analyse ethical issues relating to networking activities

Indeed, protecting data privacy is urgent and complex. They actively publish and share information in social media almost in instant during or after any event or activities. So, what harm can there be if a manager uses SNA to uncover the invisible structure in their organization? The downsides include socio-techno risk, which originates with techn… Make a decision. An example of this could be “if you see someone being harassed at work, can you empathize with why it must be reported?”. The great paradox is that by contributing to others, you are helped in return, often far in excess of what anyone would expect or predict (Baker, 2000).”. I created and run the Top 10 List of Emerging Ethical Dilemmas and Policy Issues in Science and Technology, which has over a quarter of a million readers worldwide. In a Social Network, which is a network of personal contacts, a large number of users have access to a common database which is at risk of data-theft … Ethical emotional networking helps people see why they need to be ethical in a situation, as opposed to doing something because they know it is a rule. We provide an example disclosure form where they would also be apprised of the possible risks. understandings that help in thinking through ethical issues. Finally, the purpose of the network analysis may be to identify areas of the firm that just aren’t critical to its mission, vision, and strategy. For instance, if a social network map revealed that one individual or an entire department is the bottleneck for information flowing from one part of the organization to another, action might be taken against that individual or members of the department. Where there are still concerns for privacy, individuals can map their own social networks and then act on them personally. You were reminded that the general ethical decision-making framework applies to your use of SNA, but you also learned some specific approaches to managing SNA-related ethical issues. It is therefore essential for users, operators and sponsors alike that these networks should function reliably and efficiently and, to this end, that a set of … Why should managers be concerned about the ethical implications of social network analysis? Recognize there is an issue 2. What might be some of the unforeseen consequences of SNA for you as an employee? Rule 7.3 of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct states that lawyers cannot "solicit professional employment from a prospective client" in person or by telephone unless that person is a lawyer or has a "family, close personal, or prior … Exploring the practice of networking from an ethical perspective, and more specifically from a virtue-ethics perspective, is the aim of this article. It can also be used in conjunction with a more theoretical book, Ethics in the First Person: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Practical Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, 2007) that I wrote. What steps can you take to improve the ethical bases for conducting SNA? Behavioral Approaches to Leadership, 10.5 What Is the Role of the Context? These include: Beyond these general guidelines, there are three specific ways that you might manage SNA related ethical concerns. Ethical Issues a Network Administrator May Encounter. Let’s look at each of these in turn. Early in the long flight he noticed the fellow in his early twenties in the window seat donning headphones to watch an in-flight movie. Considerable effort at the highest international level has gone into creating an interlocking system of global computer networks. 1To foster creativity, 3M encourages technical staff members to spend up to 15% of their time on projects of their own choosing. Ethical and social issues arising from the use of technology in all areas of our lives—and in business, in particular—have lead to the creation of a new branch of ethics: technoethics. No one can evade this duty—not managing relationships is managing them. It also includes sharing information, knowledge, and resources with reciprocity, as well as exercising a positive ethical influence within the network. Be sensitive to the ethical issues surrounding the management of social networks, but that does not mean leaving social network relationships to chance. This might involve going to your boss or to a neutral third party (such as an ombudsman or ethics committee). Being a strong leader encourages employees to follow in your footsteps. For example, utilitarian networking does not waste the other person’s time with lies or false advertising about the networking meeting. Twitter has their own legal and ethical issues, these are; Make sure you conform with advertising regulation - this means for the users to respect the principles of fair competition generally accepted in business. Please note, however, that the researchers have obtained a signed agreement from management stipulating that the data will be used for improving communication in the company and will not be used in an evaluative way (Borghatti & Molina, 2005). Even if the outcome of such informal information flows is positive, the actual communication may be prohibited internally by organizational rules and procedures. Hartman, L., & DesJardins, J. Social networks are the invisible organization. Of course, we should refresh your memory on the general ethical decision-making guidelines before delving into more SNA-specific ones. