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Reflexivity involves critical reflection by the qualitative researcher as to the influence of the researcher's culture, history and belief on the conduct and outcome of the research. It is often seen as a practice exercised in the analysis of results in order to attempt to objectify the research. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the value of reflexivity is located in its practice in the field encounter as a means of recognising and embracing subjectivity. In order to widen reflexivity as hermeneutics, the paper draws on Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics as developed in “Truth and Method”.

This is a conceptual paper which distils critical themes from Gadamer's truth and method and applies them to the concept of reflexivity as applied in the field.

The paper suggests that reflexivity is an important component in the field encounter. Immersion in the language and terms of the field is critical to understanding meaning; who I am, my past, my lived experience are essential inputs to my research; the researcher's opinions, ideas and outspoken statements are part of the fabric of qualitative research; qualitative interpretation as a creative exercise; qualitative research should bring insight and understanding that can be applied to catalyse change.

Understanding and applying reflexivity in the field will provide innovative insights which can be carried through to the data analysis.

This study uniquely applies Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics to reflexivity and the field encounter.

This paper aims to outline an ethical framework for the deployment of facial recognition technology (FRT) in policing practice and highlight the ethical significance of the facial image.

This paper sets out an ethical approach to the practice of facial recognition deployment derived from Emmanuel Levinas’ Ethics of the Face. Ideas concerning alterity and the role of the face as a source of ethical obligation are used to establish the significance of responsibility and accountability in FRT usage.

Reflecting on the ethics of the face suggests that facial recognition amplifies requirements for accountability and responsibility in comparison with other biometric techniques and requires stronger legal safeguards.

This paper offers practical improvements through: improved process in applying FRT and changes to information management practice which treat the facial image with heightened accountability and traceability. Training is suggested which creates an understanding of the face and an improved approach to the information management of FRT data. Recommendations are made on selection of officers deployed in the field.

Using Levinas’ concept of the face and ethical philosophy provides a unique and novel lens for characterizing the legal and ethical issues concerning FRT in police practice and results in new insights as to the productive use of FRT in public policing.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the ethical investigation of the emerging practice of people analytics (PA) within human resource (HR) management through charting the development of PA before during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper is designed as a short review of the current thinking in the ethics of PA, a practical journey through the progression of PA across the pandemic and a theoretical exploration of PA through three lenses: virtue ethics, critical social theory and actor network theory.

The authors suggest that PA raises novel ethical issues in terms of personal impact, increased penetration into working and home lives and the punch delivered in terms of organisational and behavioural change.

This study provides a short review of three theoretical approaches to PA. Detailed research and reflection is required to develop and extend an ethics of PA. While engagement with the ethics of PA requires gaining an understanding of the discipline, ideas and jargon of HR management, it is essential that ethicists engage with PA as HR departments take on greater influence and adopt executive roles.

PA is now at the top of the HR management agenda, but there is limited understanding of the technology, the ethics and the new responsibilities it brings for HR management. This paper raises the profile of an ethical agenda, which practitioners should engage with.

The ethical consequences of PA have social implications as work practices change and hybrid working becomes prevalent. It has the potential to change the relationship between home and the workplace.

This paper provides a unique synthesis of theory and practice in a new area of ethical importance.

The planning and implementation of electronic information systems and technology (IS/IT) following the National Health Service (NHS) reforms in the UK are both widespread and significant. Considers these new organizational arrangements, for primary care general practitioners (GPs), to aid decisions for the referral of patients to hospital specialists. The proposals, through an analyses of the concept of markets and hierarchies, may result in an alternative and better referral experience for those patients who express a preference. Presents an overview of the reforms and notes the subsequent impact of IS/IT as a facilitator for changing the structure of primary care within the NHS. Argues that, if primary care physicians adopt a more appropriate management of IS/IT and are proactive in its application, then the outcome will produce more patient choice, less non‐attendance and consequently improved health care provision.

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel mnemonic, ACTIVE, inspired by Mason's 1985 PAPA mnemonic, which will help researchers and IT professionals develop an understanding of the major issues in information ethics.

Theoretical foundations are developed for each element of the mnemonic by reference to philosophical definitions of the terms used and to virtue ethics, particularly MacIntyrean virtue ethics. The paper starts with a critique of the elements of the PAPA mnemonic and then proceeds to develop an understanding of each of the elements of ACTIVE ethics, via a discussion of the underpinning virtue ethics.

This paper identifies six issues, described by the mnemonic, ACTIVE. ACTIVE stands for: autonomy, the ability of the individual to manage their own information and make choice; community, the ethical effect of an information systems on the community which it supports; transparency, the extent to which the derivation of content and process in an information system is made clear; identity, the social and ethical effect of an information system on the definition and maintenance of the distinctive characteristics of a person; value, the value or moral worth placed on information associated with an individual and hence on the relationship with the individual; and empathy, the ability of the information systems professional to emotionally connect with the user and the extent to which the information system distances or connects.

