An information systems perspective on ethical trade and self-regulation

✍ Scribed by Richard Duncombe; Richard Heeks

• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 189 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-1102
• DOI: 10.1002/itdj.1590100206

✦ Synopsis

Increasing numbers of ethical trade initiatives are being launched, reflecting concerns about the limited benefits that globalising trade brings to producers in developing countries. Ethical trade is an information-intensive activity. Yet little is known about the role of information systems in supporting ethical trade. This paper provides a preliminary conceptualisation of ethical trade regulatory information systems. It presents models and issues in relation to both information, and information and communication technologies. Ethical trade -with its voluntary codes and consumer campaigns -also represents a new approach to interaction between market actors. This is the approach of self-regulation, that moves beyond binding state regulation and sanctions to something seen as more appropriate to a globalised, liberalised economy. Findings about information systems and ethical trade therefore also advance our understanding of self-regulation.