Deck 10: Ethics of It Organizations

Question 1

U.S. employers need not pay an H-1B worker roughly the same rate as U.S. citizens performing the same work.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The number of declared undergraduate computer science majors at doctoral-granting computer science departments has declined steadily for the past decade - 1999 to 2009.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

It is fairly simple to prevent contingent workers from passing on corporate processes and strategies to subsequent employers.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

There is no evidence that the hiring of H-1B workers has affected the salaries of U.S. IT workers.

Question 5

Temporary workers, contractors, consulting firms, H-1B workers, and outsourced offshore workers are examples of nontraditional workers.

Question 6

Contingent work is a job situation in which an individual does not have an explicit or implicit contract for long-term employment.

Question 7

In a coemployment relationship, two employers have actual or potential legal rights and duties with respect to the same employee.

Question 8

IT firms and organizations that use IT products and services are concerned about a shortfall in the number of U.S. workers to fill positions in networking and data communications analysis.

Question 9

Each year the U.S. Congress sets a federal cap on the number of H-1B visas to be granted. Since 2004 the cap has been set at 75,000.

Question 10

Nearly 40% of H-1B temporary workers are employed as computer programmers.

Question 11

Computer hardware manufacturers are sometimes faced with dealing with raw material suppliers who funnel money to groups engaged in armed conflict, including some who commit crimes and human rights abuses.

Question 12

After a worker's H-1B visa expires, the foreign worker must remain outside the United States for six years before another H-1B will be approved.

Question 13

H-1B workers are highly educated and need little assistance to work effectively in U.S. organizations.

Question 14

If workers sign an agreement indicating that they are contractors and not employees, this is the deciding factor as to whether or not they are an employee and not the degree of control the company exercises over the employees.

Question 15

Contingent workers must be treated like official employees of the company and are eligible for vacation, sick days, and retirement benefits.

Question 16

Outsourcing is a short-term business arrangement in which a company contracts for services with an overseas organization that has expertise in providing a specific function.

Question 17

When an organization decides to use contingent workers for a project, it is making a trade-off between completing a single project quickly and cheaply versus developing people within its own organization.

Question 18

If a particular project requires only temporary help, and the workers will not be needed for future projects, the use of contingent workers is a poor approach.

Question 19

Depending on how closely workers are supervised and how the job is structured, contingent workers may be viewed as permanent employees by the Internal Revenue Service, the Labor Department, or a state's workers' compensation and employment agencies.

Question 20

India is widely acknowledged as the best source of programming skills outside Europe and North America.

Question 21

A qui tam plaintiff can receive between 15 and 30 percent of the total recovery from the defendant, depending on how helpful the person was to the success of the case.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true about the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast for employment between 2006 and 2014?

A) Business is facing a long term excess of trained and experienced IT workers.
B) Organizations using IT products and services are concerned about the excess of U.S. workers available to fill IT related positions.
C) Jobs related to networking and data communications analysis had the highest forecasted growth rate at 50 percent.
D) Employment in computer system design and related services are expected to decline slightly.

Question 23

Because contingent workers are already specialists in a particular task, the hiring firm does not customarily incur _____.

A) relocation expenses
B) start-up costs
C) training expenses
D) travel expenses

Question 24

Electronic manufacturing employees and suppliers at all steps along the supply chain and manufacturing process are at risk of unhealthy exposure to potentially harmful materials.

Question 25

Violators of the False Claims Act are liable for four times the dollar amount for which the government was defrauded.

Question 26

To be classified as a truly green PC, the PC must meet other criteria than simply use less electricity to run than the standard computer.

Question 27

Companies can use the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70, Service Organizations to assess if company data is protected in an outsourcing arrangement.

Question 28

A situation in which two employers have actual or potential legal rights and duties with respect to the same employee or group of employees is called _____.

A) contingent employment
B) employee leasing
C) a coemployment relationship
D) outsourcing

Question 29

The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition established a system that enables purchasers to evaluate, compare, and select electronic products based on a total of 51 environmental criteria.

Question 30

The key lesson from Viscaino v. Microsoft is that _____.

A) even if contractors sign an agreement indicating that they are contractors and not employees, the deciding factor is not the agreement but how many hours per week they are asked to work
B) even if contractors sign an agreement indicating that they are contractors and not employees, the deciding factor is not the agreement but who oversees their work
C) even if contractors sign an agreement indicating that they are contractors and not employees, the deciding factor is not the agreement but who performs their performance appraisal
D) even if contractors sign an agreement indicating that they are contractors and not employees, the deciding factor is not the agreement but the degree of control the company exercises over the employees

Question 31

A whistle-blower must be an employee of the company that is misbehaving.

