ISEDJ

Abstract: According to the cliché, it’s not what one says so much as how one says it. In the business world, those words ring particularly true. How one presents information can influence all forms of business decisions, from level of investment to expansion to downsizing and everything in between. This brings up significant questions relating to the manipulation of data and data integrity in general – particularly since the presentation of data is, in effect, the creation of knowledge. It is therefore vital to be able to look at data, its analysis, and its presentation, using an ethical framework. This article presents the students with two scenarios, one focusing on how data is presented and the other focusing on the credibility of the data. In both cases, the “clear” answer is to present the information honestly, but the looming question is “how?” Due to extenuating factors in both cases, students are forced to think about how a seemingly simple decision can have a significant impact on not only a business and its employees, but also the clients, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Download this article: ISEDJ - V18 N2 Page 4.pdf

Recommended Citation: Louch, M., Pry, M., (2020). Ethics and Data Manipulation. Information Systems Education Journal18(2) pp 4-13. http://ISEDJ.org/2020-2/ ISSN : ISSN: 1545-679X. A preliminary version appears in The Proceedings of EDSIGCON 2019