Abstract
The proliferation of computers in the business realm may lead to ethical problems between individual and societal rights, and the organization's need to control costs. In an attempt to explore the causes of this potential conflict, this study examined the varying levels of sensitivity 223 respondents assigned to different types of information typically stored in computer-based human resource information systems. It was found that information most directly related to the job — pay rate, fringe benefits, educational history — was considered to be the most sensitive. Participants, however, were more concerned about certain types of individuals/groups accessing these systems than about the kinds of information contained in them. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler, P., Parson, C. K., and S. B. Zolke: 1985, ‘Employee Privacy: Legal Research Developments and Implications for Personnel Administration’, Sloan Management Review 26, 13–22.
Bequai, A.: 1984, ‘Computers Plus Business Equal Liabilities’, Personnel Administrator 29, 25–34.
Bloom, E. P.: 1982, ‘Creating an Employee Information System’, Personnel Administrator 27, 67–70.
Carroll, A. B.: 1979, ‘A Three Dimensional Model of Corporate Social Performance’, Academy of Management Review 4, 497–505.
Carver, R. P.: 1978, ‘The Case Against Statistical Significance Testing’, Harvard Educational Review 48, 378–399.
Cascio, W. F.: 1987, Costing Human Resources, 2nd ed. (PWS-Kent Publishing Company, Boston, MA).
Cavanagh, G. F., Moberg, D. J., and M. Velasquez: 1981, ‘The Ethics of Organizational Politics’, Academy of Management Review 6, 363–374.
Cohen, J.: 1977, Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (The Academic Press, New York, NY).
Cook, S. H.: 1987, ‘Privacy Rights: Whose Life is it Anyway?’, Personnel Administrator 32, 58–69.
Cordell, A. J.: 1987, ‘The Uneasy Eighties: The Transition to an Information Society’, Computers and Society 16, 12–18.
DeSanctis, G.: 1986, ‘Human Resource Information Systems’, MIS Quarterly 10, 15–27.
Frank, E. J.: 1987, ‘Designing and Implementing a Personnel MIS’, Personnel 64, 66–70.
Fritzsche, D. J. and H. Becker: 1984, ‘Linking Management Behavior to Ethical Philosophy — an Empirical Investigation’, Academy of Management Journal 27, 166–175.
Fusilier, M. and W. D. Hoyer: 1980, ‘Variables Affecting Perceptions of Privacy in a Personnel Selection Situation’, Journal of Applied Psychology 65, 623–626.
Harris, D.: 1987, ‘A Matter of Privacy: Managing Personal Data in Company Computers’, Personnel 64, 34–35.
Juris, R.: 1986, ‘Management Human Resources Online’, Computer Decisions 18, 44+.
Kirk, R. E.: 1968, Experimental Design: Procedures for the Behavioral Sciences (Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA).
Kustoff, M.: 1985, ‘Assembling a Micro-Based HRIS’, Personnel Administrator 30, 29–36.
Lederer, A. L.: 1984, ‘Planning and Developing a Human Resource Information System’, Personnel Administrator 29, 27–42.
Mason, R. O.: 1986, ‘Four Ethical Issues of the Information Age’, MIS Quarterly 10, 5–12.
Milkovich, G. T. and W. F. Glueck: 1985, Personnel (Business Publications, Inc., Plano, TX).
Nunnally, J. C.: 1978, Psychometric Theory (McGraw Hill, New York, NY).
Nyweide, J. O.: 1987, ‘Simply Sophisticated’, Management World 16, 34–36.
O'Meara, J. C.: 1985, ‘The Emerging Law of Employees' Rights to Privacy’, Personnel Administrator 30, 159–165.
Rosenberg, S.: 1985, ‘Flexibility in Installing a Large-Scale HRIS’, Personnel Administrator 30, 29–36.
Senn, J.: 1987, Information Systems in Management (Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA).
Simon, S. H.: 1986, ‘On-Line, Real-Time and Expert System Software defined’, Personnel Journal 65, 96–100.
Spencer, B. A. and J. K. Butler: 1987, ‘Measuring the Relative Importances of Social Responsibility Components: A Decision Modeling Approach’, Journal of Business Ethics 6, 573–577.
Tolchinsky, P. D., McCuddy, M. K., Adams, J., Ganster, D. C., Woodman, R. W., and H. L. Fromkin: 1981, ‘Employee Perceptions of Invasion of Privacy: A Field Simulation Experiment’, Journal of Applied Psychology 66, 308–313.
Vidmar, N. and D. H. Flaherty: 1985, ‘Concern for Personal Privacy in An Electronic Age’, Journal of Communication 35, 91–103.
Woodman, R. W., Ganster, D. C., Adams, J., McCuddy, M. K., Tolchinsky, P. D., and H. L. Fromkin: 1982, ‘A Survey of Employee Perception of Information Privacy in Organizations’, Academy of Management Journal 25, 647–663.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
G. Stephen Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Management at Mississippi State University. He teaches in the areas of personnel administration and human resource management. His research interests include the application of computers to personnel management, the study of ethical issues surrounding the use of computers, and performance appraisal.
J. Steve Davis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at Clemson University, where he teaches courses in management information systems. His research interests include human factors in computer systems, and the impact of computer systems on society.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Taylor, G.S., Davis, J.S. Individual privacy and computer-based human resource information systems. J Bus Ethics 8, 569–576 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382934
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00382934