Ethics in Project Management
ETHICS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1 ABSTRACT
This essay will describe about ethics in project management which will provide us an overview of the aspects how the organizations develop the ethics in an organization and about the differences in the ethical decision making among various professionals in their given field. In order to understand various aspects of the chosen topic various literature have been examined including peer reviewed articles which have been carefully chosen. In today’s world all the professional fields have adopted the ethical code of conduct in one way or another but there are differences in the decision making because of variation in company culture and the ethical values of a project manager and the employees.
2 INTRODUCTION
Ethics basically define the values and the standards or customs of a particular person or a group of people. There are two things that provide the specification for the ethics. First, ethics refers to well based standards of right and wrong that set what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Secondly, ethics refers to the study and development of one's ethical standards. As mentioned above, feelings can deviate from what is ethical. So it is necessary to constantly examine one's standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and solidly-based.
To make good ethical decisions it is essential that the professionals must have trained sensitivity to the ethical issues and a methodology that will help in exploring the ethical aspects of a decision making.
In the business world, ethics scandals have caused the downfall of global corporations and non-profits, causing public outrage and sparking increased government
1 ABSTRACT
This essay will describe about ethics in project management which will provide us an overview of the aspects how the organizations develop the ethics in an organization and about the differences in the ethical decision making among various professionals in their given field. In order to understand various aspects of the chosen topic various literature have been examined including peer reviewed articles which have been carefully chosen. In today’s world all the professional fields have adopted the ethical code of conduct in one way or another but there are differences in the decision making because of variation in company culture and the ethical values of a project manager and the employees.
2 INTRODUCTION
Ethics basically define the values and the standards or customs of a particular person or a group of people. There are two things that provide the specification for the ethics. First, ethics refers to well based standards of right and wrong that set what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Secondly, ethics refers to the study and development of one's ethical standards. As mentioned above, feelings can deviate from what is ethical. So it is necessary to constantly examine one's standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and solidly-based.
To make good ethical decisions it is essential that the professionals must have trained sensitivity to the ethical issues and a methodology that will help in exploring the ethical aspects of a decision making.
In the business world, ethics scandals have caused the downfall of global corporations and non-profits, causing public outrage and sparking increased government
References: 1) Reedy, Patrick. 2008. ‘Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Reflecting on the Ethics and Effects of a Collective Critical Management Studies Identity Project.’ Management Learning Vol. 39 Issue 1 p 57-72. EBSCOhost viewed September 25, 2008. 2) Garrett, Michael. 2008. ‘What Will You Do When Your Desire to Please and Ethics Collide?’ Business Source Complete, p 42-44, EBSCOhost viewed September 25, 2008. 3) Small, M. 2006, ‘A Case for Including Business Ethics and the Humanities in Management Programs’ Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 64 Issue 2, p195-211, EBSCOhost viewed September 26, 2008 4) Tsahuridu, E., & Vandekerckhove, W 5) Sohail, M., & Cavill, S. 2008, ‘Accountability to Prevent Corruption in Construction Projects’ Journal of Construction Engineering & Management, Vol. 134 Issue 9, p729-738, EBSCOhost viewed September 25, 2008 6) Annas, G 7) Swartz, N 2003, ‘Business Leaders Form Ethics Organization’, Information Management Journal, Vol. 37 Issue 2, p14. EBSCOhost, viewed September 23, 2008 8) Belsie, L 2002, ‘Watching for technology abuse at work’, Christian Science Monitor, Vol