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 39(3), 337–349. Ethical considerations such as productivity, security, goodwill, privacy, accuracy, and discipline fairness also affect future laws. Why might it be unethical for managers to neglect the organization’s social networks. SNA can be a useful tool in this determination, but the purpose of the analysis should be made clear to participants from the outset. Analyse ethical issues relating to networking activities In simple terms, an ethical issue arises when an individual must choose between alternatives that are right (ethical) or wrong (unethical). a summary of the activities of the UK Clinical Ethics Network (UKCEN); ... ethical issues relating to clinical practice within their institutions. Legal and ethical issues for social networking sites are usually different from other businesses. We will proceed as follows. None of these forms exclude the others; rather, they should be practiced together. Is it illegal? Second, managers can consider different ways of making the process anonymous or giving individuals the option to opt-out of the mapping process. some problems related to ethics, and contains in general three main types of ethical issues: personal privacy, access right, and harmful actions. If an individual opts out, this should mean that their name appears nowhere on the social network diagram (even if they are identified by another individual as being part of their social network). Given technology today this data could be readily converted into a social network map showing who corresponded with whom and the length of such correspondence. Indeed, think about the network that might be reflected by the contacts on your cell phone or e-mail lists. It is a human activity and as such entails an ethical dimension. You might also be asked for some indication of communication frequency. This means that each person included in the mapping process would be told the purpose of the exercise, along with what the outcome would look like. In both the survey-based and electronic mapping approaches, you might keep the identities of individuals confidential, thereby protecting their privacy. (What options are good … Greg then became aware that his seatmate employed the plane’s new in-flight networking technology to carry on a video chat with a friend in another seat. Finally, you were presented with arguments about why neglect of an organization’s social network also can have negative ethical implications. Focusing on the virtue-ethics tradition, this article analyzes the practice of networking within the business context. If the company does nothing to rectify the situation, do you want to continue working for the company? This protection is necessary because of the ubiquity of the technology-driven and information-intensive environment. Contingency Approaches to Leadership, 10.6 Contemporary Approaches to Leadership, 11.2 Case in Point: Bernard Ebbers Creates Biased Decision Making at WorldCom, 11.6 Developing Your Personal Decision-Making Skills, Chapter 12: Communication in Organizations, 12.2 Case in Point: Edward Jones Communicates Caring, 12.7 Developing Your Personal Communication Skills, 13.2 Case in Point: General Electric Allows Teamwork to Take Flight, 13.4 Understanding Team Design Characteristics, 14.2 Case in Point: Zappos Creates a Motivating Place to Work, 14.5 Developing Your Personal Motivation Skills, 15.2 Case in Point: Newell Rubbermaid Leverages Cost Controls to Grow, Chapter 16: Strategic Human Resource Management, 16.2 Case in Point: Kronos Uses Science to Find the Ideal Employee, 16.3 The Changing Role of Strategic Human Resource Management in Principles of Management, 16.5 Effective Selection and Placement Strategies, 16.6 The Roles of Pay Structure and Pay for Performance, 16.7 Designing a High-Performance Work System, 16.8 Tying It All Together—Using the HR Balanced Scorecard to Gauge and Manage Human Capital, Including Your Own. Technoethics (TE) is an interdisciplinary research area concerned with all moral and ethical aspects of technology in society. The broader issue is that social networks exist and that the social capital they provide is an important and powerful vehicle for getting work done. Borgatti, S. P., & Molina, J.-L. (2003). It should be practiced in every form of networking, from utilitarian networking, emotional networking, and virtuous networking. One of the most neglected areas of most computer security professionals' training is how to deal with the ethical issues that crop up during the course of doing your job. First, you might consider some way of applying the notion of informed consent to the participants of an exercise that maps the organization’s social networks. Orietta.sberla – Ethics049webIV – CC BY-SA 3.0. These include structured social affiliationsand institutions such as private and public clubs, lodges and churchesas well as communications technologies such as postal a… Managers typically use surveys (sometimes with the aid of consultants) to capture and map the structure of a social network. Ethical utilitarian networking is ensuring that your networking is not wasting the other person’s time, making it to be well thought-out, strategic, and useful. This can be done with paper and pencil surveys, software programs, and even comparing e-mail and phone logs, but the desired output is essentially the same. Based on this limited review we may conclude that ethics has been approached from three different perspectives: 1) ethics as a characteristic of firms and networks, 2) ethical behavior within the networks in terms of interaction, processes and sharing the outcome, and 3) ethics If a network survey revealed that 3M’s breakthrough was caused by rogue employees—that is, employees who were not following the rules about new product development and so on—the individual credited with that innovation might have been reprimanded or fired. Care must be taken, however, that participants are aware of the survey’s objectives and applications. