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Application of A Decision Making Framework to an IT-Related Ethical Issue.

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Application 0f A Decision Making Framework to an IT-Related Ethical Issue.

Introduction

The development and use of technology have enabled organizations to function more

efficiently while creating new ethical issues. An ethical dilemma is any situation in which there

is a conflict between moral principles, and the choice made will negatively impact one or more

parties. Making ethical decisions can be difficult and requires consideration of the stakeholders

involved, the consequences of various decisions, and the applicable legal, professional, and

organizational codes of conduct. It is essential to develop a decision-making framework that can

be applied to an ethical issue to ensure that the most ethically sound decision is made. The

ethical issue of consumer data privacy can be considered using three structured frameworks for

ethical analysis: Reynolds's Seven-Step Approach, Kidder's Nine Steps, and Spinello's Seven-

Step Process.

Reynolds Seven-Step Approach

Reynolds's Seven-Step Approach is a structured framework developed by George

Reynolds for making ethical decisions. It is based on the idea that ethical decisions should be

based on facts and that all stakeholders should be considered and their needs met (Grant 2010).

Reynolds uses a seven-step ethical decision-making approach. This approach encourages a

comprehensive approach to ethical decision making that includes identifying stakeholders,

weighing the consequences, and evaluating the various guidelines, policies, and principles. The

first step is to gather the facts and better understand the situation. The second step is to identify

the stakeholders and assess the best-case outcome for each group. The third step is to consider

the consequences of each decision, and the fourth step is to evaluate the various guidelines,
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policies, and principles that apply. The fifth step is to develop and evaluate options, the sixth is

to review the decision, and the seventh is to evaluate the results.

Kidder's Nine Steps

Rushworth Kidder's Nine Steps is another approach to ethical decision making. This

approach is designed to help identify moral issues and categorize them into one of four

dilemmas: truth versus loyalty, individual versus community, short-term versus long-term, and

justice versus mercy (Kidder, 1996). The first step is to recognize a moral issue and the second is

to determine the actor. The third step is gathering the relevant facts and the fourth is testing for

right-versus-wrong issues. The fifth step tests for right-versus-right paradigms, and the sixth step

applies the resolution principles. The seventh step investigates the "trilemma" options, the eighth

step is to make the decision, and the ninth step is to revisit and reflect on the decision.

Spinello's Seven-Step Process

Richard Spinello's Seven-Step Process is explicitly designed for I.T. professionals and is

geared toward public policy and law development. This process is similar to the other two

approaches but emphasizes the public-policy implications of the decision. The first step is to

identify and formulate the fundamental ethical issues in the case. The second step is to consider

your moral intuition about the problem. The third step is to consult appropriate formal

guidelines. The fourth step is to analyze the issues from the viewpoint of one or more of the three

ethical frameworks. The fifth step is determining if the theories lead to a single solution or

competing alternatives. The sixth step is to add an original normative conclusion, and the seventh

is to consider the public-policy implications.

Current IT-related ethical issue scenario

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The ethical dilemma of medical privacy has been a significant issue for many years. With

the advent of new technologies, the debate has grown even more intense in recent years. Who

owns a person's medical information, and to what extent should this information be protected?

As digital health records become more prevalent, the debate about medical privacy has become

even more pressing.

My family recently experienced an ethical dilemma regarding medical privacy. Several

months ago, my father was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and has been

undergoing treatment. We chose to use a leading cancer hospital for his care, which had recently

implemented a digital health record system.

The hospital provided us with a "privacy statement" that stated they would protect my

father's medical information. However, when we read it more closely, we noticed that the

hospital was sharing its medical information with other medical providers and other

organizations, such as insurance companies, research institutions, and potentially outside

commercial entities. While the hospital claims that all of this information is protected and is used

for "legitimate purposes", we were still concerned about how our father's medical information

would be used.

