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ITSD leads by example in upholding integrity of IT practices
27 - 11 - 2001
The Information Technology Services Department (ITSD) attaches
great importance to professional ethics and ensures that its
members and business partners uphold the integrity of information
technology (IT) practices.
Speaking at the "Leveraging IT - Ethics Perspectives for Managers"
Forum 2001 held today (November 27), the Director of Information
Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong Chi-kong, said that Hong Kong's
competitiveness rested upon a clean government and its people
supporting this culture.
Jointly organised by ITSD and the Independent Commission Against
Corruption, the forum provided an opportunity for more than
180 IT professionals and senior managers to examine the role
of ethics in managing the challenges driven by technology advancement.
The theme of Mr Wong's keynote speech was "Public-Private Partnership
in Shaping Hong Kong as a Digital City".
Mr Wong said, "Professional ethics is necessary for the building
of a solid foundation for IT adoption and the continual improvement
in quality of service."
"Professionalism is not limited to the guidebook or the training
class. It must be integrated with our personal values, organisational
culture and community customs.
"We train our people to apply these principles at all times,"
he said, and illustrated the principles by outlining his department's
recent outsourcing tender, the IT Professional Services Arrangement
(ITPSA).
The ITPSA comprises four major categories of IT professional
services.
"We allow companies of different technical capabilities and
operating sizes to bid for only one but not both groups in any
service category, in order to prevent unfair dominance by some
providers," said Mr Wong.
"When we started the preparation for the ITPSA, we have solicited
the views of end users, members of the IT industry and IT professionals
on the structure of the ITPSA.
"This is to ensure that the tender is open, fair and competitive
to all interested companies on a level playing field," he said.
A clear tender document was also developed for the ITPSA which
contained a section on the tender evaluation criteria as well
as sections carrying a sample code of conduct, guidelines and
standards relating to professional practices.
"We ensure that the tendering process is unbiased, that it provides
a level playing field, and that it is fully compliant with the
rules and regulations as stipulated in the Government's Stores
and Procurement Regulations," said Mr Wong.
"We firmly believe that it is important that the Government
and our outsourcing partners uphold the same ethical standards
consistently and rigorously throughout the execution of the
ITPSA contract," he said.
Mr Wong said that a rule-based system is necessary but not sufficient
in enhancing professional ethics. The department also promotes
it through its corporate culture.
The department has established its departmental values - Valuing
People, Integrity, Professionalism, and Striving for Excellence.
For "Professionalism", ITSD will strive to uphold the highest
standards in knowledge, practices and ethics related to the
IT profession.
Besides, ITSD has already developed a set of guidelines to facilitate
a common understanding on professional ethics among all of its
members.
Mr Wong concluded by saying that having a strong cadre of IT
practitioners in Hong Kong who take a serious view on their
professional ethics, practice and standards should go some way
in enhancing our world-class e-business environment and developing
our workforce for the information economy.
- ENDS -
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