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Ethics and information technology use: a survey of US based SMEs

Sanjeev Phukan (Bemidji State University, Bemidji, Minnesota, USA)
Gurpreet Dhillon (University of Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)

Information Management & Computer Security

ISSN: 0968-5227

Article publication date: 1 December 2000

2356

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study the beliefs and attitudes of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) toward the ethical use of information technology (IT). This research in progress paper presents findings from an “ethics survey” conducted in the USA. The initial data presented here suggest that even though IT has become an integral part of the US SMEs, there is a clear lack of awareness of basic ethical issues. The participants on this survey did not seem to understand the importance of their moral and ethical responsibilities in the use of IT. In a follow‐up of this study, we hope to extend and use the initial findings to conduct focused in‐depth interviews with some of the survey participants. In a subsequent stage we wish to conduct a similar research for large enterprises, so as to compare and contrast the extent of IT related ethical practices in businesses.

Keywords

Citation

Phukan, S. and Dhillon, G. (2000), "Ethics and information technology use: a survey of US based SMEs", Information Management & Computer Security, Vol. 8 No. 5, pp. 239-243. https://doi.org/10.1108/09685220010353907

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited

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