La Trobe Business School BUS5PB
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BUS5PB - Principles of Business Analytics
Assignment 03: Data Ethics and Privacy
Marks: 30%
Assignment Type: Individual
Due Date: 11:00 PM Sunday 2nd June 2019 (submit online to LMS).
The third assignment focuses on the important topic of ethics and privacy in relation to business
analytics. There are three case studies provided and you are required to analyse and provide answers to
the questions outlined below. You can use lecture material and literature to support your responses.
1.0 Case Study – Prevention better than litigation? Monitoring of employee computer use:
1.1 Is it ethical for organisations to monitor employees to detect access to pornography and
then sack them if they have accessed it? Discuss. (6 marks)
1.2 Giving consideration to your response to 1.1, present an Analytical solution that can avoid
the ethical and privacy issues raised while helping the organisation achieve what they want
to. For your specific solution, discuss the ethical and privacy concerns that may arise and
how they are dealt with. (6 marks)
2.0 Case Study – The Ethics of Classification:
2.1 Do you think that using attributes such as weight, chronic illness and marital status is ethical
in this specific case study? Why or why not. (3 marks)
2.2 Giving consideration to 2.1, what attributes will you consider in your classification model to
achieve the same outcome for the hospital? (3 marks)
2.3 Is there a better alternative to 2.2’s classification model in your view as a data scientist? If so,
discuss your solution to help achieve the hospital’s desired outcome(s)? (3 marks)
2.4 In the context of 2.3, discuss the measures that the hospital can take to protect their
patients’ data from being used unethically? (3 marks)
3.0 Case Study – Privacy and security
eaches at Acxiom:
3.1 What could Acxiom do to increase the security and privacy of its customers’ data? (2 marks)
3.2 Based on the article cited in this case study and your own research, do you think the
government should have access to private-sector data? (2 marks)
3.3 In addition to government, what organisations might need access to private data for security
easons? (2 marks)
La Trobe Business School BUS5PB
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Report guidelines
1. Your final report should include answers to all the case study questions, and a reference list
written in Microsoft Word (font size 11) and submitted as a single Word file.
Marking ru
ic
A grade will be awarded to each of the questions and then an overall mark determined for the entire
assessment. The ru
ic below gives you an idea of what you must achieve to earn a certain ‘grade’.
As a general rule, to meet a ‘C’, you must first satisfy the requirements of a ‘D’. And for an ‘A’, you must
first satisfy the requirements of a ‘B’, which must of course first meet the requirements of a ‘C’ and so on.
Giving the nature of these questions, we have a single marking ru
ic as follows.
Criterion A B C D
Case Study answer Pretty much faultless,
achieving what a B
grade has done but
taken to a level where
the argument
presented is highly
thought-out, well-
connected between
one another, and
clearly demonstrates an
understanding of the
case presented. If
equired, relevant
assumptions are made
and these assumptions
are logical and evidence
driven. Additional
esearch undertaken to
support arguments of
ethics and privacy is
also further supported
y literature about the
problem context.
There is good depth to
the discussion and the
arguments presented
goes beyond what is
covered in the lecture
material. It is logical,
articulated and well-
acked by research into
ethics and privacy.
There is evidence that
the answer is well-
thought out and there
is a demonstrated
understanding of ethics
and privacy concerns in
the relevant local
context and the context
of the problem.
The answer presented
is given some thought
ut draws its discussion
points from inadequate
or limited sources. The
arguments presented is
logical and articulated.
While the argument is
acceptable, it could be
stronger or more
considered. The
answers should
demonstrate a step up
from a “common
sense” response.
The most basic answer
is provided but the
arguments are unclear,
incomplete or shows a
lack of thought. The
answers clearly draw
materials and insights
from a limited source
or is put together just
enough to present an
argument. Answer
appears to be
esponding from the
“common sense” of an
individual rather than
taking time to
understand the deeper
aspects of ethics and
privacy.
Other information
• Standard plagiarism and collusion policy, and extension and special consideration policy of
this university apply to this assignment.
• By submitting your work online, the declaration on the university’s assignment cover sheet
is implied and agreed to by you.
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