Ethical Dilemma 5: Clear Code for Grey Zones

1. The use of company resources for personal work has also been seen as a significant
ethical problem in ICT (Rogerson 2009). In this scenario, one of the workers used the
employer's laptop to access websites containing graphic content. This has carried out
an immoral act which is limited by strict corporate policy and code of conduct.
Another problem is that he loans the employer's laptop to his mate. According to the
company's code of ethics, no one, except staff, is permitted to use the company's IT
equipment.
2. This scenario offers two potential courses of action, either to ignore the case because
the organization now wants the knowledge and skills of the individual concerned or to
put an end to it for not complying with the code of conduct.
3. The first alternative, as views based on the utilitarian viewpoint tend to be incorrect,
is that it will generate an incorrect perception in the minds of other workers and that
they too will begin to take the code of conduct for granted (McDermid, 2008).
Nevertheless, from a duty-based point of view, it seems right that the business cannot
afford to lose Paul's experience and skills at this crucial moment (Department of
Occupational Therapy, 2008).
The second option tends to be right from a utilitarian point of view, as it tells workers
that the code of conduct treats all fairly and must be strictly enforced (Murithi, 2009).
This would discourage these events from happening in the future. But, from a duty-
based point of view, this is incorrect as it would pose big problems for a company that
wants to initiate a new marketing scheme (Rezaee, 2009)
4. I should promptly fire the employee concerned in order to comply with the code of
conduct. Failure to take the matter seriously would inspire other workers and create a
negative image for the company (Trevin Lámo & Brown, 2004).
5. The Code of Conduct aims to prohibit the immoral and illegal usage of company
resources, and they are governed by management, and it is ultimately up to them if
the Code of Conduct is properly and ethically implemented.