Ethical Decision Making | Ethics In Projectmanagement

Introduction

Ethical decision making is crucial in project management as it ensures that the actions and decisions taken are morally acceptable and beneficial to all stakeholders involved. This tutorial will guide you through the principles and frameworks essential for making ethical decisions in project management.

Understanding Ethics

Ethics involves the principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity. In project management, ethics pertain to the standards that guide how project managers and teams conduct themselves and make decisions.

Example: A project manager must decide whether to accept a bribe from a vendor in exchange for awarding a contract. Ethical principles would dictate that the project manager declines the bribe and follows a fair selection process.

Principles of Ethical Decision Making

There are several key principles that guide ethical decision making in project management:

Integrity: Always act with honesty and fairness.
Accountability: Be responsible for your actions and decisions.
Transparency: Ensure that your actions and decisions are open and clear to all stakeholders.
Respect: Treat all stakeholders with respect and consideration.
Fairness: Make decisions impartially, without favoritism or bias.

Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks

Using a structured framework can help project managers make ethical decisions. One such framework is the PLUS model:

P: Policies - Are there any organizational policies that apply?
L: Legal - Are there any legal implications?
U: Universal - Does this approach align with universal principles of ethics?
S: Self - Does this decision align with my personal values?

Steps for Ethical Decision Making

Follow these steps to make ethical decisions in project management:

Identify the problem: Clearly define the ethical issue.
Gather information: Collect all relevant information and understand the context.
Evaluate alternatives: Consider all possible courses of action and their consequences.
Make a decision: Choose the best ethical option based on the principles and frameworks.
Implement the decision: Put the chosen course of action into practice.
Reflect on the outcome: Review the decision and its impact to learn from the experience.

Case Study

Consider the following case study:

A project manager is overseeing a construction project. The contractor offers the project manager a gift in exchange for approving substandard materials to be used in the project.

Using the ethical decision-making framework and principles, let's analyze this situation:

Identify the problem: The ethical issue is whether to accept the gift and approve substandard materials.
Gather information: Understand the contractor's motives, the quality of the materials, and the potential impact on the project.
Evaluate alternatives: The project manager can either accept or decline the gift and approve or reject the materials.
Make a decision: Decline the gift and reject the substandard materials to maintain integrity and project quality.
Implement the decision: Communicate the decision to the contractor and stakeholders, ensuring transparency.
Reflect on the outcome: Review the decision's impact on the project's quality and stakeholder trust.

Conclusion

Ethical decision making is an essential aspect of project management. By adhering to ethical principles and using structured frameworks, project managers can ensure that their decisions are fair, transparent, and beneficial to all stakeholders. This not only helps in achieving project success but also in building trust and maintaining a positive reputation.

Ethical Decision Making in Project Management