Question 32

The cost advantage of offshore outsourcing to India is continuing to increase.

Question 33

The EICC has established a code of conduct that established guidelines across five areas of responsibility: labor, health and safety, environment, management system, and ethics.

Question 34

One potential disadvantage of using contingent workers is that _____.

A) the costs for their health care, paid time off, and contributions to a retirement plan can be considerable
B) the company may have to adjust the number of contingent workers that it uses to meet business needs
C) there can be substantial training expenses
D) they may not feel a strong connection to the company for which they are working

Question 35

The _____ lawsuit dramatically illustrated the cost of misclassifying employees and violating laws that cover compensation, taxes, unemployment insurance, and overtime.

A) McClain v. Hewlett-Packard
B) Wainwright v. IBM
C) Viscaino v. Microsoft
D) Brown et al v. Oracle

Question 36

The European Union passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive which restricts the use of many hazardous materials in computer manufacturing.

Question 37

Which of these statements about contingent workers is true?

A) Typically contingent IT workers work as a separate, independent group of workers and move from project to project working for the same firm.
B) A firm is likely to use contingent IT workers if it experiences pronounced fluctuations in its technical staffing needs.
C) Contingent workers are eligible for most company benefits such as vacation, sick pay, and medical insurance.
D) Because they do not receive additional compensation through company benefits, contingent IT workers usually make less that full-time employees doing equivalent work.

Question 38

Which of the following is a true statement about the number of declared undergraduate computer science majors at doctoral-granting computer science departments?

A) there was a decline in enrollment in spite of the forecast for an increased number of workers in this field
B) there was an increase in enrollment in spite of the forecast for a decreased number of workers in this field
C) there has been a steady decline in enrollment for over nine years
D) the level of enrollment has remained about the same for the past seven years

Question 39

Another disadvantage of using contingent workers is that _____.

A) contingent workers may pass on information about corporate processes and strategies to subsequent clients who could be competitors
B) contingent workers may attempt to form a union
C) contingent workers can demand payment for health insurance and retirement benefits
D) contingent workers avoid the need to hire new employees and then let them go when staffing needs decrease

Question 40

The IT consulting firm with the most employees is _____.

A) Tata Consultancy Service
B) IBM
C) Hewlett Packard
D) Accenture

Question 41

__________________________________________________ is a system that enables purchasers to evaluate, compare, and select electronic products based on a total of 51 environmental criteria.

Question 42

When considering the use of H-1B workers, companies should take into account that even highly skilled and experienced H-1B workers may required help with _____.

A) finding adequate housing
B) their English
C) obtaining a driver's license
D) dealing with financial institutions

Question 43

_____ is a form of outsourcing in which services are provided by an organization whose employees are in a foreign country.

A) Consulting
B) Employee leasing
C) Offshore outsourcing
D) H-1B

Question 44

The cost advantage for offshore outsourcing to India used to be 6:1 or more. It is estimated that once this advantage shrinks to _____ or less, cost savings would no longer be an incentive for U.S. offshore outsourcing to India.

A) 4.5:1
B) 3.0:1
C) 2.0:1
D) 1.5:1

Question 45

After a worker's H-1B visa expires, the foreigner must _____.

A) return to school to get an advanced degree before applying for another H-1B visa
B) apply to become a U.S. citizen
C) remain outside the United States for one year before another H-1B petition will be approved
D) never again apply for an H-1B visa

Question 46

_____ is a country known as a leading offshore outsourcing country that is close to the United States, has no language barriers, and has a highly skilled labor pool.

A) Mexico
B) United Kingdom
C) Canada
D) Bermuda

Question 47

To qualify as a truly "green computer", the computer must use less electricity to run than the standard computer, reduce the amount of hazardous materials used, and dramatically increase the amount of ________________________________________.

Question 48

An H-1B visa is a temporary visa granted for people who _____.

A) only work in the IT field
B) work in specialty occupations that require at least a four-year bachelor's degree
C) were educated outside the U.S. and wish to work in the U.S.
D) were born and educated outside the U.S. but have relatives living in the U.S.

Question 49

Before a company can apply for an H-1B visa worker, it must file _____.

A) a statement of intent to hire a foreign worker
B) a Labor Condition Statement
C) a petition to hire an H-1B worker
D) a visa request with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Question 50

Congress has set the number of H-1B visas to be granted at _____ per year each year since 2004 with another 20,000 visas available for only foreign graduates of U.S. universities with advanced degrees.

