Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Early Launch Scenario - University Report

This report analyzes the ethical issues present in the "Early Launch" scenario, where a project manager is pressured to launch a project without encryption before its delivery date. The report identifies the ethical violations, particularly concerning the ACS Code of Professional Conduct, including the primacy of public interest, honesty, competence, and professionalism. It highlights how the CEO and program director prioritize personal gain over ethical practices. The analysis provides recommendations, suggesting the project manager should report the unethical behavior. The report concludes that the ACS code effectively aids in analyzing such case studies and offers a framework for ethical decision-making in professional settings, emphasizing the importance of upholding ethical standards in project management and software development.

Running head: IDENTIFYING ETHICAL ISSUE
Identifying Ethical Issue: Early Launch
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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IDENTIFYING ETHICAL ISSUE
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
An Identification of the Ethical Issue in the given Video of Early Launch...........................3
Significant Analysis of this Ethical Issue after considering ACS Code of Professional
Conduct..................................................................................................................................4
Suitable Recommendation considering the Prior Analysis with Justification and Reason....5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

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IDENTIFYING ETHICAL ISSUE
Introduction
Program director has instructed project manager of Willis project, Greg to launch
their project before the delivery date and without encryption (Scenario 3: Early Launch.
2019). This report will be describing about the existing ethical issue in this particular scenario
in relation to ACS code of professional conduct. Furthermore, a suitable recommendation
will also be provided based on prior analysis.
Discussion
An Identification of the Ethical Issue in the given Video of Early Launch
Project manager, namely Greg of Willis project has decided to provide an efficient as
well as error free product so that the client does not face any issue regarding product quality.
He knows that encryption can make this possible easily and promptly (Scenario 3: Early
Launch. 2019). However, the organizational higher authority, mainly the CEO as well as the
program director of this project has forced Greg to launch their project without encryption 1
month before date of delivery. Jason is the project developer and even he wants to include
encryption in their product. The CEO wants to launch this project earlier as according to him
this activity will be making their client happier and they can easily obtain their next contract.
The value of this contract is of high value. Moreover, they can get extra profit from the
contract and thus organizational profit would be increased. For the purpose of fulfilling such
unethical and illegal act, program director has instructed Greg to eventually deliver their
project even without any kind of encryption (Attfield, 2015). Project manager, Greg is not
ready to do so as the project might get hacked, although he is being constantly forced by his
seniors. This is a significant ethical issue as work ethics is being violated and no ethical rules
are maintained here.

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Significant Analysis of this Ethical Issue after considering ACS Code of Professional
Conduct
The ACS Code of Professional Conduct can be referred to as an important and
significant component to effectively and efficiently maintain the major standards for each and
every individual within a specified profession (ACS Code of Professional Conduct. 2019). In
this particular case scenario of Early Launch, six codes of this professional conduct are not
being followed under any circumstance. The CEO as well as program director is instructing
Greg to violate the work ethics and launch their Willis project earlier that would be lack of
encryption for gaining their next contract of higher worth.
ACS Code could effectively and efficiently analyse the entire case scenario and it is
given below:
a) The Primacy of the Public Interest: This code states that every employee should
focus on their client’s requirements and interests on top priority and not their own interests.
However, in Early Launch, the CEO as well as program director has only considered their
personal benefit.
b) The Enhancement of the Quality of Life: An employee should provide such
products that can enhance the life quality to a higher level, however here, the CEO will be
providing a project of degrading quality (Garber, Hanssen & Walkowitz, 2013).
c) Honesty: Any employee should be honest in this work and product delivery,
however, the program director is being dishonest in his work.
d) Competence: Work should be done competently and diligently and this is not
followed by CEO and program director (Stenmark, 2017).

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IDENTIFYING ETHICAL ISSUE
e) Professional Development: The employer should enhance the staff’s professional
development, however, the higher authority is not enhancing Greg’s professional
development and rather is degrading his professional career.
f) Professionalism: An employee should maintain professionalism and respect other
employees (Pearson, 2017). In Early Launch scenario, senior authority is not maintaining
professionalism in the work and hence he is also not respecting Greg’s suggestion.
Hence, from the above analysis, it is concluded that the scenario is unethical.
Suitable Recommendation considering the Prior Analysis with Justification and Reason
The recommendation after proper consideration of the prior analysis of this particular
case scenario, called Early Launch would be that the respective project manager, Greg should
complain against the CEO and director of this project as they are emphasizing him to undergo
unethical activities. They are forcing Greg to violate his work ethics for the core purpose of
gaining personal bonus and profit. This is not at all ethical and Greg might feel motivated in
the entire scenario. Moreover, he can even move out from this project since he will not be
following ACS code of professional conduct under their guidance.
Conclusion
Thus, conclusion could be easily drawn that ACS code helps to analyse any case
study or scenario effectively. The six codes of this ACS have properly analysed the scenario
of Early Launch and it was termed as unethical. This report will be providing a detailed
description of the identification of ethical issue. The final part of the report has provided a
relevant recommendation for Greg and what should had been done in the scenario.

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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 22 Mar. 2019].
Attfield, R. (2015). Ethics of the global environment. Edinburgh University Press.
Garber, M., Hanssen, B. & Walkowitz, R.L. eds., (2013). The turn to ethics. Routledge.
Pearson, R. (2017). Business ethics as communication ethics: Public relations practice and
the idea of dialogue. In Public relations theory (pp. 111-131). Routledge.
Scenario 3: Early Launch. (2019). [online] Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=v5M7ohdZ6qA [Accessed on 22 Mar. 2019].
Stenmark, M. (2017). Scientism: Science, ethics and religion. Routledge.