Computers and ethical judgment in organizations

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the effects of computer technology on the exercise of ethical judgment in organizations. It is a study in descriptive ethics that seeks to identify and analyze organizational features that enhance or inhibit the making of ethical judgments. Computers occasion changes in the structure and functions of organizations, and thus may alter the conditions under which ethical judgments are made. After a brief survey of the effects of computers on organizations, a scheme for analyzing ethical conduct is presented. The paper concludes with a detailed example of the use of the concepts introduced.