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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Some of the issues featured as a result of professional conduct include
i. Miscommunication between John, William and Karen
ii. Disagreement on the strategy to conduct the first phase of the project
iii. Fear of speaking up by Karen because she is a new employee
iv. William’s Pride and egoism to think that he knows what to do because he has worked for the client agency, thus no need to discuss and consult with John and Karen
v. Connivance between Karen and John to work out a backup plan without the knowledge of William
The skills used to help bring ethics into decisions used by the people involved in this scenario are
i. Analytical skills
ii. Research skills
iii. Networking
iv. Problem solving
v. Teamwork
What I was able to deduce from this is that the team lacks collaboration and teamwork. It all balls down to effective and clear communication. If they had communicated clearly from the start their smart goals and ways they intend to achieve it, then there is definitely going to be collaboration between them
After watching the video, these are the few things I observed; there was miscommunication between John, William and Karen
Karen was afraid of speaking up because she was new and that’s lack of transparency
Williams is not team- oriented and he let his pride and egotism gets in the way
The skills used were;
Ethical decision-making
Analytical and research skills
Networking
Teamwork
Communication
Problem solving
i deduced from the article read that the team lacked skills like teamwork, good comunication and problem solving skills.
after a few weeks karan and john were able to brdge the gap in communication and team work which lead to them brainstrming and solving the problem
Below is my analysis of the key issues of professional conduct and the skills used to bring ethics into decision-making by the individuals involved:
🧩 Key Issues of Professional Conduct in the Scenario
✅ 1. Data Integrity & Authenticity of Stakeholder Engagement
Issue: William rushed the process and replaced genuine engagement with a convenient opinion research report — which raises concerns about the validity and honesty of the data used for critical decision-making.
Why it’s problematic: The project’s success depends on honest, direct feedback from real stakeholders. Faking or simplifying this process undermines the quality of the project and violates ethical standards of transparency and accuracy.
✅ 2. Respect for Agreed Project Processes
Issue: The original plan was to conduct forums and directly engage field stakeholders. William bypassed this process without consulting John or XYZ, showing a lack of collaborative respect and failure to follow agreed procedures.
Why it matters: Skipping agreed project methods violates the principle of procedural integrity and disrespects the consultancy’s role and expertise.
✅ 3. Fear of Speaking Up (Karen’s Dilemma)
Issue: Karen noticed something was off but initially hesitated to speak up due to fear of upsetting her colleague and jeopardizing her probation.
Why it matters: This highlights a toxic workplace risk where team members may suppress ethical concerns due to fear of conflict or job security. Ethical environments should encourage constructive critique without retaliation.
✅ 4. Cultural Assumptions & Miscommunication
Issue: John and William operated from very different cultural assumptions about how stakeholder engagement should be done. William assumed his way was good enough; John assumed his method would be followed.
Why it matters: Cross-cultural projects require active cultural intelligence. Misalignment can cause misunderstandings or lead to unethical shortcuts.
🛠️ Skills Used to Bring Ethics Into Decision-Making
✅ 1. Critical Thinking & Risk Analysis (John & Karen)
Karen and John mapped out possible outcomes — both of accepting a flawed report and challenging it. This shows a strong use of ethical reasoning and impact forecasting.
Rather than reacting emotionally, they evaluated risks and their potential consequences for the project and company reputation.
✅ 2. Open Communication & Courage (Karen)
Even though she was hesitant, Karen spoke up — and later, with thoughtful timing and empathy, initiated a deeper conversation with John.
Her honesty and courage are key ethical leadership behaviors, especially in junior roles.
✅ 3. Collaboration & Solution-Finding (Karen & John)
Rather than confronting William head-on, they sought a constructive workaround — involving a reputable global firm to validate the local report.
This move preserved relationships while upholding professional standards. It also showed collaborative problem-solving and diplomacy.
✅ 4. Upholding Organisational Values (Karen’s Insight)
Karen reminded John that XYZ’s reputation for excellence and integrity was at stake.
This reflection on long-term impact and alignment with company values shows ethical maturity and strategic thinking.
German Tamaranebi Marvelous
Miscommunication and Teamwork: The issue of miscommunication and Teamwork play out when it relates to implementing a project. The team is task we the the ability to communicate and work as a team without breaching ethics that foster inclusivity and oneness in the workplace.
With proper communication, Good listening skills and empathy, as demonstrated in the scenerio, achieve set goals as a team without breaching work ethics.
The issue of professional conduct lies in the internal driven adversity of the ethics in practice where William got the information or feedback from his friends at the opinion research firm which was in contrast with John’s opinion of getting feedback from the already arranged forums.
The skills used to help bring ethics into decisions were problem solving, critical thinking, communication, Research Skills, Collaboration.
Olivia Sarah Aber, Project Management Cohort 26, Team 1
Some of the issues featured as a result of professional conduct include
i. Miscommunication between John, William and Karen
ii. Disagreement on the strategy to conduct the first phase of the project
iii. Fear of speaking up by Karen because she is a new employee
iv. William’s Pride and egoism to think that he knows what to do because he has worked for the client agency, thus no need to discuss and consult with John and Karen
v. Connivance between Karen and John to work out a backup plan without the knowledge of William
The skills used to help bring ethics into decisions used by the people involved in this scenario are
i. Analytical skills
ii. Research skills
iii. Networking
iv. Problem solving
v. Teamwork
Enobong Faith Asanga
What I have observed in this case study is that Williams is not team oriented,he is more focused in getting the job done at all cost, and moving to the next face of the project, not minding what might go wrong with the hasty decision he took. While John and Karen worked as a team, John allowed Karen to have her own contribution to the project, both utilized every resources available to get the job done ethically.
Skills use to bring ethics into decision are
1.Ethical decision making
2.Stakeholders analysis
3.Cultural integration
4.Value base accountability
5.Transparency
6.Balancing interest with team collaboration
My observation professionalism as much as there’s no full unity with all three parties involved in the project. Looking at the table, the phone is off and put beside laptop, in respect of others to Brainstorm together, focus on the core purpose of analysing the demands on project. Again to avoid distraction. That’s professional.
The lady and the gentleman, working together. However, their other partner seem to have lost interest of being part of the team, which results to unethical behaviour