Information Technology Reference
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influence behavior indirectly) that would reduce
losses to business and society.
Banerjee, Cronan, and Jones (1998) developed
the basis of an ethical research framework, based
on the TPB, to model the ethical behavior inten-
tions of information systems professionals. This
framework incorporated much of the prior eth-
ics research. Their model integrated factors that
included attitude and personal normative beliefs
(TPB), moral judgment (Kohlberg, 1969; Rest,
1986), ego strength, locus of control, organiza-
tional climate (Trevino, 1986), and environmental
(Bommer, Gratto, Gravander, & Tuttle, 1987) and
individual attributes. In an empirical test of the
model, three variables were significant—personal
normative beliefs, organizational climate, and an
organization-scenario variable, which had been
included as a control variable. Though many of the
model's variables were not found to be statistically
significant, the authors believed this could be due
to the small sample size in their study.
Equity theory (Adams, 1963, 1965; Walster,
Berscheid, & Walster, 1973; Walster, Walster, &
Berscheid 1978) has served as the basis for fairness
in IT decision making. Joshi (1989) considered
the equity dimensions of reciprocal, procedural,
and distributive fairness of providing IT services
implying that the perception of nonfairness could
lead to unethical behavior. Glass and Wood (1996)
found equity theory significantly influences inten-
tion to pirate software.
Attitude has been long acknowledged as the
most important construct in social psychology
(Allport, 1935). This is evident by the overwhelm-
ing amount of research published in this area. The
attitude component has also been found to be the
most significant factor influencing behavioral
intention. A review of the ethics research by
Trafimow and Finlay (1996) found that attitude
was the best predictor of intention in 29 out of 30
studies. For example, Peace, Galleta, and Thong
(2003) found that attitude (explained by punish-
ment and software costs) had the strongest effect on
intention to pirate software. A compelling reason
why attitude is so important is that attitude can
be changed through persuasion and other means.
understanding it ethiCal
behavior
Prior research has attempted to explain ethical
behavior. Jones (1991) provides an excellent sum-
mary of ethical decision models from which many
of the behavioral and ethical models explaining
software piracy are derived. The theory of planned
behavior (TPB) asserts that intention to perform
a behavior is based on one's attitude towards
the behavior, the social influence to perform/not
perform the behavior (subjective norms), and
one's control over performing such a behavior
(perceived behavioral control) (Ajzen, 1991).
Analogous to Simon's human decision-making
model (Simon, 1960) in the information systems
literature, the Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) and Ajzen
and Fishbein (1977, 1982) consumer behavior
model incorporates various learning theories
into a model explaining consumer behavior. The
theory of reasoned action (TRA) is prevalent in
the consumer behavior literature and has been
found consistent with expectancy value theories
and exchange theory (Harder, 1991). Venkatesh,
Morris, Davis, and Davis (2003) also provides a
good summary of TRA and TPB in their discussion
of models and theories of individuals' acceptance
of technology.
Ethical behavior is one kind of general behavior
that is usually studied using TPB. The attitude
construct is the closest match to ethical judg-
ment in the TPB model (compared to subjective
norms, perceived behavioral control, intention,
or behavior). Both attitude and ethical judgment
have been used to explain intention/behavior, and
the TPB has been used to explain ethical behavior
(Banerjee, Cronan, & Jones, 1998; Dubinsky &
Loken, 1989; Flannery & May, 2000; Randall &
Gibson, 1991).
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