University Ethical Dilemma Analysis: ACS Code of Conduct Report

This report provides an analysis of an ethical dilemma presented in four videos, focusing on the actions of ICT professionals and their adherence to the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Code of Professional Conduct. The report examines scenarios involving a junior developer, project manager, and senior developer, highlighting instances of ethical and unethical behavior. It applies the ACS code, specifically addressing the principles of public interest, honesty, competence, professionalism, and the enhancement of the quality of life. The analysis evaluates the consequences of different actions, such as altering project requirements without proper authorization and the impact of poor communication and workplace stress. Finally, the report makes recommendations based on the analysis, emphasizing the importance of ethical decision-making and adherence to professional standards in the IT industry.

Running head: ETHICAL DILEMMA
ETHICAL DILEMMA
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Video 1
1. Overview of issue
In this video it is showed that a client is required to change some things in his project.
For this reason he called to tell these things of the project and the junior developer picked call
and without consulting with the project manager of this project told the client that they will
change the requirements as per the client’s wish and submit the project within the deadline
(Al-Saggaf, 2016). This junior developer satisfied client by altering requirement and submit it
within deadline but before that he needs to talk with his project manager or any person of
higher authority.
2. Applicable ACS code of conduct
For this situation, two ACS code of professional conduct is applicable which are as
follows:
i) Primary of the Public Interest: Regarding this code, employee place interests of public over
the interest of business, sectional or personal.
ii) Honesty: Regarding this code, employees will be honest in their representation of
knowledge, products, services and skills.
3. Analysis of issues according to applicable code of conduct
In the code of the primary of public interest it is stated that public interest takes the
priority over the private, sectional and personal interest and most importantly any type of
conflicts should resolve in the favour of the interest of the public (Warren & Burmeister,
2017). In the workplace, employees should maintain the client’s interest. So regarding this, in
this video the junior developer is resolve the interest of his client who is wanted to change

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some requirement of the project. He confirmed about the change and also said the client that
the project is submitted within the deadline implementing this new change. So it is ethical.
But in the code of Honesty, it is said that employees do not breach the public trust in
profession or any distinct trust of the stakeholders. The observation of the extreme honesty
also the integrity must be motivated all the professional actions and the decisions. Regarding
this code, the junior developer should consult with his project manager or any higher
authority person before confirming the client about the change. So it is unethical.
Video 2
Overview of issue
In this video it is showed that after hearing about the call of client, the project
manager told to the junior developer that if there is any call which is from the client and the
client is wanted to change some requirements of the project, then this call should transfer to
the project manager first (Al-Saggaf, 2016). Junior developer said project manager that their
first priority is the client. After that the project manager stopped development also set up the
change control board also fixed a meeting with client for reaching an agreement over
requirements.
Applicable ACS code of conduct
Here also for this situation, the above discussed two ACS code of professional
conduct and one extra code are applicable which are as follows:
i) Primary of the Public Interest: Regarding this code, employee place interests of public over
interest of business, sectional or personal.
ii) Honesty: Regarding this code, employees will be honest in their representation of
knowledge, products, services and skills (Lurie & Mark, 2016).

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iii) Competence: Regarding this code, employees will work competently also diligently for
their clients.
Analysis of issues according to applicable code of conduct
In this code of primary of public interest, this is specified that in the workplace,
employees should maintain the client’s interest. The public interest proceeds the priority over
the private, sectional also the personal interest and most essentially any conflicts should
resolve in the favour of the interest of the public (Burmeister, 2017). In this video junior
developer is said his project manager that their first priority is to satisfy their client and for
this reason he told the client that they are changed the requirements and submit the solution
within the deadline. So regarding this code it is ethical.
But following the code of Honesty, the employees do not break trust of the public in
profession or any distinct trust of the stakeholders. The observation of the extreme honesty
also the integrity must be motivated all the professional actions and the decisions
(Leicester,2016). In this video, the project manager told the junior developer that this type of
call of the client where they want to change some of the requirements are referred to him, so
that he can handle this situation. So regarding this code it is unethical.
In this video, after knowing the call of the clients, the project manager is paused the
development and set a change control board and fixed a meeting with the client for clearing
the requirements. This situation is followed the code of competence and for that reason it is
ethical.
Video 3
Overview of issue
In this video, the senior developer said the project manager that client is very unhappy
since the client talked with any junior developer about some changes in the requirements and

