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Paper details
The is open readings, open notes, open internet, etc. The limits are that you must work on this independently
from your classmates, and that any material you quote and reference you must cite. I’m not picky about the
citation style – just be consistent.
These questions should be addressed primarily using resources from this class, although its OK (and
encouraged) to use external sources to make your case.
Some of the previous assignments were about analysis – breaking a concept into smaller parts in order
understand it more deeply. The questions comprising this assignment are about synthesis – bringing multiple
ideas and sources together in order to address an issue. There are many different resources that will be
relevant to answering these questions. Use whatever of those you want, and feel free to find some of your own
as you feel necessary.
All answers are supposed to be in the form of hypothetical memos, as you are the advisor in these examples.
Answer each of the three questions below. Each memo should be around 300 words.
Questions
- Your for-profit organization is interested in the marketing potential of big data, since it seems that is the best
way to understand customer needs and wants. The executive team is considering contacting a data broker, but
has never done anything like this before, and is concerned about how relying on big data might introduce new
kinds of risks into the organization. So you have been asked to prepare a memo about this for them. Knowing
what you do about law and ethics in data control, what advice would you give them about working with a data
broker? - Your non-profit organization is interested in understanding the homelessness crisis, and is convinced that
data is one good way to do this. But your executive team is concerned that collecting this kind of data could
bring up sensitive issues. Knowing what you do about the ethics and law of data collection, prepare a memo for
your executive team on best ethical practices in this area. - You organization is considering new hiring practices. In particular, your executive team is interested in the
ways that data can be used to recruit, hire, and retain the right candidates. The executive team is going to hear
competing pitches from three companies that offer solutions in HR/employee analytics. In advance of those
meetings, you have been asked to prepare a memo for your executive team, advising them on the right
questions they should be asking these potential contractors. Knowing what you do about the ethics of
prediction and other issues in data law/ethics, prepare a memo advising them about the best questions to ask.