Lecture notes on business communication. Учебное пособие

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values and standards are usually applied, and set the systems and processes to ensure that this code is implemented and effective. Ideally, the development of a code will be a process when the Board of the Directors and senior management actively discuss and set core values, roles, responsibilities, expectations, and behavioral standards.

4.2. Computer Ethics

Early works in computer ethics or cyberethics had already started in the 1940s, soon after the invention of the computer. MIT Professor Norbert Wiener was a precursor of this field of study, determining many issues of computer ethics in his book The Human Use of Human Beings that was published in 1950. The very term “computer ethics” was first introduced in the mid-1970s by Walter Maner who promoted the idea of teaching computer ethics in computer science curricula.

In short, computer ethics is a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. Also, computer ethics studies moral issues that have broad importance for the society like information privacy and security, computer crime, issues of access and equity, the regulation of commerce and speech on the Internet, and develops ethical policies to address them. When speaking about computer ethics it is worth mentioning Ten Commandments connected with this idea. Understanding these key principles of computer ethics can help the society to guide responsible development and use of the technology being developed.

1.Do not use the computer in ways that may harm other people. This commandment states that it is wrong to use a computer to steal someone's personal information. Manipulating or destroying files of other users is ethically wrong. It is also unethical to write programs, which lead to stealing, copying or gaining unauthorized access to other users' data. Being involved in practices like hacking, spamming, phishing or cyber bullying does not conform to computer ethics.

2.Do not use computer technology to cause interference in other users' work. This commandment concerns the idea of viruses and all other

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malicious software that can disrupt computer operation. It may overload computer memory through excessive consumption of computer resources, slowing its functioning, or may cause a computer to function wrongly or even stop working.

3.Do not spy on another person's computer data. It is wrong to read personal letters as well as someone else's email messages or files. Snooping around in another person's files is nothing else but the invasion of his privacy. However, there are exceptions to this. E.g., spying is necessary and cannot be called unethical being done against illegitimate use of computers in the cases when intelligence agencies working on cybercrimes need to spy on internet activity of suspects.

4.Do not use computer technology to steal information. It is unethical to acquire personal information from employee database or patient history from hospital database or other information that is meant to be confidential. Also, breaking into a bank account to collect information about the account or account holder is wrong. Illegal electronic transfer of funds is a type of fraud.

5.Do not contribute to the spread of misinformation using computer technology. Spread of information has become viral today, because of the abundant usage of Internet. Being involved in such circulation of wrong information is unethical. Mails and pop-ups are commonly used to spread such information or give false alerts with the only intent of selling products. Mails from untrusted sources that advertise certain products or spread hard- to-believe information are common. Direct or indirect involvement in this circulation of false information is ethically wrong.

6.Refrain from copying software or buying pirated copies. Pay for software unless it is free. Like any other artistic or literary work, software is copyrighted. A piece of code is the original work of the individual who created in case if he/she works independently; or the original work created by the developers of a company and the organization holds the copyright for it. Obtaining illegal copies of copyrighted software is unethical.

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7.Do not use someone else computer resources unless authorized to. Breaking into some other user's password, intruding his/her private space is unethical. It is forbidden to hack passwords for gaining unauthorized access to a password-protected computer system. Accessing data that you are not authorized to access without the permission of the owner is unethical.

8.It is wrong to claim ownership on a work which is the output of someone else's intellect. All products developed by a software developer are the property of a developer. If he is working for an organization, they are the organization's property. Copying them and propagating them in one's own name is unethical. This can be applied to any creative work, program or design. Originality of any software has to be kept safe.

9.Before developing software, think about the social impact it can have. Computer software on release, reaches millions. Video games, animations or software for education can have social impact on their users. While designing video games, e.g., it is the programmer's responsibility to understand his target users and the effect it may have on them.

10.In using computers for communication, be respectful and courteous with the fellow members. Communication etiquette that we follow in real world applies to communication over computers also. While communicating over the Internet, we should treat others respectfully. It is unethical to intrude others private space, use abusive language, or make false statements. One should also respect others time and resources.

Nowadays, 4 main types or branches of computer ethics that categorize different ethical issues related to computing can be singled out:

1.Cyberethics. It means the ethics governing electronic communications like email and social media. Key issues here include:

•Privacy, security and anonymity

•Censorship vs freedom of information

•Harassment, bullying and hostile communication

•Spread of misinformation or propaganda

2. Professional Ethics. Professional computer ethics covers various codes of conduct for computing professions including:

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•Responsible use of data and analytics

•Transparent development processes

•Proper crediting of sources and colleagues

•Ethical marketing standards and public engagement

3.Internet Ethics. This type of computer ethics covers appropriate use of connectivity, dealing with topics like:

•Equal availability and censorship

•Freedom of expression controversies

•Hacking, piracy and unauthorized access

•Appropriate conduct in online communities

4.Ethics of AI and Emerging Tech. This area studies ethical practices involved in:

•AI and algorithm development

•Autonomous tech like self-driving cars

•Digital surveillance tools including facial recognition

•Use of bots and digital avatars

Identifying and researching ethical implications across all these spheres helps promote conscientious, transparent and fair development of new technologies that connect the societies.

