Professional and Ethical Professional and Ethical ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Mathew LabaMathew Laba

Shengsheng LiuShengsheng Liu

Johnny LoiJohnny Loi

Bedros MagardichianBedros Magardichian

Adam MarczykAdam Marczyk

CS 495

Senior Seminar

Spring 2004

Group 2

The Nature of The Nature of ProfessionalismProfessionalism

Mathew Laba

CS 495: Senior Seminar

Professor Steflik

Spring 2004

What is professionalism?

• Webster’s defines professionalism as – Professional status, methods,

character, or standards.

– A profession is recognized as one of a limited number of occupations involving special training and carrying a certain social prestige.

What does it look like?

• Occupations like accounting, law, medicine, engineering and computing are professions.

• That’s right, computing. Computing is a specialized field of study which has emerged to satisfy the huge demand for professionals with certain unique skills.

Professionalism in Professionalism in computingcomputing

• Professionalism in computing can be characterized as follows:– Skills

– Communication

– Appearance

– Speech / Mannerisms

– Behavior

– Role Models

Skill set

• Very specialized field of study.

• Difficult to maintain a skill set which might not be considered outdated.

• Acquire and maintain a quality skill set:

– degrees

– certifications and continuing education

•Communication

• Good communication skills are critical in the practical application of computing.

• The complicated nature of computing makes communication difficult.

• Computer professionals with good communication skills have a distinct employment advantage over less-verbose applicants.

•Appearance

• Appearance is another important part of portraying a professional demeanor.

• To make a good positive impression be well groomed at all times.

• Be sure to dress accordingly for all important meetings.

• Dress casually when appropriate.

•Speech / Mannerisms

• Speak clearly.

• A good command of the English language demonstrates your ability to convey a message well.

• Your expressions and gestures affect the confidence that others have in your ability to do your job well.

•BehaviorBehavior

• A code of ethics is used to define the expectations which most professions have of their practitioners. – typically associated with professional

accredited organizations

– special consideration given to the specific organization or field of concentration

•Ethical BehaviorEthical Behavior

• Special legal considerations– vast knowledge of sensitive proprietary

info

– great potential for abuse with large expense to employer

– Unethical behavior discouraged with potentially severe criminal consequences and civil penalties.

Moral BehaviorMoral Behavior

• In regards to employers and co-workers– Treat others with respect

– Be courteous and considerate of others’ feelings

– Respect others’ political and religious beliefs

The characteristics of a The characteristics of a computer professionalcomputer professional

• Acquire and maintain a quality skill set.

• Develop good communication skills.

• Be well groomed at all times.

• Speak clearly and act with confidence.

• Behave in a moral and ethical manner.

• Find a role model.

Someone to Emulate

Ethical Dissent and Ethical Dissent and WhistleblowingWhistleblowing

Shengsheng LiuCS–495Professor SteflikSpring 2004

Definition of WhistleblowingDefinition of Whistleblowing

“The disclosure by an organization member (former or current), who is motivated by the notions of public interest, of illegal or immoral practices under the control of the employers and/or colleagues.”

Famous WhistleblowersFamous Whistleblowers

• Cynthia Cooper, WorldCom;

• Coleen Rowley, the FBI;

• Sherron Watkins, Enron

(left to right)

by Time Magazine

What did they do?What did they do?

• Cynthia Cooper She reported that WorldCom had covered up $3.8 billion in loss (the largest accounting fraud in history) through phony auditing.

• Coleen RowleyShe “blew the whistle” on the FBI for ignoring the investigation plan on Zacarias Moussaoui, who is now indicted as a Sept. 11 co-conspirator.

• Sherron WatkinsShe revealed the infamous Enron auditing scandal.

Two kinds of Whistleblowing:

• Internal: making a well supported suggestion to higher-ups in order to change the policies in the organization.

• External: making dissent outside the organization and contacting others to convince them to help reform the organization.