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this junior developer told the client that all changes are included in the project requirements
also the total project is completed within the deadline. But to do the changes, extra cost are
required because there is a fixed budget of this project. The junior developer should consult
with project manager or any other higher authority person before promised to their client (Al-
Saggaf, 2016). The project manager told to their senior developer about the client’s priority,
but the senior developer is very angry as the client is very unhappy as the project
development is paused due to the wrong decision.
Applicable ACS code of conduct
Here for this situation, the two ACS code of professional conduct are applicable
which are as follows:
i) Primary of the Public Interest: Regarding this code, the employee place the interests of
public over the interest of business, sectional or personal.
iv) Professional Development: Regarding this code, employees need to enhance their own
professional development also the staffs of them.
Analysis of issues according to applicable code of conduct
In this video, the senior developer told project manager that their client is unhappy as
the promise that is given by the junior developer is not maintained. Also senior developer told
project manager the process of the requirement change and told that for altering the
requirements, the cost is needed as the budget id already fixed (Al-Saggaf, Burmeister &
Schwartz, 2017). This situation is followed he professional development code of ACS. So
regarding this code, it is ethical.
In this video, the project manager told to the senior developer about the priority of the
client which is followed the code of Primary of the Public Interest. So regarding this code, it
is ethical.

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Video 4
Overview of issue
In this video, the project manager is scolded the junior developer for receiving call of
the client and also for promising the client about altering the requirements without asking the
project manager otherwise any other higher authority staff, For this reason, the project is
stopped and the client is also very unhappy (Al-Saggaf, 2016). For this reason, the junior
developer is mailed for leave by due to stress and not going to the office more than 3 weeks.
So, the HR from his office called him and asked him about his re-joining in the office as the
project is stopped due to his absence. The junior developer said to the HR that he cannot say
when he will join the office, he will inform them about this.
Applicable ACS code of conduct
For this situation, the two ACS code of professional conduct are applicable which are
as follows:
i) Professionalism: Regarding this code, employees will enhance integrity of ACS also
respect of the team members for each other.
ii) The Enhancement of the Quality of life: Regarding this code, employees will strive for
enhancing quality of the life of these people who are affected by the work of them.
Analysis of issues according to applicable code of conduct
In this video, the project manager is scolded the junior developer for his wrong
decision about receiving the call also promising the client about the change. By which the
company is in a great loss (Abdulhalim, Lurie & Mark, 2018). Also the project is stopped and
for this reason there is a bad impact on the project manager. So this is not followed the code
of the Enhancement of the Quality of life that describes that the employees need to give a

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positive impact on the others by doing their work. So for this reason regarding this code, it is
unethical.
Also in this video, the HR told to the junior developer that they got the medical
certificate for stress and he did not came to the office from the last 20 days and for this
reason, the project is paused. But the junior developer told that he cannot say about the day
when he is going to join the office and said that he will inform her about this (Reynolds,
2011). This situation is not followed the professionalism as in this code it is stated that this is
imperative that the members of Society preserve the professional standards which progress
and develop the image of the industry, especially in workplace. So it is unethical.
Also the project manager is behaved very rudely with the junior developer by which
the junior developer got the stress and mailed for the leave. This is the type of harassment
also it is a very unprofessional behaviour which is not followed the code of professionalism.
Soo regarding this code, it is unethical.

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Reference
Abdulhalim, H., Lurie, Y., & Mark, S. (2018). Ethics as a Quality Driver in Agile Software
Projects. Journal of Service Science and Management, 11(1), 13-25.
Al-Saggaf, Y (2016, Oct 31). Scenario 2: Development Methodology [Video file]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0npm9cEJBWY
Al-Saggaf, Y (2016, Oct 31). Scenario II 1 project manager requests developer to forward
such calls to him [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=4kuUDCfd0Lw
Al-Saggaf, Y (2016, Oct 31). Scenario II 2 project manager screams at junior developer
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0lgCfsVeOM
Al-Saggaf, Y (2016, Oct 31). Scenario II 3 Project manager encourages the action of
Developer [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=TGWD4HNBd80
Al-Saggaf, Y., Burmeister, O. K., & Schwartz, M. (2017). Qualifications and ethics
education: the views of ICT professionals. Australasian Journal of Information
Systems, 21.
Burmeister, O. K. (2017). Professional ethics in the information age. Journal of Information,
Communication and Ethics in Society.
Leicester, N. (2016). Ethics in the IT Profession: Does a Code of Ethics have an Effect on
Professional Behaviour?.
Lurie, Y., & Mark, S. (2016). Professional ethics of software engineers: An ethical
framework. Science and engineering ethics, 22(2), 417-434.

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Reynolds, G. (2011). Ethics in information technology. Nelson Education.
Warren, M., & Burmeister, O. K. (2017). Research on Applied Ethics involving emerging
ICT technologies. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 21.