INFORMATION SYSTEMS’ STRATEGIC ROLE AND IMPACT ON THE STOCK MARKET: A STUDY INVOLVING BRAZIL AND THE USA

Abstract

This paper presents an overview on the strategic role of information systems in the stock market under a historical perspective, aiming to discuss their ethical, social and political impacts on society, focusing on the stock markets of Brazil and the USA. It is possible to classify systems according to their strategic goals: there are systems aiming at ensuring the organization’s survival or aiming at providing competitive advantage. Based on that classification, the strategic goals, ethical, social and political impacts of each kind of system are analyzed. We conclude that, in the case of stock markets, systems aiming at ensuring the organization’s survival have brought great benefits to society, although there were some negative ethical impacts, since these systems have caused the dismissal of a huge number of employees in the Brazilian case. Systems aiming to provide competitive advantage have brought some benefits related to increased liquidity in markets. However, these systems raise several ethical, social and political issues, which need to be better understood and dealt with by organizations that operate in the stock market.