4.3. Digital ethics. Netiquette

Speaking about digital ethics, we usually refer to the principles and values that govern our behavior in the online world. It includes a wide scope of issues, such as privacy, security, freedom of speech, intellectual property, and accessibility. These issues are complex and multifaceted, and there are often no evident answers. In other words digital ethics is sometimes called netiquette, a combination of the words “internet” and “etiquette” which means observing good manners whenever we are online. Netiquette tells us how we should communicate, treat others, portray ourselves and protect ourselves online. By "etiquette" we mean the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life.

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Therefore, one has to have the basic knowledge about the way he or she is supposed to behave while using internet for social networking sites, etc.

Academically, a student can learn and share unlimited knowledge through the internet without any geographic boundaries thus providing a free flow of information. Unlike social meetings where a person is physically present while communicating, network communications are a lot simpler as people can communicate without bothering about the body language which plays a crucial role in the former. But we should be aware of using proper language as it is sometimes very difficult to transfer our views in the net. In this respect it becomes necessary to list the basic rules of how to behave in the network. Virginia Shea, a network manager, elaborated a set of netiquette rules which we shall try to explain further.

Rule 1: Remember the human.

The golden rule your parents and your kindergarten teacher taught you was pretty simple: Do unto others as you'd have others do unto you. Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes. Stand up for yourself, but try not to hurt people's feelings.

When you're holding a conversation online whether it's an email exchange or a response to a discussion group posting it's easy to misinterpret your correspondent's meaning. And it's extremely easy to forget that your correspondent is a person with feelings similar to yours. Computer networks bring people together who'd otherwise never meet. But the impersonality of the medium changes that meeting to something less personal. Humans exchanging emails and messages often behave the way some people behind the wheel of a car do: They curse at other drivers, make obscene gestures, and generally behave like savages. Most of them would never act that way at work or at home. The whole situation seems to make it acceptable as you are not seen. Ask yourself: Would you say the same to the person's face?

Another reason not to be offensive online.

When you communicate through cyberspace, via email or in discussion groups, your words are written and fixed. And chances are

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they're stored somewhere where you have no control over them. In other words, there's a good chance they can come back to hurt you. Any message you send could be saved or forwarded by its recipient. You have no control over it goes after you send it.

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.

In real life, most people are fairly law-abiding, either by disposition or because we're afraid of getting caught. In cyberspace, the chances of getting caught sometimes seem vague. And, perhaps because people sometimes forget that there's a human being on the other side of the computer, some people think that a lower standard of ethics or personal behavior is acceptable in cyberspace.

Be ethical. If you encounter an ethical dilemma in cyberspace, consult the code you follow in real life. One more point on Netiquette ethics: If you use shareware, pay for it. Paying for shareware encourages more people to write shareware. The few rubles probably won't mean much to you, and they benefit all of cyberspace in the long run.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace.

What's perfectly acceptable in one area may be awfully rude in another. E.g., in most TV discussion groups, idle gossip is perfectly permissible. But throwing around unsubstantiated rumors in a journalists' mailing list will make you very unpopular there. As netiquette is different in different places, it's important to know where you are. Thus the next idea: lurk before you leap. When you enter the cyberspace that's new to you, take a look around. Spend a while listening to the chat or reading the archives. Get a sense of how the people who are already there act. Only then go ahead and participate.

Rule 4: Respect other people's time.

It's a cliché that people today seem to have less time than ever before, even though we sleep less and have more labor-saving devices than our grandparents did. When you send email or post to a discussion group, you're taking up other people's time to open and read it. It's your

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responsibility to ensure that the time they spend reading your posting isn't wasted. When you're working hard on a project and deeply involved in it, it's easy to forget that others have concerns other than yours. So don't expect instant responses, and don't assume that all readers will agree with you. Rule 5: Make yourself look good online.

As in the real world, most people who communicate online just want to be liked. Networks, and particularly discussion groups, let you reach out to people you'd otherwise never meet. And none of them can see you. You won't be judged by the color of your skin, eyes, or hair, your weight, your age, or your clothing. You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing. For most people who choose to communicate online, this is an advantage; if they didn't enjoy using the written word, they wouldn't be there. So spelling and grammar do count.

