Interesting article on ethics

[bluedragon2]

This was in the March issue of SC Magazine. It is now on their website at:

http://www.scmagazine.com/features/...&newsUID=b3e21df5-ef90-46fc-a61e-90be8b93975b

[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[Grenage]

The examples given are rather "clear-cut" decisions would you not say?

 

[bluedragon2]

I thought that was the point of the article with the last line reading:

and remember that even though things are not just black and white, there are not that many shades of grey.



[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[OhioBill]

I agree with Blue, but I do not agree with the author, Andy Infante. There are an infinite number of gray shades.

 

[bluedragon2]

I do as well Bill, This forum wouldn't be here if there were not so many shades of grey...



[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[SQLSister]

When you get into ethics, I agree with OhioBill there can be many shades of gray. Suppose the reason why the boss was downloading the HR files was becasue he knew the company was about to do something unethical to them before giving them to a law firm for a lawsuit brought by a former company employee. Maybe he is trying to be able to prove unethical action on the part of the company (think Enron). Or maybe he has been asked to do this by management for some reason. So while it appears he's stealing information for personal gain, that may not be true. If the only way you can prevent something hugely unethical from happening or to prove it has happened is to steal the information, is it now ethical to steal it? That's not a black and white issue. Would it be wrong if the action would only hurt one person? What about if thousands or million swould be harmed? At what point do you draw the line? And what level of harm makes it ok to steal the information? If someone was to lose a job over it or if someone would die if the information didn't come to light (Think tobacco company)?

 

[bluedragon2]

I think a good way to put it is that each person has their own shade of grey.



[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[SemperFiDownUnda]

I would argue both on the side of the author and agianst, mostly agianst.

I think you should be ethical in all parts of your life.
Work should not be treated any different then normal. People say they act differently at work but the studies that have been done show that peoples personality do not change at work but mirror their social life closely.

This being said you have to know where to draw the line. If your boss is stealing pens from the stationary cabinet I wouldn't say anything. With the sinario in the article I would investigate why the boss was doing what he was doing to include asking him why. If the boss was really collecting information to be a whistle blower then sorry this is not illegal activity. It might be agianst company policy but if you know what he does and the whistle needs to be blown and you don't support him then you are as much at fault as the offending organisation. If on the other hand your boss doesn't have a good explanation why he/she is removing the data then your obligation is to inform the company and take appropriate actions (this may include calling people higher in the chain of command and local law enforcement).

The point is to get as much information as you can and make an informed decision before any more harm is done. If you sit on this and your boss is taking information to a competitor then you've failed in your moral obligation.

So while there are many shades of grey most of the time you can tell if the grey is just to dark to stand by and do nothing.

The author hints you should sometimes use the information as barganing chips.....I say this puts you worse then the offender. Because not only did you support their actions, by a lack of action, you are going to take it to another level.


Hope I've been helpful,
Wayne Francis

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