WhistleblowingWhistleblowing

WhistleblowingWhistleblowingConditions to Meet Before Going Public

1. “Serious and considerable harm to the public” is involved;

2. One reports the harm and expresses moral concern to one’s immediate supervisor;

3. One has available “documented evidence that would convince a reasonable, impartial observer that one’s view of the situation is correct”;

4. One has “good reasons to believe that by going public the necessary changes will be brought about” to prevent the harm. 1

1. De George, R.T. 1990, Business Ethics, 3d ed. 208-212. (MacMillan Publishing, NewYork).

IssuesIssues

• Cost and Risks– Company’s reputation is jeopardized

– Company goes bankrupt and its stock loses value

– Employees lose their jobs

– Whistleblower may be threatened and harassed

• Loyalty vs. Whistleblowing– On the one hand is the duty of loyalty and confidentiality

owed to the employer;

– On the other hand is one’s ethical code

ConclusionConclusion

1. Whistleblowing plays an important role in any organization’s transparency and integrity.

2. Done properly, it can effectively correct internal misconduct and minimize both cost associated with fraud and risk of the whistleblowing.

3. People should step up and blow the whistle under necessary circumstances, to avoid future tragic cases like Enron and WorldCom.

Acceptable Use Acceptable Use PoliciesPoliciesin the Workplacein the Workplace

Johnny Loi

CS 495 Senior Seminar

Professor Steflik

Spring 2004

Tonight’s Talk Includes…Tonight’s Talk Includes…

• Introduction

• Historical Perspective

• Current Perspective– The Cost

– The Legal Issues

– The Security Breaches

• Future Perspective

• Conclusion

IntroductionIntroduction

• What is acceptable use policy?– Employers describing to employees what are

acceptable/unacceptable use of company resources

• Company resources (assets)– Tangible: equipments, office supplies, corporate

funds, computer, software

– Intangible: proprietary information, business strategies, plans, financial data

Historical PerspectiveHistorical Perspective

• Before early 1990s– Supplies, equipment and information

exchange

• 1993: Corporate America welcomed the Internet– a new avenue for inappropriate use of

company resources

Current PerspectiveCurrent Perspective

• Three main problems employers face because of unacceptable use of company assets– Accumulation of unnecessary costs

– Legal Liability

– Security Breaches

The CostThe Cost

• Misuse of company resources wastes money– Unacceptable telephone use example

• 1000 employees• 5 minute long distance call per day (M – F)• 5 cents per minute• One year total: $60,000• Not including productivity loss and time waste

– Solution• No personal incoming/outgoing calls during working

hours except for emergencies

The Legal IssuesThe Legal Issues

• Misuse of company resources can lead to legal problems– Sexual Harassment Example

• Chevron Corporation sued for sexual harassment

• Four female employees received email entitled “24 reasons beer is better than women”

• Company settled for $2.2 million

The Security BreachesThe Security Breaches

• Misuse of company resources can jeopardize a company’s security– Proprietary information must remain within the

company

– Employees’ responsibility to know when, where, and how to communicate private information

– Do not send sensitive information through email, very insecure

• Corporate hacking

Future PerspectiveFuture Perspective

• AUPs will evolve as new technologies get incorporated into the company

• New guidelines for their proper use

ConclusionConclusion

• Acceptable Use Policy protects companies in three ways:– Reduce unnecessary costs

– Prevent legal liability

– Defend from security breaches

• Effective when employers actively inform, train employees and enforce the policy

Dealing With Dealing With Harassment and Harassment and Discrimination in the Discrimination in the WorkplaceWorkplace

Bedros Magardichian

CS 495: Senior Seminar

Prof.Steflik

Spring 2004

Common Types of Common Types of Discrimination and Discrimination and HarassmentHarassment

Race

Religion

Age

Gender

Physical or Mental Disability

Sexual Orientation

Ancestry or Origin

Source of Income

Sexual Harassment

Recognizing Recognizing Discrimination and Discrimination and Harassment in the Harassment in the WorkplaceWorkplace

• Hostile work environment

• Retaliation

• Whistle Blowing

• Wrongful Termination

Court CaseCourt Case

Davey v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 1997

•Discrimination based on gender

•Lockheed Martin paid over $200,000 in punitive damages and compensation

Preventing Discrimination Preventing Discrimination and Harassment in the and Harassment in the workplaceworkplace

• Company Policies

• Training Programs

• Codes of Ethics

The LawThe Law

•The Federal Civil Rights Act 1964, Title VII

•Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

•Equal Pay Act (EPA)

•The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Business World The Business World OverseasOverseas

•Discrimination and harassment issues drive company productivity down

•Important for a business to be productive in a multicultural environment

The Role of the The Role of the ProfessionalProfessionalin Public Policyin Public Policy

Adam MarczykCS 495: Senior SeminarProf.SteflikSpring 2004

What is public policy?What is public policy?

