Abstract
As a result of recent legislative developments and greater ease of accessibility, the Human Resources Manager (HRM) faces the challenge of not only maintaining records but also that of protecting employees from misuse of personal information contained in their individual personnel files. The widespread use of computers for maintaining employee records has resulted in new ethical dimensions and/or challenges for the HRM. Serious questions regarding accessibility to and dissemination of such personal information now confront the HRM. Unless policies are developed by organizations for dealing with such questions, eventually government will mandate such policies in order to protect employee rights.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Linowes, David F., ‘Update of Privacy Protection Safeguards’,Personnel Administrator 25 (1980), 40–43.
Bologna, Jack, ‘Corporate Creed or Corporate Greed?’,Administrative Management 41 (1980), 31.
Plant, Jeremy F. and Gortner, Harold F., ‘Ethics, Personnel Management and Civil Service Reform’,Public Personnel Management Journal 10 (1980), 5.
Rein, Lowell S., ‘Is Your (Ethical) Slippage Showing?’,Personnel Journal 59 (1980), 741.
‘Playing Fair with Personnel Information’,Management Review 69 (1980), 36.
Perham, John, ‘New Push for Employee Privacy’,Dun's Review 113 (1979), 112. See also Noel, A1, ‘Privacy: A Sign of Our Times’,Personnel Administrator 26 (1981), 59–62.
Levin, Hermine Zagat, ‘Privacy of Employee Records’,Personnel 58 (1981), 4.
Linowes,op. cit., pp. 40–41.
OR. REV. STAT. 652.750et seq. (1977); 43 PA. CONS. STAT. 1323 (1978).
ILL. REV. STAT. 1979, Ch.127, par. 1202 2(3).
Linowes,op.cit., p. 40. See also Block, Victor, ‘Privacy Impacts DP World’,Infosystems 26 (1979), 94–96.
Comment,The Use and Abuse of Computerized Information: Striking A Balance Between Personal Privacy Interests and Organizational Information Needs, 44 ALBANY L. REV. 589 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
She was previously an Assitant Professor of Management at the Western Illinois University, Management Department. She currently is admitted to the State Bars of Texas, Illinois, and Ohio. Her most recent important publications are ‘Mobil and Marathon: A Case Study in the Application of Regulatory Law’,Midwest Business Law Association Proceedings (Spring 1982) and ‘The Uniform Product Liability Law: Will It Achieve the Acceptance Given the UCC and UPA?,Midwest Business Law Association (April 1981) (paper presentation).
He is the recipient of the Distinguished Paper Award, Southwest Federation of Administrative Disciplines, Houston, Texas, March 1983. His most important publication is ‘Doing Business Abroad: The Problem of Training for Cultural Differences in Communication’,Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (in press: to be published Fall, 1983).
His most important publication is ‘An Investigation of the Effects of Geographic Area and Age Upon the, Attitudes of American Entrepreneurs Toward the Work Ethic’,Small Business Institute Review (in press: to be published May, 1983).
He has been Visiting Professor of Management Sciences at The University of Iowa. He holds an Accredited Personnel Diplomate in both Personnel Research and Training and Development by the Personnel Accreditation Institute. His most important publications are ‘Business Ethics Reviewed: An Abductive Analysis’,Proceedings of the American Business Law Association, 54th Annual Meering, 1977 and ‘What the Competition is Doing: Your Need to Know?,Harvard Business Review (November–December, 1974).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heiland, C.R., Daniels, J.P., Shane, H.M. et al. The ethical imperative: Myth or reality?. J Bus Ethics 3, 119–125 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388813
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388813