The paper applies virtue ethics to developing a tool to help information professionals reflect on their ethical practice in developing and supporting information systems.

In recent years local authorities and hospitals within the UK have been subjected to substantial change, which has resulted in an explosion in the use of information systems (IS). IS managers, personnel and executives within local authorities and hospitals were interviewed in order to determine the effect of context and culture on the take‐up of IS. Context was considered at an external and internal level. Cultural issues were particularly important in the take‐up of IS. In both local authorities and hospitals the IT culture clashed with the subcultures it was supporting. Highlights three issues: the cultural decentralization of IS, which resulted in an unplanned proliferation of disparate systems; the over‐emphasis on operational systems by the IS function to the detriment of management information systems; and the reinforcing of barriers between subcultures through incompatible IS. Suggests that IS departments within the public sector need to be proactive in their support of subcultures and to enrol them in a common goal of the provision of integrated IS within the organization.

Reports that there are increasing trends towards the commercialisation of public sector information. Explains the concepts of information trading and discusses the role of the public sector. Describes three case studies within the UK government. Identifies the lack of a uniform approach to information trading within UK government departments in terms of attitudes to information provision, information costing and pricing and the resourcing of an information trading function. Discusses issues concerning the national and departmental policy on information distribution and trading; the resourcing and management of information technology to support the information trading function; the development of an information‐aware culture within the government and its departments and the development of contractual relationships with marketing agents within the private sector. Examines the effect of online information provision on information trading. Discusses the application of agency theory to the study of the role of marketing agents and identifies their importance in the development of a public sector information trading market. Concludes that there is a lack of clear direction for government departments concerning information trading.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emancipatory promises and realities of information and communication technology (ICT) in Egypt.

The combination of Habermasian and Foucauldian ideas implemented by a critical discourse analysis of the Egyptian Information Society Policy and interviews with employees of local decision support systems employees. Promises and rhetoric are contrasted with findings and questioned with regards to their validity.

On the policy level, analysis shows that the emancipating rhetoric of ICT is not followed through. ICT is mostly seen as a means of attracting foreign direct investment. Neither political participation nor educational benefits are promoted seriously. On the local level, culture and organisational realities prevent individuals from exploiting the emancipatory potential of the technology.

The combination of the Habermasian and Foucauldian approach exposes the problems of ICT use in developing countries. It shows that emancipation is used to legitimise ICT policies but is not taken seriously on a policy level in Egypt. Local implementations also fail to deliver on their promise. In order to have emancipatory effects, ICT policy and use will need to be reconsidered.

This paper draws on a recent approach to ethnography in order to explore some cultural issues in the development of software quality procedures within software development. Methodologically, the purpose is to show how performance autoethnography can be effective in highlighting cultural issues. In terms of software quality, the paper intends to contribute towards establishing the importance, even primacy, of human issues in software quality management.

The approach used, performance ethnography, involves finding different ways of presenting ethnographies, including dramatic readings of interviews, in order to challenge the audience. In this case a poetic approach is used to engage the audience in understanding cultural and contextual issues around software quality. The paper applies performance ethnography to autoethnographic output in which the researcher reflects on his own experience. The paper presents four pieces describing human issues in software quality. A “Sense of excitement” compares and contrasts writing programs and writing newspaper articles. The “Visit” is presented in the style of a self‐interview, a stream‐of‐consciousness recall of events around the launch and implementation of a hospital information system. IBM Hursley looks analytically at multiple events in the development of diagnostic programs for a distributed system. Finally, Separation focuses on the effect of severed communication between analyst and programmer on the quality of some commercial software. Each piece is subjected to critical discussion which reviews its effectiveness as performance ethnography.

The paper demonstrates the effectiveness of performance autoethnography in highlighting the cultural and political dimensions of software quality management. The pieces in this paper suggest that human issues are important in software quality management. Software quality is a product of relationships. It depends on the quality of the relationships between supplier and customer.

This paper offers the first example of performance ethnography applied in information systems research. There is a lack of personalised approaches to presenting management concepts in software development. This paper provides an example of a different approach of value to both researchers and teachers.

The Secretary of State for Social Services, in conjunction with the Treasury, in exercise of his powers under section 8 of the National Insurance Act 1969, hereby makes the following regulations which, by virtue of the provisions of section 10(1) of the said Act of 1969, are exempt from the requirements of section 108 of the National Insurance Act 1965 (preliminary draft of regulations under that Act to be submitted to the National Insurance Advisory Committee) and section 62(2) of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1965 (proposal to make regulations under that Act to be submitted to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council):—