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Development and Validation of Ethical Computer Self-Efficacy Measure: The Case of Softlifting

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Abstract

The concept of self-efficacy is concerned with people's beliefs in their ability to produce given attainment. It has been widely applied to study human conduct in various settings. This study, based on Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, proposes the employment of self-efficacy for investigating people's ethical conduct related to computer use. Specifically, an ethical computer self-efficacy (ECSE) construct concerning software piracy is developed and validated. The measurement model of the construct was rigorously tested and validated through confirmatory factor analysis. The results suggest that ECSE can be operationalized as a second-order factor model. The first order constructs are termed use&keep (do not use), distribution (do not distribute), and persuasion (persuade others not to commit piracy). These factors are governed by a second-order construct of ECSE. This construct could be useful to research a wide range of information ethics in the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Management, National, Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Feng-Yang Kuo

  2. Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Meng-Hsiang Hsu

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  1. Feng-Yang Kuo
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  2. Meng-Hsiang Hsu
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Kuo, FY., Hsu, MH. Development and Validation of Ethical Computer Self-Efficacy Measure: The Case of Softlifting. Journal of Business Ethics 32, 299–315 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010715504824

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