Ethics Articles

Deepen your knowledge of myriad topics on ethics and the practice of project management including personal decision-making and responsibility, leadership, organizational behavior, trust and more.

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    Individual Decision-Making

    • Bullying at Work: An Ethical and Leadership Dilemma for all Project Managers

      By Paul Pelletier, LL.B., PMP Bullying can be as harmful in the workplace as it is in schools and other areas of society, causing emotional impacts, plus a long list of challenges for project managers and the organizations where…

    • Project Bullies: Are You a Victim?

      By Paul Pelletier, LL.B., PMP Bullying is a tactic used by the perpetrator to get ahead in the workplace. The bullies are often highly skilled workers who are socially manipulative, targeting those who threaten their career path…

    • Not Every Unpleasant Project Conflict Involves Bullying or Disrespect

      By Paul Pelletier, LL.B., PMP Not every unpleasant or challenging conflict with people at work or in a project is disrespectful or bullying – on the contrary. Conflict is a normal part of life and, as you know too well, conflict…

    • The Ethics of the PMO

      By Mark Mullaly, PhD, PMP PMOs in many companies can reflect the worst of matrix organizations: responsibility without accountability, while having at least two masters to serve — project managers and senior management. To…

    • How Not to Leak Company Secrets

      By Elizabeth Harrin Practical tips to avoid releasing the confidential and proprietary information that is often hidden and/or embedded in your organization’s documents.

    • Challenges presented by the RFP layout and content

      By Craig Curran-Morton, PMP Project managers are often required to write and release Request for Proposal (RFP) documents to acquire products or services from outside vendors. Both the writer and the receiver of the RFP face a…

    • Vendors challenges with RFPs from point of awareness through bid submission

      By Craig Curran-Morton PMP Requests for Proposals (RFPs) can help vendors to gain business, but they can also be a challenge to understand and respond to. In this article, the author examines the process from receipt of the…

    • Project Management Central

      By Discussion thread initiated by Vaslij Petrovic An SME sends an email to a project manager criticizing his work. The SME blind-copies the email to their supervising manager — is that action ethical?

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    Leadership

    • Follow the Leader?

      By By John Ikeda If you’re a project leader, you must teach team member what is important to the project and to you. Taking that step will increase your ability to trust team member decisions and reduce the need for…

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    Dilemmas

    • A Question of Credibility

      By Steven Starke Data suggests that product development teams may too often be working on priorities that are not strongly aligned with organizational strategy, and leading to individualist behavior. Project…

    • Project Management Central: International Project Management

      By Discussion thread initiated by Paulette Brown When undertaking projects in a developing country with lower quality and safety standards, should you adhere to your own country's standards or apply the local standards? Is this an ethical issue?

    • How Do You Look Yourself in the Mirror, Hypothetically Speaking?

      By Miriam Ziemelis What do you do when you are torn between business ethics and moral ethics, and should there be a difference? What if you were privy to advance knowledge that your company would be closing? How would…

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