• The democratic process by which ideas become law.

• Four major steps:– Set the agenda.

– Specify possible choices.

– Select an option.

– Implement the selection.

• Professionals have a role to play in each step.

Why should professionals be Why should professionals be involved?involved?

• Explosive growth of computing technology.

• Society is more dependent than ever on computers.– water supplies

– the power grid

– air traffic control

– etc.

• It is vital that those with relevant expertise contribute to the formation of rational decisions.

• Who would you prefer to set your medical policy, a doctor or a politician?

The Office of Technology The Office of Technology AssessmentAssessment• Created in 1972 in response to Congressional

desire for expert technical advice.

• Provided analysis of technical issues in almost every field.

• Reports universally considered to be of exceptional quality.

• Struggled to define its mission: provide objective advice or recommend specific courses of action?

• Closed in 1995 as part of “Contract with America”

Computer Professionals for Social Computer Professionals for Social ResponsibilityResponsibility

• www.cpsr.org

• Created at Xerox PARC in June 1982 in response to use of computers in nuclear weapons, “Star Wars” program.

• Major issues: civil liberties, electronic free speech, privacy, use of computers in military applications.

• Mission: “We foster and support public discussion of, and public responsibility for decisions involving the use of computers in systems critical to society.”

Ethical Issues for Computer Ethical Issues for Computer ProfessionalsProfessionals• Military funding for, use of research.

– DARPA played a significant role in development of the first digital computers and the Internet.

– “Most major computer science departments depend upon large amounts of military funding for their research” (Dunlop and Kling 1991, p. 658).*

• Binghamton’s Digital Data Embedding Laboratory (dde.binghamton.edu) works on steganographic and cryptographic projects funded by the U.S. Air Force.

• Is it ethically acceptable to work for the military?

* Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling, Computerization and Controversy. San Diego: Academic Press, 1991.

Ethical Issues for Computer Ethical Issues for Computer ProfessionalsProfessionals

• Vulnerability of the public information infrastructure.

• Critical systems now connected to the Internet not originally designed with security in mind.

• Destructive malware such as MyDoom continues to run rampant.

• Potential consequences of an attack on the public infrastructure.– Al-Qaeda spokesmen have stated their intent to wage

cyberattacks against important targets.*

– SQL Slammer caused failures of 911 terminals, ATM networks; MSBlaster may have contributed to blackouts.

• Do professionals have a responsibility to speak out merely because they possess relevant knowledge?

*See: www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,76150,00.html

Professional Codes of Professional Codes of EthicsEthics

• ACM

– Use of computing technology in ways that cause harm to others is prohibited.

– Minimize negative consequences of computing systems.

• IEEE

– Make decisions consistent with the safety and welfare of the public.

– Disclose promptly factors that endanger others.

• ICCP

– Ensure that efforts are used to benefit humanity.

– Improve public safety through protection of vital information.

The Role of the Professional in Public The Role of the Professional in Public PolicyPolicy• No reason to believe ethics requires absolute

pacifism, but professionals must retain some say in how their work is used.

– Creators of A-bomb thought they’d be consulted on how their work was used.

• Must work out of sincere concern to improve general welfare and public safety.

• Professionals should take part in active efforts to promote informed public discussion, shore up security policy for critical systems.

• Use skills and knowledge to contribute to society.

What the future holds…What the future holds…

• Public standards bodies are likely to play a greater role in policy formation.

• More active role for government in setting security policy and overseeing the development of secure software.

• Expanded role of software certification.