Pay attention to the content of your writing. Be sure you know what you're talking about -- when you see yourself writing "it's my understanding that" or "I believe it's the case," ask yourself whether you really want to post this note before checking the facts. In addition, make sure your notes are clear and logical. It's perfectly possible to write a paragraph that contains no errors in grammar or spelling, but still makes no sense whatsoever. This is most likely to happen when you're trying to impress someone by using a lot of long and complicated words that you don't really understand yourself. However, no one worth impressing will be impressed. It's much better to keep it simple.

Finally, be pleasant and polite. Don't use offensive language, and don't be confrontational for the sake of confrontation.

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge.

The strength of cyberspace is in its numbers. The reason asking questions online works is that a lot of knowledgeable people are reading the questions. And if even a few of them offer intelligent answers, the sum total of world knowledge increases. The Internet itself was founded and grew because scientists and experts wanted to share information. Gradually, the rest of us got involved. Don't be afraid to share what you know.

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Rule 7: Keep flame wars under control.

"Flaming" is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion. It's the kind of message that makes people respond, "Oh come on, tell us how you really feel." Tact is not its objective.

Does Netiquette forbid flaming? Absolutely not. Flaming is a longstanding network tradition. Flames can be quite fun, both to write and to read. And the recipients of flames sometimes deserve the heat. But netiquette does forbid the perpetuation of flame wars, i.e. series of angry letters, most of them from two or three people directed toward each other that can dominate the tone and destroy the mood of the whole discussion group. It's unfair for the other members of the group to read it. While flame wars can initially be amusing, they get boring quickly to people who aren't involved in them.

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy.

Of course, you'd never dream of going through your colleagues' desk. So naturally you wouldn't read their email either. Unfortunately, a lot of people would. This topic actually rates a separate section. Failing to respect other people's privacy is not just bad netiquette. It could also cost you your job for not following the Company code of ethics.

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power.

Some people in cyberspace have more power than others. There are experts in every office, and system administrators in every system. But the fact that you know more than others, or have more power than they do, does not automatically give you the right to take advantage of them.

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes.

When someone makes a mistake, whether it's a spelling error or a spelling flame, a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it's a minor error, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice before reacting. Having good manners yourself doesn't give you the right to correct everyone else. If you do decide to inform someone of a mistake, point it out politely and preferably by

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private message rather than in public. Admit the fact that people have the benefit of the doubt; assume they just don't know any better.

EXERCISES

1.Discuss the list of unethical activities. In your opinion, which are the worst? Explain your choice in a few sentences.

1) Finding ways of paying as little tax as possible

2) Using your work computer or phone for private purposes 3) Accepting praise for someone else's ideas or work

4) Selling something as genuine when you know it is not

5) Using your influence to get jobs for friends or relatives (nepotism) 6) Phoning in sick at work when you are not ill

7) Not telling the truth about your age or experience on an application form 8) Not saying anything when you are charged too little for something by mistake

9) Paying people in cash for jobs in order to reduce the cost 10) Claiming extra expenses.

2.Look at the situations. Which do you think are the most serious? Explain your choice.

1) A new contact suggests that a payment into his private bank account will enable a company to win a valuable supply contract.

2) An employee informs some friends about a company takeover before it is generally known so they can buy shares and make a profit.

3) A company is making copies of luxury branded products and selling them in street markets.

4) An upmarket private airline only employs attractive women under 25 years old as cabin crew and ground staff.

5) An industrial company is disposing of waste chemicals in the sea.

6) A car manufacturer is secretly taking photos of a rival's new model at a test track.

7) A cosmetics and pharmaceutical company tries out all its products on rats and mice.

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8)Some criminals buy property and expensive cars with money they got from illegal activities. The goods are then sold and the now 'clean' money is used in other businesses and new bank accounts.

9)A group of rival mobile phone companies get together and agree to charge approximately the same amount for a range of services and packages.

10)A company tells the authorities that it is making a lot less profit than it actually is.

3. Work in groups. What should you do in each of these situations? Write at least 5 sentences explaining your choice.

1)Your boss has asked you to make one member of your department redundant. The choice is between the most popular team member, who is the worst at his job, or the best worker, who is the least popular with the other team members. Whom do you choose?

2)The best-qualified person for the post of Sales Manager is female. However, you know most of your customers would prefer a man. If you appoint a woman, you will probably lose some sales.

3)You work for a travel company which is in serious financial difficulties and will go bankrupt in the near future. Your boss has ordered you to continue to accept deposits and payments from customers until the company officially stops trading. You fear that these people may lose their money or may be left abroad when the company collapses.

4)Your company has a new advertising campaign which stresses its honesty, fairness and ethical business behaviour. It has factories in several countries where wages are very low. At present, it is paying workers the local market rate.