UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2016/2017
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/ BACHELOR OF BUSINESS IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT2109 BUSS207 PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN IT BUSINESS ETHICS
FULL TIME/PART TIME/DISTANCE LEARNING
DATE: AUGUST, 2017 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One & ANY OTHER TWO questions.
QUESTION ONE [30 MARKS]
a) Briefly explain the following philosophical theories employed in making an ethical decision.
i. Deontological theory (2Marks)
ii. Utilitarian principle (2Marks)
iii. Rawlsian justice (2Marks)
b) “Codes [such as the ACS, ACM and British Computing Society] can be developed to protect
the profession and the organization, ignoring personal and societal issues. Legal and
organizational requirements as stated by the codes may be in ethical conflict, and both may
conflict with the needs of society as a whole.” (Wood-Harper, Corder, Wood and Watson,
1999) Do you agree or disagree with the above quote? Support your answer by discussing the
development of Ethical codes of conduct.
(8 Marks)
c) Identify five moral dimensions that an IT manager can use to develop standards for this
company. (5 Marks)
d) When does exclusion of liability occur according to the contract terms Act 1977
(6Marks)
e) On whom does the liability fall for defective software running on an ATM when it produces
erroneous information. (5Marks)
QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]
Flori Ltd is a floricultural undertaking dealing with flowers for export. It has a workforce of 535
employees on permanent employment and seasonal staff. One hot rainy afternoon, a bird was
electrocuted next to the offices when it landed on a surging electric cable which came into
contact with another line. The impact of the two electric lines getting into contact caused an
explosion sparking a fire which in turn started to burn the nearby chemical store. The explosion
caused panic and employees run helter-skelter screaming “FIRE, FIRE!” as confusion reigned.
Nobody seemed to know what to do next as everybody run for dear lives.
Use the above scenario to answer the following questions
i) What are the facts and issues of the scenario (6 Marks)
ii) Assume you are in-charge of health and safety, what action would you have taken at that
point in time? (6Marks)
iii) Give suggestions on how you would prevent/extinguish fires in the future? (8 Marks)
QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]
a) Explain the term contract and state the essential features of software contract. (4Marks)
b) Briefly explain Two Data Users’ responsibilities and Two data subjects’ rights as
defined by the data protection Act 1984. (4 Marks)
c) Describe the kind of protection offered by copyrights, trade secret and patents giving two
benefits and two limitations of each for developers of computers software.
(12 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]
a) Describe the conditions that must be met for any patentable product (5Marks)
b) Discuss giving examples of the values embedded, impeded and enhanced by Technology
such as the Internet. (6Marks)
c) Explain briefly three types of computer crime as defined by the English Criminal law,
identify the effects of such activities to the society at large and how they can be discouraged.
(9Marks)
QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]
You received direct mail from a supermarket where you shop saying that it had analyzed your
purchases and that you appeared to have an unhealthy diet, consequently it was advising you to
eat more fruit and vegetables?
a) Explain four types of policy approaches that can be taken to control behavior on the internet
(8Marks)
b) Discuss the moral, ethical and legal issues associated with Censorship of the Internet.
(10Marks)
c) Describe pornography, as one of computer crimes according to comuter crime ACT 1990.
(2 Marks)
