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Positive consideration of software engineering codes of ethics by computing educators promotes inclusion in the teaching of software development courses. For computing educators, this is significant because they contribute immensely to the development of software engineering graduates, not only in terms of teaching technical skills but also in ethical development. This study aims to investigate the perceived importance of codes of ethics by lecturers who teach software development courses at a University of Technology in South Africa. The data was collected using an online survey from 103 educators from two computing departments in a South African UoT; 44 responses were received. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to evaluate the responses; the Pearson Chi-square test was applied to assess the level of association between variables of interest for more conclusive results in addressing the objective of the study. The results of this study indicated that the majority of participants were males; female participants amounted only to 18.2 per cent. Results also reported that most participants agreed with all the statements tested to determine the perceived importance of Software Engineering Codes of Ethics to educators. In addition, an association was presented between the importance of a software engineering code of ethics to an educator and three other variables (the need to teach students about ethical behaviour, an obligation for software engineers to consider the ethical implications of their systems and sex of the respondents) respectively. This study recommended that institutions of higher learning consider finding permanent ways of inculcating a culture of ethical conduct into its staff members, encouraging educators to take up professional memberships with professional bodies. These measures will ensure that software development educators are trained to maintain high standards within their profession, embracing the use and adherence to a code of ethics in the teaching of software development courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, immoral cyberspace users have continued to use the Internet to commit crimes; this has caused unease and has called for quick response to the problem especially within the educational sector. The practical value of this study is in its benefit to other researchers who may be attempting to understand South African or Nigerian cyber technology user's behaviour; it may also help relevant educational authorities to get relevant understanding of behaviour in the realm of cyberspace. Objectives: This study examined undergraduate students in relation to cyber technology at the University of Zululand (UNIZULU), South Africa, and the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria. Method: A survey design, questionnaire as the tool for data collection was adapted and samples for the study were drawn from undergraduate students in two conveniently selected universities in South Africa and Nigeria. Overall, 450 undergraduate students were invited to participate in the survey; 380 respondents completed and returned the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 84.4%. Results: Most of the respondents from the sampled universities reported that they were aware of what constitutes unethical cyber behaviour. Furthermore, the participants revealed that they hardly received orientation at the universities on cyber behaviour. The challenges that the students faces were reported. Conclusion: This study recommends that universities should sustain orientation and/or training programmes on cyber-ethics and cyber security awareness at the start of each academic year. The results of this study may spark further discussions and research on cyber technology access and use in contemporary society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to perform an exploratory study on the knowledge and understanding of the King III code among Human Resources (HR) managers in South African companies. The King III code is a comprehensive international corporate governance regime which addresses the financial, social, ethical and environmental practices of organisations. HR management plays a role in managing corporate governance by using the King III code as a guideline. The main research questions were: Does HR management know, understand, apply, and have the ability to use the King III code in terms of ethical decision-making? What role does HR management play in corporate governance? A random sample of available HR managers, senior HR consultants and HR directors was taken and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results indicated that the respondents had no in-depth knowledge of the King III code. They did not fully understand the King III code and its implications nor did they use it to ensure ethical management. The themes most emphasised by the participants were: culture, reward and remuneration, policies and procedures and performance management. The participants emphasised the importance of these items and HR's role in managing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is currently being undertaken to compare attitudes and behaviour towards ethics in information technology between students at an Australian and a South African university. This work provides a background to ethics from the literature from which a behavioural model for micro- level ethical standards is proposed. Using a theoretical underpinning of Fishbein & Azjen's Theory of Reasoned Action, a survey document has been developed to identify and compare what constructs most affect an individual's intention to behave in situations requiring ethical considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]