Ethical Information Systems Development: A Baumanian Postmodernist Perspective

Surtirtha Chatterjee, Suprateek Sarker, Mark Fuller

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    The paper offers a critique of traditional methodical approaches to Information Systems Development (ISD),arguing that anumber of assumptions (for example, universality and rationality) underlying these approaches lead to incomplete ontological and epistemological considerations, and thereby contribute to IS failures in many cases. The paper proposes that ethical analysis undertaken in conjunction with traditional ISD approaches may be a way to address some of the limitations experienced during traditional ISD. Drawing upon ideas from postmodern ethics formulated by Zygmunt Bauman, the paper argues that increased focus on the moral responsibility of key ISD players (such as the team of analysts) may improve the ISD process. Finally, thispaper suggests how, consistent with the postmodern stance, such moral responsibility can be implemented in the context of ISD. The paper concludes with the contributions and future implications of this research.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalJournal of the AIS
    Volume10
    Issue number11
    Pages (from-to)787-815
    Number of pages29
    ISSN1536-9323
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2009

    Keywords

    • Information Systems Development (ISD)
    • Ethics
    • Postmodern ethics
    • System analyst
    • Moral impulse
    • Fairness
    • Moral responsibility
    • Moral agent
    • Case interpretation

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