The Misuse of Technology for Business (Organizational) Gains: A Case Study Approach of Implementing SAP-ISU Technology to Unethically Maximize Organizational Profits.

Abstract

Given the increasing use of Information Systems (IS) technology in organizational settings, business authors have attempted to explore the impact of IS technology on organizational efficiency and productivity. While IS technology offers various benefits to organizations, we know little about the misuse of technology by corporations to maximize their profits unethically. This paper engages with the question of how organizations ignore ethical considerations and exploit certain functions of IS technology to pursue their interests. The authors argue that exploring this area is crucial to outline the ethical use of technology within organizations. To support this research empirically, the authors conducted a qualitative exploratory case study of the implementation of SAP-ISU (Systems, Applications, and products – Industrial Solution for Utilities) technology by a large utility-providing firm in a Southeast Asian Country that misused the ‘billing function’ of the technology to overcharge its customers for personal gains. Methodologically, the authors have borrowed conceptual clarity from the abduction approach to infer the case study findings. In line with the abduction approach, the main findings of the case study data have been used to extend the ‘affordances of the technology’ framework to illustrate how the SAP-ISU technology provided ‘action possibilities’ for the organization to penalize its customers. The case study is compiled after in-depth interviews with 25 managers and 15 customers and an analysis of the secondary data available on the said topic. The qualitative data is analyzed using NVIVO software. This paper concludes that organizations must adhere to ethical compliance while using the technologies to ensure transparency and improved customer experience.