Case Study: An information manager working for a professional services firm had many years' experience of electronic information resources.  She had been one of the early users of online databases with complex command language and dial-up access.  She had seen the rise of CD-Roms, DVDs and, of course, the worldwide web with its much more intuitive and user-friendly databases.  Despite these apparent improvements in accessibility, she continued to use some 'old favourites' and, unsurprisingly, had gained considerable knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of these products as well as a great deal of ease of use.

Whereas the information manager felt confident when using these products, she was aware that other information products were available with ostensibly better content and functionality.  However, she hesitated in changing to those potentially better products, partly because of the increased cost presented by some, but principally because she did not want to work with unfamiliar products after so many years.  This gave rise to an ethical conflict of which she was aware.  She reported her dilemma to her line manager, highlighting the breakdown in her impartiality in selecting products when old ones came up for renewal, and the fact that her actions meant that she was compromising her professional integrity and, indeed, the absolute value of the information service she provided.

In seeking to remedy this dilemma, the information manager presented a case for more funding for electronic information products on the grounds that the added cost of the products and of training was outweighed by the additional benefits which would be generated by the better information. 

However, there remained many products which she would still have liked, but her line manager refused to allow the purchase of these. With this in mind, the information manager felt it her responsibility to advise her clients, with qualification, that the information she provided may not be the best available, but it was the best she could provide.

The editors comment...

It is pleasing to note that, although this information manager has behaved in a manner which could potentially have caused damage to her clients and other stakeholders, she has recognised this fact and has attempted to take measures to resolve the situation, both practically and from an ethical perspective.  We might have expected the information manager to have continued to use the 'old favourites' under the possibly false assumption that her familiarity and effectiveness of use provides value for money and that the risk of upgrading products is too great a risk.  The maxim 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' springs to mind.

However, this information professional was aware of her ethical shortcoming and is faced with a more practical obstacle: How to provide the best possible service with the resources available.  It turns out that she cannot easily buy newer, better resources, and has to compromise.  But she has recognised, admirably, that she has a duty to advise her clients that the service she is providing is based on the best information to which she has access, but that this information may not be as good (e.g. as relevant or timely or comprehensive) as information from other products on the market.  This statement is, of course, provided with qualification.

Pleasing also is the fact that the information manager was also acutely aware of the need to stay abreast of developments in the information market and to alert senior management of possible future spending requirements. She became more conscious of the need to select information appropriately from the many sources at her disposal.

Created: v0.9 01-Oct-05 : JG-T.

Revised: v0.91 15-Oct-06 : JG-T.  v1.0 09-Jun-07 : JG-T.  v1.1 14-Jun-07 : JG-T