Case study As the newly appointed city commissioner of Bikaner India you are determined to brin...........

 As the newly appointed city commissioner of Bikaner,India you are determined to bring your city into the Information Age as quickly as possible. Within two months after taking your new post, you establish a Division of Information and Technology Services and order the director "to get all city agencies on the Internet within six months." The director took her charge seriously and formed a task force to determine what would be needed to bring the city online. After three months of discussion, the task force reported to the director the city should develop a home page with links to each city agency. Additionally, the task force recommended that the city sell advertising space on its home page. Task force members felt that this would be a good way to help recover the costs of acquiring new computer hard-ware and software needed to go online. Moreover, you have made it clear that you strongly favor public-private sector partnerships, especially if they promote economic development. The Divisional Commissioner asks you, the city commissioner, how she should respond to the questions that follow. What would you say to her?

Discussion questions

As the director of it’s began to mull over the recommendations of the task force, she asked herself:

1. Are there any ethical or legal issues in selling advertising space on the city''s some page?

2 Do government agencies accept advertising on print publications such as annual reports, tax forms, etc.?

3. Is selling commercial advertisements on the city''s home page any different than, say, placing commercial ads on municipal buses?

4. Can the city refuse to advertise some products or services?

5. Would a company bidding on a city contract be allowed to place an advertisement on the city''s home page?

6. Would such an ad create the appearance of a conflict of interest?

7. Would political ids be forbidden?

8. How would the city set advertising rates and choose between competitors?

9. Should a disclaimer be placed on the home page stating that the city does not endorse the products or services being advertised?

By: Mona Kaushal