StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Analysis of Hacking into Harvard - Case Study Example

Cite this document
Summary
"Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard" paper examines the 'Harvard's stance overlooked the possibility that the hacker might have been a spouse or a parent' statement. This statement provides a different prescriptive under which the action may have been taken place. …
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.8% of users find it useful
Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Analysis of Hacking into Harvard"

Hacking into Harvard Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Question 3 Question 2 4 Question 3 5 Question 4 6 References 8 Question a. Harvards stance overlooked the possibility that the hacker might have been a spouse or a parent. -This statement is a normative, as this statement condemns the action of Harvard University for overlooking the possibility that the hacker might have been a spouse or a parent but not the applicant himself. It indicates that the candidate himself might not be the one who accessed the account, it can also be his parent or spouse who had access to the candidate’s password and identification number and their action can be justifiable. This statement provides a different prescriptive under which the action may have been taken place. b. ‘We should send a message to society as a whole that we are attempting to produce people that when they go out into the world, they will behave ethically.’ -This statement is descriptive because it highlights an ethical behaviour, which is ideally accepted in society. This statement makes a prediction regarding the factual consequences of their action, i.e. by cancelling the application of those candidates who have hacked the account, they are being punished for their unethical behaviour. This statement also generates an emotional reaction by highlighting the importance of ethics and its future positive consequences. c. ‘This behaviour is unethical at best.- This statement can be considered as a descriptive statement as well as a normative. The adjective ‘unethical’ describes the behaviour to be bad and against the moral judgement of an individual. Moreover, the following phrase ‘at best’ claims the value of behaviour. The statement makes a factual claim about the behaviour being unethical. Question 2 The morality of the curious applicants assessed from the following point of view: a. Egoism: Egoism preaches that individuals are not required to act in the interest of others but should if that is the best way to promote our self-interest. The ethical theory of egoism states that self-interest is only the thing that ever motivates individuals. However, many critics have also stated that ethical egoism is not a moral principle and it also ignores blatant wrongs. It has misunderstood the nature and point of morality. The actions of the curious applicants’ were only to fulfil their self-interest, there was egoism in their activities and hence the actions were not moral (Shaw, 2007). b. Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is concerned with the total happiness produced but not with how the happiness is distributed. Utilitarianism may even sacrifice the happiness of some in order to achieve more amount of happiness. Many critics have considered utilitarianism as unjust. The morality of the curious candidates can be referred as utilitarianism because they were only concerned about the happiness but not the medium through which they are acquiring it (Shaw, 2007). c. Deontology (Kants ethics): Kant’s ethics are the excellent examples of non-consequent approach to ethics. Kant points out that the moral principles are independent of consequences of actions but are dependent on pre-established rules. To act morally in the right way the person must act out of goodwill, his duty and respect for the law (Mcnaughton & Rawling, 2007). The curious candidates should have considered their duty and respect towards law. Through goodwill they could have acted morally and stopped themselves from such negative actions. According to law, hacking and acquiring information without permission is a crime, which was committed by the applicants. d. Rosss Pluralism: Moral pluralism states that the questions of moral significance can be answered in many ways and it recognises multiple aspects that guides the moral judgment and action. Pluralism argues that there are several sources of morality such as our past action, justice, families and many more. To act in the right direction, balancing the obligations of different sources of morality is an essential requirement. Ross’s pluralism sets the prima facia duties, which are ‘to act at first’, ‘to consider obligations’ and ‘to act accordingly’. The prima facie duty of the applicants was to distinguish between right and wrong, to respect the law, which they failed by hacking into the file without judging their actions. Question 3 The MBA applicants to take an unauthorised peek at their application files are morally unethical. The actions of the candidates show the lack of an intuitive moral sense of differentiating between the right and the wrong. The actions of the candidates lead to ‘breach of trust’, which is irrational and by doing so they have failed to fulfil the norms of proper conduct in the society. Moral ethics do not consider such actions permissible because unauthorised access into the files and stealing information is a crime and not justifiable. Their actions only consider serving their self-interest. However, with their actions they have forgotten to respect the law. Their selfish actions to achieve the self-interest have not only endangered their own carrier but also have earned bad reputation of being unethical. The actions of the curious applicants have also shown the impatience of candidates regarding the announcement of their results. They did not have the patience to wait for their results to be announced and hence they indulged into the unethical act of hacking (Shaw, 2007). Contextually, moral ethics defines the laws, regulations and duties of each individual in the society. Everyone is free to live and act accordingly in the society as long as those actions do not infringe and disturb the rights of others. The candidates have failed to honour the principles of morality. Their actions have not only affected themselves but also people around them. They have disappointed their families, who had a lot of trust in them and left them to face criticism from the society for their actions. By blindly following the instructions posted by an unidentified hacker, the action have indicated the lack of integrity, strong moral compass and sound judgment within the applicants along with unethical behaviour, contrary to the behaviour of the leaders (Shaw, 2007). Question 4 Ethical decision making can resolve the ethical dilemma when moral values or ethical principles conflict with each other. Ethical decision making will help in taking the right course of action and to analyse whether the action are right or wrong. Formation of a sound ethical decision needs gathering of facts, identifying the consequences as well as the obligations considering high level of integrity and sound judgement. Obligations should be considered in terms of principles and rights involved in ethical decision making. In this case the curious applicants have failed in making the context of ethical decision. They should have gathered more facts about the information posted by the anonymous hacker before following it blindly. They should have judged the information on both legal grounds and sound ethics and morality. They should have questioned the level of legality on using the information in hacking into the confidential declarations of results. The applicants also should have identified the consequences of their actions and various obligations attached with it. Few of such obligations are as moral, legal and also religious. They should have used high level of integrity and sound judgements to decide their action i.e. whether to access the file using the information posted by the anonymous hacker or to refrain the same. They should have consider certain questions before acting in such a manner. Whether the action will do any harm than more good, how comfortable and confident they are with the decision and what is at stake. If all these context of ethical decision making were considered by the curious applicants they could have kept themselves from committing such unethical mistakes (Shaw, 2007). References Shaw, W., 2007. Business Ethics. Cengage Learning. Mcnaughton, D. A., & Rawling, J. P., 2007. Principles of Health Care Ethics, Second Edition .Deontology. John Wiley & Sons. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words, n.d.)
Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words. https://studentshare.org/social-science/1837276-case-analysis-of-hacking-into-harvard
(Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words. https://studentshare.org/social-science/1837276-case-analysis-of-hacking-into-harvard.
“Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”. https://studentshare.org/social-science/1837276-case-analysis-of-hacking-into-harvard.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Case Analysis of Hacking into Harvard

