A REVIEW OE THE IMPACT OE ACM CODE OE CONDUCT ON INEORMATION TECHNOLOGY MORAL JUDGMENT AND INTENT ALAN R. PESLAK Penn State University Dunmore, PA 18512 ABSTRACT One of the most widely recognized code of ethics in infor- mation technology (IT) is the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Code of Ethics. Adopted in 1992, the code covers many of the key ethical areas that are encountered in information technology practice. But this code has been lightly studied in the literature, including its recognition and its acceptance. Likewise, its effectiveness in influencing moral intent has not previously been established. This manuscript reviews selected key state- ments from the ACM Code of Ethics to determine the level of agreement with these statements. The surveyed group includes IT students, faculty, and staff. In general, agreement on all issues is found, though varying in degree. Next, the study analyzes the re- lationship between ACM code agreement and ethical intent. The relationships in nearly all cases are positive and significant. Fi- nally, it examines the infiuence this code has among participants in a hypothetical hostile work situation. Specifically, it examines moral intent when a supervisor recommends an action directly contrary to the code. The difference between actions in a hostile situation versus no supervisor influence is found to be significant in some cases. Keywords: information technology ethics, ethics, code of conduct, code of ethics, managerial influence INTRODUCTION The development of codes of ethics within professional orga- nizations has had a long history. Perhaps the most famous code is the medical code first promulgated in the Hippocratic Oath written about 400 B.C. The modem American Medical Associa- tion (AMA) code of ethics dates back to 1847. Other professional organizations such as the American Bar Association (ABA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the National Association of Realtors, and the Society of Professional Journalists have followed suit and developed codes of ethics and conduct so that their clients and customers can have a level of trust and reliance in their professional work. Shaver [31] suggests that occupational ethics and their codes "address the imbalance between the practitioner group and the community . . . they serve through practices that cultivate a relationship of trust." Within this environment, several professional computer and information science and systems organizations have developed codes of ethics to provide a level of confidence and security in the work of infor- mation technology (IT) professionals. Perhaps the most widely recognized and publicized is the ACM (Association for Comput- ing Machinery) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct enacted in 1992. [1] The preamble of the code includes the following: Commitment to ethical professional conduct is expected of every member (voting members, associate members, and student members) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This Code, consisting of 24 imperatives formulated as statements of personal responsibility, identifies the ele- ments of such a commitment It contains many, but not all, issues professionals are likely to face. Section 1 outlines fundamental ethical considerations, while Section 2 ad- dresses additional, more specific considerations of profes- sional conduct. Statements in Section 3 pertain more spe- cifically to individuals who have a leadership role, whether in the workplace or in a volunteer capacity such as with organizations like ACM. Principles involving compliance with this Code are given in Section 4. * * * The Code and its supplemented Guidelines are intended to serve as a basis for ethical decision making in the con- duct of professional work. Secondarily, they may serve as a basis for judging the merit of a formal complaint pertain- ing to violation of professional ethical standards. [1] But as was apparent with Enron and the AICPA code, all codes of ethics are dependent on members and practitioners actu- ally adhering to the code. This work will review the Association for Computing Machinery Code of Ethics and its perception. It will accomplish this by selecting passages from the code and sur- veying levels of agreement/disagreement with these provisions. The process of converting moral judgments to moral intentions and the correlation between code agreement and moral decisions will be explored. This will be analyzed in both a hostile envi- ronment where management recommends an action contrary to the code as well as a non-hostile environment with no external influence. BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW There is a variety of research which has studied various as- pects of codes of ethics, information technology ethics, and moral decision making. As an example. Stead and Gilbert [36] noted the rise of many ethical issues related to electronic com- merce including privacy, spam, security, cookies, and children. But generally, we have not been able to keep pace ethically with technology. Marshall [23] discusses Ogbum's cultural lag theory where technology is moving faster than our ability to keep up with ethical issues associated with the technology. One way to address these issues is a professional code. Bush, Venable, and Spring 2007 Journal of Computer Information Systems