Analyzing Unethical Conduct in Project Management Practices

This discussion post addresses the critical issue of unethical conduct within project management. It begins by highlighting the significance of ethical behavior alongside technical expertise in determining the efficiency of business operations. The post examines various instances of unethical practices, such as taking shortcuts and not paying workers fairly, referencing real-world examples like the Haramain train station fire and the Qatar World Cup 2022 construction. It delves into the application of ethical theories like Utilitarianism and Deontology to understand the negative impact of such behaviors. Moreover, it suggests solutions like establishing a strict code of conduct and promoting efficient leadership to ensure ethical practices in project management. The post references examples of corporate misconduct like Volkswagen's emissions scandal, Sports Direct's employee treatment, Nurofen's counterfeit pills, and Facebook's tax evasion, to underscore the importance of ethical considerations in project management.

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Apart from the technical or professional knowledge of the employees, the aspect of
ethical conduct plays an important role in determining the efficiency of business operations
within the scope of an organization. In this regard, the post focuses on certain particular
modes of unethical conduct that can be observed in the field of project management.
Among the various examples provided regarding unethical conduct as observed in
project management, one important aspect that needs to be analyzed is the evaluation of the
difference between ethical and unethical conduct. Another example that can be provided
relates to the cheating on fuel emission tests by Volkswagen (Theguardian.com, 2020).
Furthermore, the Sports Direct company has also faced serious accusations about
mistreatment of its employees (Theguardian.com, 2020). It is essential to understand why
certain activities, attitudes or behavior of certain employees has been considered unethical.
Certain ethical theories can be applied to the situations for the purpose of understanding why
they are unethical and pose a negative impact on the organization. These ethical theories may
include those of Utilitarianism and Deontology (Fok, Payne & Corey, 2016).
The post provides specific information about the various ways in which unethical
conduct in project management may pose challenges to the business organization. Additional
examples include the counterfeiting of pills by the manufacturers of Nurofen in Australia, for
the treatment of different kinds of pains among patients (Theguardian.com, 2020).
Furthermore, the globally recognized social media and technology company Facebook has
been observed to evade corporate taxes (Theguardian.com, 2020). However, certain
recommendations or suggestions can be provided as to how an organization may ensure
ethical conduct in project management. A strict code of conduct may be established within
the scope of the organization, which dictates how the employees must conduct themselves
with respect to their attitude and behavior with other members of the organization.
Furthermore, efficient leadership in the organization also helps in ensuring that the

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employees direct their actions for the achievement of organizational goals through proper and
just means (Freeman, 2016).
References
Fok, L. Y., Payne, D. M., & Corey, C. M. (2016). Cultural values, utilitarian orientation, and
ethical decision making: A comparison of US and Puerto Rican professionals. Journal
of Business Ethics, 134(2), 263-279.
Freeman, R. E. (2016). Ethical leadership and creating value for stakeholders. In Business
ethics: New challenges for business schools and corporate leaders (pp. 94-109).
Routledge.
Theguardian.com. (2020). The Observer view on unethical corporate behaviour | Observer
editorial. Retrieved 12 April 2020, from
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/20/observer-views-banks-
corporations-ethics