Methodologies to Minimize the Chances of Database Breach Recurrence

The paper "Methodologies to Minimize the Chances of Database Breach Recurrence" discusses processes, practices, and methodologies alongside technologies that can be adopted by higher educational institutions in order to mitigate the risks and threats associated with data breaches and computer hacks....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

The Alliance as the Best Option for TBBA Bank: Synergy Leading

In the case of TBBA, none of the above reasons exists that makes it justifiable to divest commodity trading business.... In case of Richard, he is a part of the organization before being appointed as a CEO and he is the one who has given a unified identity to TBBA and commodity trading unit is very much a part of that identity.... The acquisition is best when the level of uncertainty is low; in case if uncertainty is high it is good to go for alliance (Peng 2009)....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

Managing Expansion Change in Business in Mortloch Hotel

A review of ideas by other authors forms part of the discussion and analysis of ideas in this text.... This case study "Managing Expansion Change in Business in Mortloch Hotel" points out that PDR Hotel & Resorts plans to buy Mortloch Hotel, which is currently underperforming.... If the purchase is not critically appraised, PDR Hotel & Resorts may end up tarnishing its reputation in case the trend at the hotel continues even after the group acquires it....
10 Pages (2500 words) Case Study

International Strategic Management the Case of AllSmile

This paper outlines the moving of industry to globalization or localization, Porter's National Diamond model and the analysis of AllSmile, international market strategies, and human resources management.... This case study describes International Strategic management, the case of AllSmile....
8 Pages (2000 words) Case Study

Financial Institutions Strategic Management The USA Banking Industry

This case study "Financial Institutions Strategic Management – The USA Banking Industry" discusses the severe failures in managing risks related to banking activities that led to the recession of 2008, which still negatively influences markets worldwide.... In any case, problems related to the specific organizational sector should be resolved by continuously updating the strategies of the industry's firms, as appropriate, so that their goals are continuously aligned with the market rules and ethics....
9 Pages (2250 words) Case Study

Business Plans for Momentex LLC and Physicians 1st Billing and Claims

The first business plan that this analysis will weigh relates to Momentex LLC and its proposed line of Gulp N Go products.... The paper "Business Plans for Momentex LLC and Physicians 1st Billing and Claims" states that Physicians 1st Billing and Claims is a service industry whose intention is to provide security in medical documentation through professional verification that all insurance requirements are adhered to....
7 Pages (1750 words) Case Study

Multinationals and Emerging Markets

4 Pages (1000 words) Case Study

Retaining Customers in a Small Financial Planning Business

nbsp;… The case in focus here is of a financial services company started by John in a small town.... This case is the study of a business initiated by John.... The case brings out the new lifestyle that is being followed by people in metropolitan cities like Sydney and Melbourne, where people now 'worked to live' rather than 'lived to work'.... The case highlights how due to the negligence and lack of customer relationship management, John had been faced with a decline in the business....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us