Jefferson R.

Fernandez III-BSIT-C

1. What impact has IT on the standard of living and work productivity?

IT plays an important factor in the improvement of standard of living and work productivity.
With the help of IT, workers became more productive. They could produce more products in
their working hours with new technologies. Increase in production will result to an increase in
the GDP- based standard of living. Also IT makes way for innovations in products, goods and
services. The impact of IT in the standard of living may be evident. However, its impact to work
productivity is not easy to quantify due to some other factors but it may give us intangible
results such as quality, reliability and service.

2. What is done to reduce the negative influence of the digital divide?

Digital divide is the gap between those who have and who don’t have access to modern
technologies. To reduce the negative effect of the digital divide, US initiated the E-Rate Program
helps schools to have Internet connections to advance and enhance the education services. This
program also aims to increase the availability of low-cost computers, cell phones, and
smartphones. Because the availability of these modern technologies can help reduce digital
divide. With low cost modern technologies, people can gain access to thousands of applications
and Web sites that they can use for business, educational, and personal purposes.

3. What impact can IT have on improving productivity by reducing cost and/ or improving quality?
IT can play a significant role in improving the national productivity. With IT comes innovation.
With innovation, we can have new technologies. With technologies, we can assure that we can
produce quality products and services. However, country’s production is always affected by
cost. With new technologies, we have to risk our money for quality results. But soon enough,
after the first phase of our production, when we are conscious enough of the how’s of the new
technologies, then we can find ways how to reduce the cost of production.

4. What ethical issues are raised because some entities can afford to make significant investments
in IT while others cannot and thus are blocked in their efforts to raise productivity and quality?

The problem is purely academic. It is up to the businessman which IT solution/ innovation he

wants to implement so he could improve the quality and productivity. Everyone is entitled to
make investments. It is just that not everyone is knowledgeable/ conscious enough of how to
make existing IT solutions/ innovations into use. Also, we have to consider whether the
company is expanding or contracting. Because when it is contracting, it means lesser
opportunities for investments.

5. What are social networks, how do people use them and what are some of their practical
business uses?

Social network is the online world of Internet users of varying age, likes, culture, language,
interest and opinions. It is an online site where they could interact with one another. They may
use the site for personal and professional uses. Social networks allow businesses to advertise,
 hire and sell products and services. In this way, there would be a stronger rapport among
business partners, clients and suppliers. Companies can now advertise their products via
Facebook, Twitter or other social networks. They can use Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter in hiring
or recruiting employees or staffs. Companies can also use these social networks to provide
support to the clients by answering their questions or giving assistance to what they need.
These may also serve as online shopping site increasing the companies’ profits.

6. What are some key ethical issues associated with the use of social networking websites?
Ethical issues concerning social networking websites are cyberbullying, cyber stalking,
encounters with sexual predators, and the uploading of inappropriate material. With just a click
on a cellphone, cyberbullying may kick in threatening anyone causing the loss of self-
confidence. Cyberbullying may be observed when someone posts something mean about the
victim or captures inappropriate pictures and post or spread them. With cyber stalking, victims
may be disturbed with inappropriate advances like receiving excessive phone calls or unwanted
messages that would bug their peaceful state of mind. There are some sex predators swarming
some networking sites. Sometimes offenders upload obscene or inappropriate videos or
pictures which are against the privacy or the agreement issued by the site.

7. What is virtual life community and what are some ethical issues associated with such a
community?

Virtual life community is a computer-generated community where users can communicate or

exchange assets. Users are represented by avatars. In the virtual world, avatars can perform
actions which they normally do in the real world like running a business, holding office,
purchasing products, etc. in this community, people can show their bad side, their criminal acts.
People are engaged with socially unacceptable behavior like sex crimes Games and casinos are
not regulated by laws and so making it unfair.

8. What are contingent workers and how are these workers employed in the information
technology industry?
Contingent workers are temporary/ independent/ non- traditional workers who do work for a
client in a short period of time. IT firms use this kind of workers when they are facing low man
power in doing some short term projects like being consultants on short term projects or
technical experts or supplemental staffs. IT firms can obtain contingent workers through
temporary staffing firms or employee leasing or consulting firms. In temporary staffing firms,
they assess and train job seekers before assigning them to their clients. Employee leasing firms,
on the other hand, have regular workers but they are leased to other companies. Consulting
firms have staffs with wide range of skills so they could definitely their clients with workers with
exact skills they need.

9. What are key ethical issues associated with the use of contingent workers, including H-1B visa
holders and offshore outsourcing companies?

Among contingent workers, the staffing firms may be liable for withholding taxes, payment of
retirement benefits and health insurance premiums, and administration of workers’
 compensation to the staffing firm’s employees. Another issue is the misclassifying of employees
and violating laws of compensation and other benefits. For the H-1B workers, ethical issues
concern them when unethical companies give them less than their prevailing wages. Also
employers may take advantage of the program and may commit visa fraud and wire fraud.
Outsourcing, like contingent and H-1B workers, may raise concerns with companies using low-
cost workers or devoting time and money for their domestic staffs. They are becoming
dependent on foreign workers. Next, due to some errors, outsourcing firms may not secure well
the private data of clients.

10. What is whistleblowing and what are ethical issues associated with it?

Whistleblowing is the act made by an employee or employees as he/she/ they reveal any
abusive, negligent or immoral act of the company where they are working. One of the issues
associated with whistleblowing is the unreasonable demotion or termination of the employee
maybe because the manager is the one doing the illegal actions and so, instead of entertaining
the concern, he/she might fire the employee for convenience. Also, whistleblowing may result
to serious death threats. Whistleblowers might be accused of having objection with the
employer or trying to gain something out of it. He or she may lost the trust of his co- employees,
friends and family. His/ her integrity might be questioned too.

11. What measures are members of the electronic manufacturing industry taking to ensure the
ethical behavior of the many participants in their long and complex supply chains?

The use of harmful materials in the production of technologies is quite prevalent and it is
harmful to humans exposed to it and to the environment. Members of the electronic
manufacturing industry are advised to take care when exposed to these and when recycling.
Also, the members are guided by Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC). This code
promotes the safety and fairness among workers, encourages responsible behavior towards
environment and imposes the efficiency of workers in the business field. Members should not
violate the rights of the workers and they should respect their manpower. Members should
make sure a healthy workplace so as to avoid accidents or illnesses. Also, they should always
consider the possible effects of their action to the public. Members should always comply with
the ethical code of conduct and embody integrity, responsibility, fairness and privacy.

12. What is green computing and what are organizations doing to support this initiative?

Green computing is about creating a green PC that uses less electricity and more recyclable
materials in its manufacturing process. Also, this also refers to the disposal of the products once
they achieved their end lives in an environmentally safe way because some devices may still
have harmful materials in it. An organizations called as European Union (EU) issued a directive
restricting the use of hazardous materials in the manufacture of computers, requiring the use of
recyclable materials and reducing the toxic materials in packaging. The state of California also
passed Electronic Waste Recycling Act. Dell, HP and other manufacturers offer free recycling
program of any brands of computer or printer. Also, Greenpeace, an environment activist
organization, issues ratings on the top manufacturers who met their ‘green’ standard.