University Assignment: ACS Code of Conduct and Early Launch Scenario

This report provides a detailed analysis of the 'Early Launch' scenario, where a program director pressures a project manager to launch a project before its due date without proper encryption for potential financial gain. The report identifies this as an ethical issue, analyzing it through the lens of the ACS Code of Professional Conduct. It examines the scenario's implications concerning public interest, quality of life, honesty, competence, professional development, and professionalism. The analysis reveals violations of ethical principles, particularly regarding the prioritization of personal profit over client security and data integrity. The report recommends that the project manager take legal action against unethical superiors and inform the client about the lack of encryption. The conclusion emphasizes the unethical nature of the program director's actions and the importance of adhering to the ACS Code of Conduct to uphold professional standards.

Running head: ACS CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
ACS Code of Professional Conduct: Scenario 3: Early Launch
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..................................................................................................................................2
Identification of Ethical Issue from the Video of Early Launch............................................2
Analysis of Identified Ethical Issue from the perspective of ACS Code of Professional
Conduct..................................................................................................................................3
Recommendation on the basis of Analysis with Reasons......................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
This report outlines a detailed description on the provided scenario of “Early
Launch”. As per this particular scenario, the program director wants the project manager,
Greg to launch their vital Willis project one month prior to the actual date without proper
encryption for their own benefits (Scenario 3: Early Launch. 2019). Identification of ethical
issue and analysis of this issue from the perspective of ACS code of professional conduct will
be provided here. Moreover, a relevant recommendation on the basis of this analysis will also
be given in this report.
Discussion
Identification of Ethical Issue from the Video of Early Launch
Greg is the project manager of Willis project, who is working with Jason, the senior
developer, under program director for making the project successful. However, the CEO of
the organization feels that if this particular project is been delivered to the client one month
before the delivery date, they will be getting their next contract worth 3 million dollars and
the organization would be highly profited (Scenario 3: Early Launch. 2019). For getting extra
bonuses and profit from the organization, they will be delivering the project without
encryption. Greg is not happy with this decision as he thinks that the system might get hacked
due to lack of security. However, the program director is forcing Greg to launch the project
without taking into consideration the chance of project getting hacked. This is extremely
unethical as the program director and CEO is not only cheating the client but also forcing
Greg to take this unethical step in their business.

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Analysis of Identified Ethical Issue from the perspective of ACS Code of Professional
Conduct
ACS Code of Professional Conduct is one of the required component for maintaining
standards for individuals in that particular profession. There are six codes of professional
conduct that is important for upholding and advancing the effectiveness, dignity and honour
of being a professional (Ross, 2013). In the given scenario of Early Launch, the identified
ethical issue is that the CEO and program director of an organization is wanting to launch the
project without encryption and hence there is a high chance that the project will be hacked
and data will be lost. The CEO has his own profit to gain the next contract due to early
delivery. The project manager, Greg is not happy with the decision and he wants not to
complete encryption and provide the client with error free software.
As per ACS code of professional conduct, the identified ethical issue can be easily
analysed without much complexity (ACS Code of Professional Conduct. 2019). The
description is as follows:
i) The Primacy of the Public Interest: According to this code, an individual should
place several interests of public above sectional, business and personal interests. Moreover,
interpersonal conflicts should be resolved for public interest. For this scenario, the program
director and CEO are not considering the profit or interest of their client and are only thinking
about their own profit. Hence, they are raising potential conflicts with customer by providing
them with erroneous product (Ciulla, 2014). This would also lose the privacy and
confidentiality of data and the project might get hacked. This proves that the scenario is
unethical and it does not provide any ethical advantages.
ii) The Enhancement of the Quality of Life: The second code of professional conduct
is enhancement of life quality. The life quality should be enhanced by the effect of work. This

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means that the organization should produce efficient products so that the overall quality of
life is being enhanced. As per this scenario, Willis project should meet all requirements of
client (Niebuhr, 2013). However, due to lack of encryption, the security is lost and hence it is
termed as unethical.
iii) Honesty: The third code is honesty. One should not breach public trust in
profession and stakeholders. Honesty and integrity should not be lost under any circumstance
and one should distinguish between personal and professional advice and opinions. However
here, the CEO and program director only thought about their own profit of gaining next
contract and hence did not consider the issue that client might face (ACS Code of
Professional Conduct. 2019). Hence, they were dishonest and the scenario is unethical.
iv) Competence: As per this code, one should work diligently and competently for
their stakeholders. Competence claims that one should provide products and services that
match operational and financial requirements of their stakeholders (Critchley, 2014).
However, CEO and program director is not letting Greg to provide the Willis project
competently and it is unethical.
v) Professional Development: According to this particular code, the employer should
not only enhance their own professional development, but also their staff (Singer, 2013).
However, CEO and program director did not consider their professional development and
also have forced Greg to launch this project earlier.
vi) Professionalism: The final code is professionalism and it ensures that one should
enhance the integrity and respect of every member. However, in this scenario, the CEO and
program director has not followed professionalism and has advised Greg to violate work
ethics (Trevino & Nelson, 2016). Thus, it proves that Greg is not being respected by his
seniors and they are unethical in nature.

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Recommendation on the basis of Analysis with Reasons
A relevant recommendation for this scenario on the basis of analysis would be that
Greg should take legal actions against his seniors for informing that their seniors are forcing
him to undergo unethical activities. Moreover, Greg should also inform the client that his
product will lack encryption.
Conclusion
Therefore, it could be concluded that the CEO and program director of the respective
organization is only thinking about their own profit and bonuses. The program director is
even forcing the project manager to launch the Willis project one month before delivery date
and without any kind of encryption and hence bringing high chances of data loss and
violation of work ethics. The above provided report has clearly demonstrated a detailed
analysis of this identified ethical issue in respect to ACS Code of Professional Conduct in the
given scenario of Early Launch. Furthermore, a suitable recommendation of taking legal
actions and notifying the client is also described in this report.

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References
ACS Code of Professional Conduct. (2019). [online] Accessed from
https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/rules-and-regulations/Code-of-Professional-
Conduct_v2.1.pdf [Accessed on 15 Mar. 2019].
Ciulla, J. B. (Ed.). (2014). Ethics, the heart of leadership. ABC-CLIO.
Critchley, S. (2014). Ethics of deconstruction. Edinburgh University Press.
Niebuhr, R. (2013). Moral man and immoral society: A study in ethics and politics.
Westminster John Knox Press.
Ross, D. (2013). Foundations of ethics. Read Books Ltd.
Scenario 3: Early Launch. (2019). [online] Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=v5M7ohdZ6qA [Accessed on 15 Mar. 2019].
Singer, P. (Ed.). (2013). A companion to ethics. John Wiley & Sons.
Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2016). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how
to do it right. John Wiley & Sons.