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Journal of Business Ethics

Erschienen in:

01.06.2013

Ethical Decision Making in a Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Situation: The Role of Moral Absolutes and Social Consensus

verfasst von: Connie R. Bateman, Sean Valentine, Terri Rittenburg

Erschienen in: Journal of Business Ethics | Ausgabe 2/2013

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Abstract

Individuals are downloading copyrighted materials at escalating rates (Hill 2007; Siwek 2007). Since most materials shared within these networks are copyrighted works, providing, exchanging, or downloading files is considered to be piracy and a violation of intellectual property rights (Shang et al. 2008). Previous research indicates that personal moral philosophies rooted in moral absolutism together with social context may impact decision making in ethical dilemmas; however, it is yet unclear which motivations and norms contextually impact moral awareness in a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing context (Shang et al. 2008). In sum, factors affecting the decision to share copyrighted material require further clarification and investigation (Shang et al. 2008). The purpose of this study was to use a consumer-based scenario and multiple ethics measures to explore how idealism, formalism, and perceived social consensus impact users’ propensity to recognize that the sharing of copyrighted media through P2P networks was an ethical issue and their subsequent ethical intentions. Results showed that high levels of idealism and formalism were associated with an increased recognition that file sharing was an ethical issue, but neither construct had a direct effect on ethical intention. Strong social consensus among respondents that other people consider file sharing to be unethical was also positively related to the recognition that file sharing was an ethical issue, and ethical recognition was a moderate predictor of intention not to engage in file sharing. Finally, a post hoc mediation analysis indicated that idealism, formalism, and social consensus operated through recognition of an ethical issue to impact ethical intention (indirect-only mediation).

Vorheriger Artikel The Embeddedness of Responsible Business Practice: Exploring the Interaction Between National-Institutional Environments and Corporate Social Responsibility

Nächster Artikel Entrepreneurial Feminists: Perspectives About Opportunity Recognition and Governance

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Deep packet inspection (DPI) technologies have been used to reduce illegal usage of P2P networks by inspecting P2P transfer material. DPI can estimate the extent of piracy occurring and notify individual users who may be violating copyright law. However, some encryption software actually prevents DPI from detecting whether transferred material is copyrighted, rendering enforcement attempts ineffective. Thus, P2P users or developers may use encryptions as a way of avoiding detection by transfer inspection technologies.

Valid percentages reported.

Non-responses on this item were coded as “0.”

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Titel: Ethical Decision Making in a Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Situation: The Role of Moral Absolutes and Social Consensus
verfasst von: Connie R. Bateman
Sean Valentine
Terri Rittenburg
Publikationsdatum: 01.06.2013
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in: Journal of Business Ethics / Ausgabe 2/2013
Print ISSN: 0167-4544
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-0697
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1388-1

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