It is now time to review a case study that focuses on ethical behavior.
Access the Open APM’s ethics case study resource provided below to read a scenario concerning ethics in projects.
Can you pinpoint a few instances of professional conduct highlighted in this scenario? Reflect on the skills employed to integrate ethical considerations into the decisions made by the individuals involved. Can you recognize them?
Share your responses in the discussion section below.
After posting your comment, proceed to the next step, where you will find some potential answers provided by APM for these questions.
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Based on the case study, two issues that stand out in this scenario are:
1. Misrepresentation of information: William, the client’s representative, presents a report that appears to be fabricated or manipulated to achieve a desired outcome, rather than a genuine representation of the engagement with stakeholders.
1. Lack of transparency and accountability: William’s actions suggest a lack of transparency and accountability in the project management process. He seems more interested in delivering a report that will please John and the project team, rather than ensuring that the report accurately reflects the stakeholder engagement.
The skills used to help bring ethics into decisions in this scenario include:
1. Critical thinking: Karen’s critical thinking skills are impressive. She’s able to identify potential issues with the report and speak up.
2. Ethical awareness: Karen’s awareness of the ethical implications of presenting a potentially flawed report is commendable. She encourages John to take a closer look, demonstrating her commitment to doing the right thing.
3. Collaboration and communication: Karen and John’s collaborative approach to addressing the issue, including their open and honest communication, helps to ensure that the project is managed in an ethical and transparent manner.
Lack of teamwork: Mr Williams thought he has more knowledge more than John and he went ahead to conduct his own engagement without letting others know.which also leads to lack of communication.
The skills that was used to solve those identify issues
Communication skill: Karen discussing and letting his team to know the identified issues on the project and John was able to listen to her about it
Observation skills: Karen in the other hand observed everything that was happening among John and William
I think that’s one of the reasons she was able to tackle the identified issues.
After analyzing the case study,a couple of issues of professional conduct.
1. Lack of transparency; Williams was not transparent with his research results/reports, hence the disagreement between them.
2. Lack of communication; John’s decision to move to the project site without prior communication with Williams was a blocker to how they were going to carryout the research.
The skills used to bring ethics into the decisions are;
1. Communication; when they were open to communicate properly, they were able to resolve it ethically.
2. Critical thinking; Karen’s ability to analyze the situation, identity potential issues and consider the ethical implications to the project
After analyzing the case study, I identified a couple of issues of professional conduct:
1. _Lack of transparency_: William’s decision to conduct the engagement programme without John’s knowledge or involvement raises concerns about transparency and honesty.
2. _Integrity of data_: The fact that the opinion research firm’s report seemed “too good to be true” and was later found to have problems, highlights the importance of ensuring the integrity and accuracy of data.
The skills used to bring ethics into decisions in this scenario include:
1. _Critical thinking_: Karen’s ability to analyze the situation, identify potential issues, and consider the ethical implications of the engagement programme.
2. _Effective communication_: Karen’s decision to discuss her concerns with John and her colleagues, and John’s willingness to listen and address the issues, demonstrate the importance of open and honest communication in ethical decision-making.
3. _Professional courage_: Karen’s willingness to speak up and challenge the status quo, despite being relatively new to the firm and still in her probation period, shows professional courage and a commitment to ethical conduct.
After reading the ethics case study, I identified a couple of issues of professional conduct featured in the scenario:
1. _Conflict of interest_: The project manager’s personal relationship with the supplier raises concerns about impartiality and potential favoritism.
2. _Transparency and honesty_: The project manager’s decision to withhold information about the supplier’s performance issues from the project sponsor and stakeholders is unethical.
The skills used to bring ethics into decisions in this scenario include:
1. _Critical thinking_: The ability to analyze the situation, identify potential conflicts of interest, and consider the ethical implications of the project manager’s actions.
2. _Effective communication_: The project manager’s failure to communicate transparently with stakeholders highlights the importance of clear and honest communication in ethical decision-making.
There was lack of team work, poor communication and ineffective problem solving skills amongst Mr Williams, Miss Karen and Mr. John.
There are skills I feel should be developed amongst them such as effective communication and collaborations, risk assessment and management, ability to manage problem and solve them too.
There was lack of team work initially: cause Mr Williams was working alone and sharing his findings with team members.
There was lack of communication: teams members were not communicated well to.
Miss Karen and Mr. Williams has this problem solving skills. Cause they were able to carry out the project and deliver it to there clients
There was lack of communication amongst the project team and the clientele hence the reason Mr. Williams went ahead to carry out a research, Mr. John just accepted it even though unsure about the whole thing and Karen even though saw some loopholes decided to keep silent.
Skills employed for ethical considerations
1. Effective communication: Mr. John and Karen where able to come together and discuss the provided research.
2. Risk Assessment: They were able to ascertain risks that may arise in the course of carrying out the project and were also able to make changes.
3. Problem Solving: Karen was able to search and find a solution to the problems that may arise while carrying out the project.
The team lack communication in the first place and this make it seems as if is only one person that is active in the group John was feeling low of himself because the task as already been sorted out by someone and Karen too was afraid of speaking out her mind . So for a group to be progressive there is need for consistent communication and cooperation
From the beginning, there was lack of communication amongst the team members. This resulted to Karen keeping quiet even when she has discovered something lagging in the report. Proper and good communication skills amongst the members would have made them sit over the report, have the report discussed and opinions shared on the report.