015).
2.2 Ethical and IT Governance Frameworks for Analyses
Information and communication technology is responsible for encompassing Internet
connected sphere and even mobile sphere, which are powered after incorporation of few
wireless networks (Jiao and Onwuegbuzie 2017). This particular technology also includes
antiquated technologies such as broadcasting of radio as well as television or landline
telephone to be widely used with few technology oriented parts such as artificial intelligence
or big data. ICT is also used with IT for effective demonstration of comprehensive and wide
range of elements, which is being related to computer or digital technologies as compared to
any other technology (D'Arcy et al. 2014). A proper description and discussion of two
distinctive frameworks for the core purpose of governing each and every IT issue or ethical
consequence is given in the following paragraphs:
a) Ethical Analysis Framework: The first or the most significant framework for
completing the analyses of Westfield Group case study is ethical analysis framework or

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simply ethical framework (Vaishnavi and Kuechler 2015). This particular framework is
needed to understand any kind of decision for the organization. An ethical analysis
framework majorly gives the significant summary of every relevant source about ethical
thinking and even to execute the entire process of decision making extremely effective
(Dedrick, Kraemer and Shih 2013). Furthermore, this framework is required for every
organization r business so that they are able to maintain certain ethical aspects or features in
the business to ensure that any type of complexity related to ethical dilemmas are being
resolved efficiently (Okumus 2013). The ethical decision to involve digital innovation is also
required to be made by Westfield Group, hence digitalized ethics would be deployed properly
in the business for shaping every kind of political, moral and social existence in their
business.
Westfield Group has implemented few of the most distinctive and important
digitalized innovations such as digital storefronts, click and collect hubs, digital in centre
signage wireless fidelity network, frictionless car parking payment service, searchable mall
web platform so that retailers are integrated and helping shoppers to find whatever is needed
from the local Westfield shopping centre; it is needed for them to involve digital ethics (Bai
and Sarkis 2013). A proper ethical framework is required for considering ethical implications
within an organization. The most suitable and appropriate framework that helps in
undertaking ethical decisions is consequentialist framework (Coeckelbergh 2013).
Consequentialism is referred to a class of normative ethical theories that eventually hold the
consequences of conduct of an individual as the ultimate basis of judgment regarding
correctness and incorrect approach of a conduct. This specific theory is mainly non
prescriptive and refers to the fact that the moral worth of any action is being determined by
its respective potential consequences and not by following a collection of laws or regulations
(Law et al. 2013). The framework of consequentialist states that any action can be termed as

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ethical as soon as it provides major advantages to the society or organization. For the
organization of Westfield, it is extremely vital to use consequentialist framework for analysis
purpose. They have implemented digital innovation in their business with the significant
purpose of gaining more competitive advantages and achieving customer satisfaction to a
high level (Marinagi, Trivellas and Sakas 2014). Thus, it is providing major utility to the
society as well as customers of Westfield Group, hence the entire case study could be easily
and promptly analysed with the help of consequentialist framework.
b) Information Technology Governance Framework: This is another important vital
and efficient framework, which is being utilized for better analysis of Westfield Group
(Sabherwal and Jeyaraj 2015). An information technology governance framework ensures
that the vast majority of every organization is dependent on information technology. Without
a formal and proper governance structure, it is extremely important and significant to analyse
the corporate use of IT for providing better business objectives (Sabherwal and Jeyaraj 2015).
With the major help of an information technology governance framework, it becomes
extremely easy to demonstrate every measurable outcome against broad business goal and
strategy. This particular framework even assures the organizational stakeholders that they
could have high confidence on the respective organizational IT services, hence meeting every
relevant regulatory or legal obligations like mentioned on general data protection regulation
(Tayeh, Al-Jarrah and Tarhini 2015).
It even ensures that organizational data and assets are completely safe and secured
and does not incur any kind of distinctive vulnerability and threat regarding data security. For
the case scenario of Westfield Group, IT governance framework would be extremely
effective regarding techniques and methodologies through which the company can
successfully deploy, manage or analyse overall information technology (Wang, Hu . and Hu
2013). The changing behaviour of shoppers can be easily analysed by digital innovation and

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it even provides high data security and privacy. Thus, Westfield Group would be extremely
benefitted from this particular technology. Since, the technology provides better legal
compliance and data security, it can be analysed with the help of information technology
governance framework. COBIT is the most appropriate IT governance framework for
Westfield and it ensures high data security for eradication of tools and techniques (Lainer,
Mann and Sönnichsen 2013). Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter or Google+
can be used for better communication with the users, so that a balance is maintained between
ICT implementation and organizational strategies or objectives. It even enhances
communication process to a high level, hence allowing the respective organization to
maintain a balance between organizational communication process and customers. The
inventories in Westfield will also be secured and there would be less chance of data theft
(Lainer, Mann and Sönnichsen 2013). The respective external standards will also be
integrated with the help of COBIT framework.
2.3 Assessment of Ethical Consequences for moving to a Digital Firm on Diversity as
well as Inclusion of IT Governance Issues and Technologies for maintaining
Competitive Advantages
Digital firms are considered as one of the major and as well as the most significant
and important types of organizations, which has allowed core business relationships by
digitalized networks (Ray, Xue and Barney 2013). All of such digital networks could be
supported by enterprise class technology platforms, which have been eventually leveraged in
the business for supporting of critical business functionalities as well as services. Few
important examples of the technology platforms include supply chain management,
warehouse management system, enterprise resource planning, and knowledge management
system and customer relationship management (Molenaar 2013). The major purpose of such
distinctive technology platforms would be being digitally enabled seamless integration as

