Business Ethical Analysis

Business Ethical Analysis

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Referencing: All submissions should be fully referenced whenever using information that has been sourced from journals, websites (including the date of accessing), etc. Your submission should conclude with a bibliography that cites all the references that you have used and/or referred to in your deliberations and used in your submission. Question 1: Is there an Ethical Dilemma? Read the case study below and then briefly discuss any ethical issues related to all of the people mentioned by name in the scenario. (Maximum 1 typed page) Question 2: Four-step Ethical Analysis and Decision Making Process Do the more structured ethical analysis and decision making process (as done in Practice Class week , following the procedures outlined in Kallman and Grillo). Complete this analysis using the headings that follow: Step I. Understand the Situation a) List and number the relevant facts b) Which of these raise an ethical issue? What is the potential or resulting harm? CSE3/5PE Ethics Assignment – due: 10:00 am Friday 19th September p. 2 of 5 c) List the stakeholders involved Step II. Isolate the Major Ethical Dilemma Step III. Ethical Analysis Consequentialism: A. If action in Step II is done, who will be harmed? B. If action in Step II is NOT done, who will be harmed? C. Which alternative results in the least harm? D. If action in Step II is done, who will benefit? E. If action in Step II is NOT done, who will benefit? F. Which alternative results in the maximum benefit? Consequentialism Comments (on the choices at C. and F.): Rights and Duties: G. List relevant abridged rights and neglected duties. Rights and Duties Comments: Kant’s Categorical Imperative: H. If action in Step II is done, who will be treated with disrespect? I. If action in Step II is NOT done, who will be treated with disrespect? J. Which alternative is preferable? K. If action in Step II is done, who will be treated unlike others? L. If action in Step II is NOT done, who will be treated unlike others? M. Which alternative is preferable? N. Are there benefits if everyone did action in Step II? O. Are there benefits if nobody did action in Step II? P. Which alternative is preferable? Step III Discussion Step IV. Making a decision a) Make a defensible ethical decision b) List the steps needed to implement your defensible ethical decision Case Study – Transcript Harry was a bright network programmer working at a private company called Fabio Inc., one of the major graphics software providers in Australia. His job at FABIO included computer security. He had developed a sound reputation both within and external to FABIO for being proactive (always trying to anticipate a problem before it happened) as he tried to provide solutions or preventative measures before any damage could be done to the company’s resources – especially its software and data. He maintained a keen interest in and had an extensive knowledge of all the problems concerned with Fabio’s security procedures. As Harry was excited by his work, he pursued his interests in security software at home on his own computer. Over a period of time, Harry developed an anti-virus program in which he took great pride. As there were many competitors vying for market share in this lucrative environment, Harry realised that, to make his program stand out from other competitors, he would design it and make it operate in a network environment. CSE3/5PE Ethics Assignment – due: 10:00 am Friday 19th September p. 3 of 5 Harry continued developing his program: he purchased extra hardware and software to create his own small network to continue developing his design. As the program neared completion, Harry dreamed of creating a start-up company that would take his prototype and upgrade it to be a commercial distribution: marketed for all users, no matter how complex a network environment was involved. The basic features of the program, for which Harry was very proud, included: . A sophisticated Graphics User Interface (GUI) .Help screens and graphics for every activity . Procedures for backing out of any potentially hazardous activity (a way forward and a way back at every progress point)  It could recognise and destroy both old and new viruses . It described any virus that it found in detail by its type, its source, and its structure . Additionally (one of the features that Harry was most proud of) there was a validation feature. The user could copy each virus to a diskette (or quarantined memory location), and modify the existing virus and then let the program loose on this new, redesigned version of the virus. The program never failed to destroy the new virus every time! Having completed as many trials as possible at home, Harry then approached his manager, Jill, the Head of IT Security at FABIO, offering his program to FABIO at a discount price, as his first customer about 8 weeks ago. Harry was aware that FABIO had its share of infections and that his program could greatly improve its security. Jill expressed many misgivings about his program. She told Harry that he had in fact developed an extremely dangerous program.