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Ethics and the system analyst

Abstract

            The recent change in the computer technology has led to more ethical issues unattended. Most computer technologies have paid more attention to the technical aspects of development and paid petite attention to moral issues. Many have argued that extending ethical practices to the computer applications is not a possibility. They base their argument on the fact that computer technology is just a means of production. Studies have shown that extending such tools to include ethical and human issues is a possibility. A good starting point should be matching relevant professional ethics into each stage of system development.

Ethics and the system analyst

Introduction

            Computers and computer applications are easily molded and shaped to change their way of input and output. Changing the working of machines to suit the idea of a selfish individual creates policy vacuum. Such possibilities did not exist before in the computers and computer applications. A policy vacuum leads to a creation of ethical issues in the computer systems. Ethics is the study of moral concepts. People who are moral should know what is wrong and what is right. Ethics, therefore, deals with many decision-making issues in everyday life. Computer Software development is one such decision-making issue. Data storage and manipulation to data availability forms the basis of computer decision making

Group of college students working together in the school library

Moral dimension in system analysis

            In the information age that we are in today, ethics helps to shape society. It holds each person accountable for their deeds. Therefore, each person becomes responsible for everything they do. Each person is answerable to the consequences their actions may cause on other people and the society. System analysts in their role of improving the systems have a role in upholding morals. The section looks at some of the ethical issues that surround system analysts in their analysis of the system (Olumuye, 2013)

Information privacy

            Invasion of other people’s privacy is a challenge that relates to system analysts. They have a large amount of data and information at their disposal. They should, therefore, decide what information they should share and which they should keep for the purpose of their job. The information they are in contact with daily can be used to harm the organization which they for. They already know when the group started, how much is paid to the employees, the financial ability of the body, and much other information that is deemed secret by the organization. Should this information be available to anyone? That is theirs to answer. They should be guided ethically to keep the information for themselves (Abraham, Junglas, & Willis, 2013)

Quality systems and data

            Quality systems are the quality of data and system errors. More people are nowadays relying on information systems. Everyday lives have made information systems a companion. Hospitals, banks, schools, farms, and almost everywhere people pass through. As people rely more on data and information systems, the quality of data and systems are gaining more importance. People are faced with the loss of life in hospitals if systems and data will be contaminated. That is not the purpose of the existence of a hospital. People are likely to lose money if the systems and data get compromised in the banks. System analysts should have ethical morals to know the implications their actions might have if they lower standards of their work in their system analysis (Freeman & Peace, 2005)

Technical solutions

            It is essential knowledge that you must tell someone if you are taping a telephone conversation with them. It is not clear whether a person can record another person’s internet transmission without telling them they are doing so. These types of disparities are meant to arise since most people have not been up to date with emerging technologies. What can happen to system analyst who has full access to systems at the place of work? In such cases where it is not clear, the investigators should use ethical standards to know what is wrong with what is right (Thyssen, 2009)

Intellectual property

            Intellectual property is intangible property. Individual and organizations create intellectual property. There are difficulties in protecting intellectual property due to information technology through system analysts. People share computerized information easily through copying or distributing through the interconnected networks. What is system analysts bound to do in those cases? They have full access to the intellectual property of the organization they are employed. Should they take full advantage of the situation and steal from their employees? Remember that they are capable of transferring the rights to the property to themselves. It, therefore, requires moral application (Dutfield, 2009)

Accountability

            Besides the issue of privacy and property laws, there is the accountability. Should a system analyst from internet service providers permit broadcasting of socially unacceptable materials such as ***********? Who should be held accountable? Is it the whole organization or the system analyst himself? Where answers to such questions have a careful determination, system analysts should be providing answers by not engaging in any of such unethical behaviors. According to Brinkman & Sanders (2013) moral judgment should take the center stage. They need to know that it is unethical even if they will not be held responsible

Maintaining boundaries

            The danger of system analysis just like any other job is doing anything anywhere. It means there is no respect of boundaries. They combine family, work, and leisure at the place of work. They work as if they are on leisure while engaging their families with job-related issues at the place of work. They fail to apply professional ethics in their work. They are supposed to fight each one of family, leisure, and work separately at separate places.

Solutions to the system analysis dilemma

            System analysts have obligations to ensure that they practice their professional code of conduct in their day to day job of system analysis. There is no two way about it. Shrader-Frechette (1994) argues that success will start coming if they learn to know and appreciate what they are supposed to do at what place. They should be in the frontline to stop treatment of information technology as a production tool. They should campaign hard and make their voices heard but at the same time. However, they should show that they are in control of organizations systems and that they are trusted to carry out their duties ethically.

Conclusion

            Understanding the information technology field is an obligation for all people. They should support the technology developments in place. By showing that they care, the system analysts and other information technology professionals will have no excuse as not to follow their code of conduct. As such, the people will have treated the field as a serious part of their lives that have a great impact on the way they live their daily lives. Ethics will have found its way into the circles of information technology and the duties of system analysts.           

References

Abraham, C., Junglas, I., & Willis, M. (2013). Systems Analysis and Design for Service    Oriented Architecture Projects: A Case Study at the Federal Financial Institutions             Examinations Council (FFIEC). Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and   Information Sciences , 1-15.

Brinkman, W., & Sanders, A. (2013). Ethics in a Computing Culture. Boston: Cengage     Learning.

Dutfield, G. (2009). Intellectual Property Rights and the Life Science Industries: Past, Present,      and Future. Thh Tuck Link, Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co.

Freeman, L., & Peace, A. G. (2005). Information Ethics: Privacy and Intellectual Property.            Hershey: Information Science Publishing.

Olumuye, M. Y. (2013). Ethics and Social Impact of Information Systems in Our Society:            Analysis and Recommendations. International Journal of Science and Research , 154-     158.

Shrader-Frechette, K. S. (1994). Ethics of Scientific Research. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield   Publishers.

Thyssen, O. (2009). Business Ethics and Organizational Values: A Systems Theoretical Analysis.   Indiana: Palgrave Macmillan. =1

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in custom speech writing companies services. If you need a similar paper you can place your order from affordable term papers services.

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