EFFECT OF GENDER ON THE APPLICATION OF ETHICS

Effect of Gender on the Application of Ethics within Information Technology

Effect of Gender on the Application of Ethics within Information Technology

Field of Information Technology has experienced tremendous growth over recent decades. Covering entire planet, almost everything is affected by use of computers. Information Technology has become so important and so widely accepted use any possible misuse of technology is an ethical problem very well. One of biggest problems with information technology is that its growth has exceeded ethics behind it (Peslak, 2008; Adam, Ofori-Amanfo, 2000; Dorantes, Hewitt, Goles, 2006). Perhaps most important is fact that certain ethical dilemmas would not be present if not for massive scope of technology (Zalta, 2008). This results in community of information technology that have different perceptions and often vary widely in ethics. Compounding problem is there is no real standard of ethics within IT community (Johnson, 2007). While there are several theories in place on how best to create the standard (Zalta, 2008), IT community is so large and diverse that universal agreement on any point of view will be difficult.

However, despite implementation of any future standardization, adherence to ethical standards remains largely depends on person. Effect of sex on ethics in IT field has been subject of numerous studies, articles and studies. Although still largely the male dominated field, presence of women in IT is increasing (Johnson, Miller, 2003; Adam Amanfo Ofori, 2000), and is important for IT industry to have an understanding of how various factors (to include gender) may affect application of ethics in workplace (Weckert, 2001; Pantelia, Stack, Ramsay, 1999). IT ethics is particularly important because virtually all businesses today is reliance on IT, and misuse of technology can have ramifications throughout organization. IT professionals face the variety of special situations that require ethical action. However, despite uniqueness of any scenario of an IT professional can meet, fall in certain categories ethical.

THE common ethical dilemma faced by many members of IT community is "friend in need." Members of IT community have asked for help with matters of personal computers and help with the personal laptop infected with spyware, or fix the computer hand-me-down desktop.

In general, applications like these do not require decisions based on morality. However, there are times when an IT worker is asked to use their position and knowledge of computers to perform an action for the friend who is ethically questionable. It is effort of trying to balance desire to help the friend in need and maintain their own professionalism that has produced some of most difficult situations faced by IT ethics today's workers (Leventhal, Instone, Chilson, 1992).

An example of how community of IT with the friend in need is the case study conducted by Lori Leonard and Cronan Timothy in 2005, where 388 workers were asked if they felt that using company resources to build programs computer to his friends was acceptable behavior. Of 388 respondents, 165 men and 138 women found that is acceptable, while 38 men ...