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. In many firms, individuals are paid based on performance, so this connection might not only increase the department’s performance, but its personal incomes as well. For instance, if you know that your department would be more productive if person A and person B were connected, as a manager wouldn’t you want to make that connection happen? Harm to Individual Standing. In practice, using social capital means putting our networks into action and service for others. Formulate ethical, yet practical, policies. Technology-driven and information-intensive business operations are typical in contemporary corporations. Three top ethical concerns are (1) violation of privacy, (2) psychological harm, and (3) harm to individual standing. To be an effective networker, we can’t directly pursue the benefits of networks, or focus on what we can get from our networks. A common concept in any ethics discussion is the "slippery slope." Ethical utilitarian networking is ensuring that your networking is not wasting the other person’s time, making it to be well thought-out, strategic, and useful. When new technologies come along there is a concern in solving ethical issues first. A List of Ethical Issues for Human Resource Management. Probably the most familiar of ethical issues -- perhaps because it's the one most often violated -- is the expectation that communications and information from participants in the course of a community intervention or program (including conversations, written or taped records, notes, test results, etc.) Evaluate and follow up A simple decision-making tool is detailed below. Business ethics: Decision-making for personal integrity and social responsibility. Network Professionals have an obligation to their profession to uphold the high ideals and level of personal knowledge evidenced by the membership held. 1. These could rise from the tasks they are asked to perform or simply as a result of viewing all the sensitive … The two remaining ethical issues are somewhat related. Analyze and determine possible courses of action 5. Network Professional Association Code of Ethics. Such wide access means that network administrators could face a variety of ethical issues in the course of their work. Achieving success through social capital. In this example you are required to ask yourself the following questions. Reproduced with permission of Borghatti, S. P., & Molina, J.-L. (2005). Wayne Baker, author of Achieving success through Social Capital, puts it this way: “The ethics of social capital [i.e., social network relationships] requires that we all recognize our moral duty to consciously manage relationships. In brief, the following are the six steps (Hartman & DesJardins, 2008): Consider the alternatives you have available to you and how they affect the stakeholders. Where it is impossible to protect the privacy wishes of one individual, then an op-out option is the only way to protect their privacy, though this will clearly affect the accuracy of the SNA. So, even if you agreed to complete the survey, the other people that you identify as part of your network may have not. Ethics are not simply a matter of the law; they are a prescription for doing good. You learned that SNA gives rise to concerns about privacy, harm to individual standing, and psychological harm. For instance, one SNA informed consent form includes the following paragraph: Risks and costs Since management will see the results of this study, there is a chance that someone in management could consider your set of communication contacts to be inappropriate for someone in your position, and could think less of you. Nowadays, social networking’s sites such as Facebook, Google and Foursquare have massive amount of followers and users. It is management’s responsibility to steward the organization’s resources in a way that is consistent with the mission and vision. What​should we do? Ethical issues have become important to leadership and management practice as a result of many well known cases of failure by organizations and individuals to observe and maintain ethical standards. How does the action make you feel about yourself? ‘Social networking’ is an inherently ambiguous termrequiring some clarification. Social Networks, 27, 107–117. While there are no specific ethics rules that have the word "networking" in them, a key goal of networking-business development-is addressed directly. As you can imagine from the previous examples, violation of privacy might lead to unforeseen, and possibly unwarranted, disciplinary action. Added to this, the young man was simultaneously usi… The Board of Ethics reviews Issues in Ethics statements periodically to ensure that they meet the needs of the professions and are consistent with ASHA policies. How would you feel if your actions were reported tomorrow in the. Suggest why ignoring social networks may be unethical. 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