OBJECTIVE(S)

This assessment item relates to the unit learning outcomes as in the unit descriptor. This assessment the following LOs:

LO1: Explain the theory and strategies for maintaining professional relationships with different stakeholder groups and identify the range of issues in IT code of practice.
LO2: Interpret and critically reflect on the Australian Computer Society Code of Ethics.

INSTRUCTIONS
Task: Research and Write a Business Report that Addresses the Question:

‘How Ethical are Major Internet Companies?’

Methodology:

Write a Business report with the following report headings and content:

• ‘Introduction’
o Briefly describe that you are going to report on the ethical standards and actions

of the following major internet companies: ▪ Google

▪ Microsoft ▪ Apple
▪ Facebook

o You will do this by conducting a short survey, locating and summarizing the company’s Ethical and/or Code of Conduct policies, comparing their ethical policies with their actions, and drawing some conclusions about their ethical behaviour.

• ‘What do People Think?’
o Survey 10 people and ask: How ethical do you think each of the following

companies is?
o Ratetheanswersfrom1-10(totallyunethicaltocompletelyethical) o Report the average result for each company in a table
o Reportyourowninitialethicalratingofthesamecompanies

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ITSU1003 Assignment 1

• ‘Ethical/Code of Conduct Policies’
o Locatetheethicalpolicy/codeofconductforeachcompany
o Suggestion: Search <company name> ethics policy or code of conduct
o Write a brief summary of the policy
o Briefly describe how each compare to the policy statements of the others?

Longest/shortest, easiest to read/full of air, strongest stand/weakest, etc. • ‘Ethical Behaviour’

o

o

o

Locate and briefly describe any reports of unethical conduct by the companies (maximum 3).
Suggestion:Search<companyname>unethical Dothesereportsmatchthecompanies’policies?

• ‘Australian Tax’
o Locate reports of the tax paid in Australia by the companies o Do these companies pay a fair share of tax in Australia?

• ‘Summary’
o Are the companies as ethical as they claim?
o Are some companies better than others?
o Do you have any recommendations for better ethical behaviour?
o Havingdonetheresearch,whatisyoufinalethicalratingforthecompanies

Format:

▪ A4 Sized pages
▪ Printed on one side
▪ 2.54 (1’) Margins all around
▪ Times New Roman or Calibri font
▪ Major Headings 14pt Bold, Minor Headings 12pt Bold, body text 12pt ▪ Spell checked, correct English usage
▪ A blank line between paragraphs
▪ File in PDF format
▪ Length: 1000 – 1500 words

Do Not:

• ▪  Do not use academic referencing. A business report does not use referencing.
• ▪  To indicate where the information in your report comes from, use URLs (internet
  address) in the text E.G.