Professional Environments: ACS Ethics Case Study Analysis

This case study analyzes an ethical dilemma faced by James, who is tasked with interviewing staff at a web design consultancy to assess their knowledge and inform training needs. The study aims to identify overall weaknesses, but the data collected could reveal individual shortcomings. A senior Vice President then asks James to reveal who performed well in the study. The assignment explores the ethical dilemma James faces, focusing on the potential breach of privacy and conflict with the ACS Code of Ethics and Professional Conducts. The analysis utilizes Chris Macdonald's methodology to identify the moral dimensions, interested parties, relevant values, potential benefits and burdens, and applicable legal and organizational rules. The case concludes that disclosing the study results could lead to a breach of privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 and violate ethical codes. The reference includes relevant documents such as the ACS Code of Ethics, the ACS Code of Professional Conduct, and the Privacy Act 1988.

Running head: ACS CODE OF ETHICS
ACS CODE OF ETHICS
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Introduction
In the given case study the methodology published by Chris Macdonald for moral
decision making can be applied for analysing and resolving the ethical dilemma that James is
facing. According to the Chris Macdonald methodology, there are eight steps mentioned that
can be followed for the identification of the ethical dilemma and for the thorough analysis of
the same (MacDonald, 2002).
Chris Macdonald Methodology for the analyzation of the ethical dilemma
A. Recognition of the moral dimension
In the current case study the moral dimension is the breach of privacy of information
of the staff if James answers the query of the senior Vice President. The study was conducted
for highlighting the areas of the overall weaknesses of all the employees and not for
focussing on individual weaknesses.
B. Who are interested parties in the case? What are the relationships?
The interested parties in the current case are the staffs of the company whose
information are being studied by James; the company as a whole and the senior Vice
President who is a part of the company.
C. What are the values that could be seen as being involved?
In the given case study the values that were involved under the ACS Code of Ethics
and the ACS Code of Professional Conducts are.
The values of the ACS Code of Ethics that are applicable in the given case are:

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1. The Primacy of the Public Interest- the interests of the public should be placed
above anyone’s personal, sectional or business interests.
2. Honesty- the representation of the knowledge, skills, services and products should
be done in an honest manner.
3. Competence- the work must be done in a competent and diligent manner for the
stakeholders.
4. Professionalism: enhancing the Society’s integrity and the respect among the
members of the same (Acs.org.au, 2019).
The values of the ACS Code of Professional Conduct that are involved in the given
case study are:
1. Identification of the individuals who could potentially be impacted by the work
and the consideration for their interests
2. In case of any kind of conflict in the interest or any for any conscientious
objections advising the stakeholders for the same.
3. Consideration of the fact the profession is traversing towards other professions.
4. Taking measures for the preservation of the confidentiality and the privacy of the
information obtained.
5. Taking calm, objective, knowledgeable and informed stance on the professional
work (Acs.org.au, 2019).
D. The benefits and burdens
The benefits are that the company is conducting a study for highlighting areas of
overall weakness of the staffs working in the company by conducting a small interview for
assertion of the current knowledge of the staffs. The main aim for which the company is seen
to be conducting for finding out the type of training course that is required to be implemented

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for the overall benefit of the employees. The most important burden that is present is the fact
that although the study was conducted to understand the overall weaknesses instead of
individual shortcoming the information that has been collected would be able to identify the
individual weaknesses which could be used for the detriment of the person.
E. Analogous cases
A similar case in relation to ethical dilemmas were seen in ASIC v Rich (2003) case
where the company was seen as becoming insolvent because of the deviance of the directors to be
following the ethics codes laid down by the Australian Computer Society.
F. Discussion with relevant others
Following the values laid down by the ACS Code of Professional Conduct James is
required to be informing the stakeholders, the company management and the staffs of the
company, about the current dilemma he is facing as soon as it can be possible for him. The
actions that James can take in this situation are either to refuse the Vice President and keep
the information of the staffs private and follow the ethical code or to give in the demands of
the Vice President and answer his question violating the legal and ethical codes for a
professional.
G. Is the decision in accordance with legal and organizational rules?
James disclosing the result of the study to the senior Vice President can make him
liable for breach of privacy under the Privacy Act 1988. The disclosure would further be
against both Code of Ethics and the Professional Conducts.
H. Is the decision comfortable?
Breaching the ethical code and disclosing confidential information cannot be
considered as a comfortable decision for James.

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Conclusion
In the case study the Chris Macdonald Methodology has been used for analysing the
ethical dilemma faced by James. The dilemma faced by James is whether he should answer
the query of the Vice President and breach the professional and ethical codes or refuse the
Vice President and keep the information of the staffs private. It can be concluded by
following the methodology that the disclosure of the result to the senior Vice President can
make him liable for breach of privacy under the Privacy Act 1988. The disclosure would also
be against both Code of Ethics and the Professional Conducts.

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Reference
Acs.org.au (2019). ACS Code of Ethics. [online] Acs.org.au. Available at:
https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-documents/Code-of-Ethics.pdf
Acs.org.au (2019). ACS Code Of Professional Conduct. [online] Acs.org.au. Available at:
https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/rules-and-regulations/Code-of-Professional-
Conduct_v2.1.pdf
Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Rich [2009] NSWSC 1229
MacDonald, C., 2002. A guide to moral decision making. Everyday Ethics: Putting the code
into practice.
Privacy Act 1988
The Australian Computer Society