The Moral and Business Value of Information Technology: What to do in Case of a Conflict?

Abstract

This chapter explores the question of the value of information technology from a wider angle than the usual financial perspective. The central thesis is that value is always more than just a financial notion, that it always includes a moral or ethical dimension. From this starting point, the paper investigates the different types of values that play a role in information technology. Due to the multitude of values that determine our dealing with information technology, it is clear that there can be conflicts between them. The paper, therefore, proceeds to introduce a framework that allows the conciliation of competing values by introducing values of a higher order, so-called option values and legacy values. It is then demonstrated that this framework can help solve the problem of value conflicts in IT.