A) 55,400
B) 5,400
C) 6,500
D) 65,000

Question 51

Which of the following actions is recommended to avoid potential coemployment issues with contingent workers _____.

A) When hiring continent workers, plan to use them over an extended period of time to minimize turnover.
B) Be specific in telling contingent workers where, when, and how to do their work to avoid any confusion.
C) Avoid training contingent workers.
D) Provide and pay for all equipment, computers, and e-mail accounts that contingent workers need to perform their job.

Question 52

The _____________________________________________ was established to promote a common code of conduct for the electronics and communications technology industry.

Question 53

The EICC has established a code of conduct that defines performance, compliance, auditing, and reporting guidelines across five areas of social responsibility: labor, health and safety, environment, management system, and ____________________.

Question 54

An H-1B worker can work for a U.S. employer for a maximum continuous period of _____ years.

A) two
B) four
C) six
D) eight

Question 55

The _____ is an internationally recognized standard that companies can use to ensure that company data is protected in an outsourcing arrangement.

A) statement on Auditing Standards No. 70
B) Sarbanes-Oxley
C) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
D) CMMI

Question 56

Companies applying for H-1B visas must offer a wage that is not _____ less than the average salary for the occupation.

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 20%

Question 57

The _____ allows a private citizen to file a sit in the name of the U.S. government.

A) False Claims Act
B) qui tam provision
C) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
D) U.S. Patriot Act

Question 58

The United States has _____ federal law(s) protecting the export of toxic waste.

A) no
B) just one
C) two
D) several

Question 59

Heads of U.S. companies continue to complain that they have trouble finding _____ and have urged the USCIS to loosen the reins on visas for qualified workers.

A) enough qualified IT workers
B) enough qualified H-1B workers
C) enough H-1B workers
D) enough trained H-1B workers

Question 60

Personal computers are composed of many different materials known to be potentially harmful to humans and the environment. These materials include beryllium, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, polyvinyl chloride, and ______________________________.

Question 61

Nick Benson, an employee of TJX, reported many computer-related security problems at the firm prior to a massive computer-date security breach. He reported these verbally to TJX managers and also posted information about the breaches in an online security forum. Benson was acting as a(n) ____________________.

Question 62

Violators of the False Claims Act are liable for ____________________ times the dollar amount for which the government was defrauded.

Question 63

Successful outsourcing projects require day-to-day interaction between software development and business teams, so it is essential for the hiring company to take a ____________________ approach to project management.

Question 64

Organizations often find that it can take years of ongoing effort and a large up-front investment to develop a good ____________________ with an offshore outsourcing firm.

Question 65

_______________ is the most common charge in qui tam cases.

Question 66

Offshore outsourcing is a form of outsourcing in which the services are provided by an organization whose ________________________________________.

Question 67

The ____________________ provision of the False Claim Act allows a private citizen to file a suit in the name of the U.S. government, charging fraud by government contractors and other entities who receive or use government funds.

Question 68

Many states have created laws that prevent workers from being fired because of an employee's participation in ____________________ activities.

Question 69

____________________ and language differences can cause misunderstandings among project members in different countries.

Question 70

Many U.S. IT organizations set up development centers in low-cost foreign countries where they have access to a large pool of _________________________.

Question 71

An employee who identifies an illegal or unethical practice should begin to compile _________________________ to establish wrongdoing.

Question 72

A(n) ______________________________ at TJX affecting 94 million Visa and MasterCard accounts occurred in June 2005.

Question 73

Offshore outsourcing has the potential to dramatically ____________________ development efforts and enable workers to make progress on the project around the clock.

Question 74

The ____________________ passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive which restricts the use of many hazardous materials in computer manufacturing.

Question 75

The False Claims Act provides strong ____________________ protection.

Question 76

Firms that outsource must take precautions to protect ____________________, regardless of where it is stored or processed or who handles it.

Question 77

Because wages in the IT field vary greatly, unethical companies can get around the _________________________.

Question 78

The environmental activist organization ____________________ issues a quarterly ranking of the top manufacturers of personal computers, mobile phones, TVs, and game consoles according to the manufacturers' polices on toxic chemicals, recycling, and climate change.

Question 79

Most ethical companies make hiring decisions based on how well an applicant fulfills the ____________________.

Question 80

The ____________________, also known as the Lincoln Law, was enacted during the U.S. Civil War to combat fraud by companies that sold supplies to the Union Army.