Professional Ethics and Dilemmas: Case Study 3 - James' Response

This case study analyzes the ethical dilemma faced by James, who was contracted to assess the training needs of employees at a web design consultancy. James was instructed to maintain the confidentiality of individual employee information. However, a senior VP subsequently requested the names of the best performers. The analysis explores James' ethical obligations under the ACS code of Professional conduct, specifically focusing on the clause of 'Professionalism.' The response recommends that James communicate his adherence to ethical practices to the VP, emphasizing the importance of confidentiality and ethical compliance. The case study utilizes Chris MacDonald's methodology to analyze the dilemma and suggests consulting the HR department and referring to analogous cases for a solution, ultimately aiming to maintain credibility and ethical standards within the company.

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ACS

Contents
Case Study 3 – Ethical Dilemmas of James....................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................4
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Case Study 3 – Ethical Dilemmas of James
James has been requested by a Web Design consultancy company to explore the training needs
of its employees. The assessment of employees would not only identify overall weaknesses but
will also open the individual regions of improvement. James must be in coordination with the
human resourcing department and was asked to keep the private findings exclusively
confidential. When the senior VP of the company approached and asked for individual best
performers, it became a question of ethical dilemma for James.
The Chris MacDonald’s guide for ethical dilemmas suggests interaction with HR team at the
company as a strong recommendation (Burmeister, 2017). It also emphasizes on referring to
analogues’ cases for a solution. James should communicate clearly to the VP, about the ethical
practices he is abided by under the ACS code of Professional conduct, clause of
‘Professionalism’ (Smith, 2017). It would help meet the ethical compliance and create credibility
for James at the company.
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References
Burmeister, O., 2017. Professional ethics in the information age. Journal of Information,
Communication and Ethics in Society, 15(4), pp. 348-356.
Smith, J., 2017. Why justice matters for business ethics. Business Ethics Journal Review, 5(3),
pp. 15-21.
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