Critical factors contributing to a students decision to pirate software

Scientific Study from the year 2009 in the subject Computer Science - Internet, New Technologies, University of Fairfax, language: English, abstract: The goal of this study was to analyze the factors contributing to a students decision to pirate software. The study focused on students in computer technology disciplines. A quantitative approach was used to test the hypotheses of difficulty, impact, cost/value, risk, and right. The results of the study show that the moral attitudes of whether it is wrong to pirate software are present in those who do not copy software but absent in those who do. The research is valuable for practitioners and policy makers.