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well as information exchange in the business to staff and outside the company to business
partners, suppliers and even customers. It provides a completely new method for describing
organizations, which operate differently than the traditional business model for global
market. Moving to a digital firm eventually place a major emphasis on business process
digitalization (Close et al. 2013). Westfield Group would be able to decentralize the
operations and accelerate market responsiveness and readiness, increment efficiency and
enhance customer interaction. The organization would be able to maintain high
diversification for technology implementation.
The significant management or signal distribution is responsible for reducing several
issues related to data security and privacy, thus more effectiveness and efficiency is obtained
(Lainer, Mann and Sönnichsen 2013). Furthermore, data transmission, manipulation, retrieval
and storage are also done in the most effective manner by the movement to a digital firm. ICT
plays one of the most significant roles in moving to the digital firm by eradicating any type of
out dated technologies from business. AI is the major and the most effective technology that
helps in eradicating any kind of outdated technology from the business (Tayeh, Al-Jarrah and
Tarhini 2015). To bring few important benefits from the business, the respective organization
has to perform limited chance of functions within their company, thus focusing on better
effectiveness. ICT even allows other systems and equipment to make all business procedures
working perfectly and without any error. A significant platform is being provided to users so
that the business is able to achieve its goals as per planned. The overall impact of this system
or Internet connection makes the move ethical so that intellectual properties of the business
are absolutely safe and secured under every circumstance (Tayeh, Al-Jarrah and Tarhini
2015). However, in spite of having such distinctive advantages, there are few aspects that are
needed to be analysed while considering digital firm movement. These challenges can be
easily identified to obtain every kind of ethical consequence within the business.

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The IT governance issues are one of the major and the most significant issues, which
are closely associated with ICT implementation and digital firm movement (Tayeh, Al-Jarrah
Tarhini 2015). The major issues of IT governance, which could bring out unethical
consequences and impacts are as follows:
a) Value Delivery of Organization by including ICT: The first IT governance issue
that is responsible to bring all types of illegal and unethical consequence or activity would be
value delivery when ICT can be included (Sabherwal and Jeyaraj 2015). The significant issue
would be quite common during movement to any digital firm, hence making the entire
process of value delivery extremely complex after making risks and threats much more
devastating for the business and equivalent systems or equipment. Every hacker or intruder
may also gain significant scope for extracting organizational information or values to prevail
extremely high risk for all lost values (Bai and Sarkis 2013). This particular threat can easily
bring out major issues for business processes.
b) Establishing IT Governance Framework: Another noteworthy and important
challenge or issue, which is related to ICT during moving to digital firm would be proper or
successful establishment of IT governance framework (Vaishnavi and Kuechler 2015). It is
termed as quite complex, thus it often becomes vital to simplify entire infrastructure of the
information technology so that redundant data are eradicated. Lack of a proper IT governance
framework often leads to failure of decision making process and increasing expenses
extremely.
c) Lacking of Asset and Datum Security or Privacy: The third important and
significant issue that is associated to ICT during movement to a digital firm is lacking of asset
or datum security and privacy (Jiao and Onwuegbuzie 2017). Often it is being observed that

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the respective data is not completely secured and loses integrity and confidentiality.
Moreover, this particular issue even makes the data inaccessible by users or organizations.
The most effective technologies that help in dealing with such issues while moving to
digital firm and maintaining efficiency are as follows:
a) Cloud Technology: Cloud is considered as the major as well as an important
technology, which is quite effective in dealing with any data security issue. It can promptly
transfer sensitive data from any one location to the other via Internet connectivity (Tambe
and Hitt 2013). Cost effectiveness is the next significant advantage of this technology, hence
providing all organizations with the major scope for implementing this particular technology
in the businesses.
b) Big Data Technology: Big data technology is the second important as well as
noteworthy technology to move to any digital firm. As this specific technology is providing
several subsequent advantages in an efficient and effective managing of larger data sets; big
data could be highly recommended for this purpose (Lee, Thomas and Baskerville). It is a
significant technique, which became typical for digital firm movement. Moreover, losing of
data is certainly avoided by the successful implementation of this technology.
c) Artificial Intelligence Technology: The third significant and noteworthy
technology that can be termed as quite efficient for removal of several issues related to digital
firm movement. This is even termed as an important method for problem solving, which can
be useful to ensure proper pretending of human being as well as machine leaning (Holtshouse
2013). Ethical decisions are possible with successful involvement of artificial intelligence
technology.

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2.4 Suitable Recommendations for Westfield with Proper Justification to convince
Organizational Management
The entire process of incorporation of ethical thinking is required to be analysed while
designing and using ICT. It is needed for maintenance of the entire process of
communication, hence participants can easily execute every objective on the basis of
confidential data and information. Few new areas of communications and technologies are
being developed, thus it becomes quite important to be considered from both an effective and
ethical perspective.
Such distinctive ethical issues depend on automation of information processing for the
purpose of providing a high possibility for an expansion of pedagogical spectrum. An
advanced digital technology is responsible for making information extremely easily
accessible from throughout the world and at the same time, since information society changes
every condition for learning, IT could be utilized as an explicit resource in learning process.
As information and communication technology provides some of the major and the most
significant advantages, it is highly mandatory for the organization to make it completely
ethical in nature. Westfield Group had been providing several products to the customers to
ensure that they achieve customer satisfaction majorly. They have implemented digital model
in their business to obtain more competitive advantages in comparison to any other similar
supermarket or shopping mall in Australia.
As Westfield Group is extremely concerned about their digital innovation
involvement in business, two recommendations are being provided for them.
a) Developing Data Driven Model: This is an important recommendation for
Westfield Group for digital innovation implementation. As it is needed to provide best
services to customers, it is being analysed the customers comprise of a significant tendency to