To make matters worse, we were also informed by the hospital that it was required by

law to share my father's medical information with certain entities. This was due to the passage of

the 2009 HITECH Act, which provided incentives for healthcare organizations to develop and

implement digital health records. While the law was meant to improve the quality of care and

reduce costs, it also meant that my father's medical information could be shared without his

permission or knowledge.
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We were also concerned about the security of my father's medical information. It seemed

that the hospital was not taking the necessary steps to protect his data from being accessed by

unauthorized individuals. We also worried that the information could still be accessed by hackers

or other malicious actors even if the hospital was taking steps to protect the data.

My family and I were faced with a difficult decision. We knew that my father's medical

information was necessary for his treatment and that it was the hospital's responsibility to protect

it. However, we also knew that significant risks were associated with sharing his medical

information. We were unsure what to do, so we decided to take a step back and apply a decision-

making framework.

Problem statement

The problem statement is decision making: My family and I are faced with a difficult

ethical dilemma: Should we allow the hospital to share my father's medical information with

other organizations, despite the associated risks? This dilemma is caused by the hospital's policy

of sharing medical information with other entities and the potential security risks associated with

this sharing. We must decide whether or not to accept the risks associated with the sharing of my

father's medical information or if we should take action to protect his data.

Analysis using Reynolds Seven-Step Approach frameworks

Get the Facts:

My family and I gathered information about the hospital's policy of sharing medical

information with other entities and the potential risks associated with this sharing. The hospital

also informed us that it was required by law to share my father's medical information with

certain entities due to the passage of the 2009 HITECH Act.

Identify the Stakeholders:

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The stakeholders in this situation include my father, my family, the hospital, other

medical providers, insurance companies, research institutions, and potentially outside

commercial entities.

Consider the Consequences:

The potential consequences of our decision include the risk of unauthorized access to my

father's medical information, data misuse, and the possible disclosure of confidential

information.

Evaluate the Various Guidelines, Policies, and Principles:

We evaluated the hospital's privacy statement and the HITECH Act to determine if they

provided sufficient protection for my father's medical information. We also looked at our

principles and values to ensure that our decision was ethically defendable.

Develop and Evaluate Options:

We identified several potential solutions to our dilemma. These included allowing the

hospital to share my father's medical information with other entities, taking steps to protect the

data ourselves, or refusing to allow the hospital to share the data.

Review Your Decision:

After considering our options, we decided that the best decision was to take steps to

protect my father's medical information. We felt that this decision aligned with our principles

and values and would provide the best outcome for all stakeholders.

Evaluate the Results:

After taking steps to protect my father's data, we have ensured that it is not shared

without his knowledge or consent. We have also been able to ensure that the data is secure and

not accessible to unauthorized individuals.

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the impact of the decision made

The decision we made to take steps to protect my father's medical information had a

positive impact on him, our family, and the other stakeholders involved. By taking this step, we

could ensure that his medical information was not shared without his consent and that it was

secure. This decision also positively impacted the environment, as it ensured that my father's

medical data was not shared inappropriately and that it was secure.

The decision also positively impacted the hospital and other medical providers, as it

ensured they had access to the information they needed to provide care to my father while

protecting his privacy. Furthermore, it positively impacted the insurance companies, research

institutions, and other organizations that may have access to his data, as they were able to do so

without compromising my father's privacy.

Applicable ethical Theory

The Ethical Theory that best supports our decision is the Utilitarian Theory. This Theory

states that the best ethical decision is the one that produces the greatest good for the most

significant number of people (Williams, 1993). In this case, our decision to protect my father's

medical information produced the greatest good for many people. It ensured that my father's data

was secure while also ensuring that the other stakeholders had access to the information they

needed. Furthermore, it ensured that the sharing did not harm the environment
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References

Grant, C. T. (2010). Successful Engagement of Undergraduate Information Technology

Management Students in a Compulsory Course in Ethical Issues in I.T. in a Large Class

Environment. Information Systems Education Journal, 8(66), n66.

Kidder, R. M. (1996). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical

living (1st Fireside ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Williams, B. (1993). A critique of utilitarianism. In J.J.C. Smart & B. Williams (Eds.),

Utilitarianism: For and against. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.