Professional and Social Responsibility

(PMBOK® Guide No reference)

• This knowledge domain accounts for 17 of 200

questions
ti

• No PMBOK® Guide coverage

• General types
yp of qquestions:

• Legal, ethical behavior

• PMI® Code of Ethics

• Cross-cultural
Cross cultural projects

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 Legality, Ethics, and Appearance

• General guide: Err on the safe side of doing the right

thing
• An action is improper if it:
• violates any laws in your home country or location where
the project is conducted
• violates any ethical guidelines that apply to you (societal or
organizational)
• would create the appearance that something improper has
occurred

• Gray zone: Follow the laws and customs in the location

where the project is conducted (which raises
internationall and
d cross-cultural
l l issues))
www.pmhouse.org
2011
 PMI® Code of Conduct

Obligations to the Profession (PMI® and Other

P j t Managers):
Project M )

• Provide accurate,
accurate truthful information about PMI®
certification

• Report potential violations of the code of conduct

• Cooperate
C erate with
ith PMI® during
d rin an in
investigation
esti ati n

• Disclose ppossible conflicts of interest to affected pparties

(clients, customers, contractors)

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 PMI® Code of Conduct

Obligations to the Profession (continued):

• Adhere to relevant legal and ethical standards (project

manager is ultimately responsible for everything)

• Contribute
C ntrib te to
t PM kn
knowledge
led e base (local
(l l PMI® chapter,
h pt speaker,
p k
writer, coach, mentor)

• Develop individual competence (self-assessment and

professional development)

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 PMI® Code of Conduct

Obligations to the Public and Customers:

• Provide accurate, truthful information: advertising, cost

estimates ability to do the work
estimates,

• Satisfyy the agreed

g scope
p

• Protect sensitive, proprietary information

• Do not allow conflicts of interest to harm legitimate

business interests of your customers

• Do not accept inappropriate payments (bribes) or gifts

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 PMI® Code of Conduct

Obligations to the Public and Customers (continued):

• Balance stakeholders’ interests:

- balance needs of all stakeholders
- be aware off differing
ff g risk tolerances
- consider less expensive, alternative solutions
- resolve stakeholder conflicts

• Respect personal,
personal ethnic,
ethnic and cultural differences (project
team and other stakeholders)

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 PMI® Ethics Review Process

• Not intended to be a legal process; prefer consensual

agreement to stop inappropriate activity

• Potential PMI® responses:

p
- denial of PMI® membership
- private reprimand or censure
- public reprimand or censure
- membership probation or suspension
- membership termination
- permanent expulsion from PMI®

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 Key International Issues

• PMs in cross-cultural
cross cultural situations must be adaptable,
adaptable able
to handle diversity, and able to accept the norms of other
cultures

• Ethnocentrism is an over-zealous belief in the

superiority of your own culture
- May lead to inappropriate, condescending behavior when
managing international projects

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 General Principles and Guidelines

• Do the right
g thing!
g

• Behave in an honest, open manner

• Solve problems, do not hide them

• Do
D nott violate
i l t local
l l llaws

• Do not accept
p bribes or favors

• Disclose potential conflicts of interest

www.pmhouse.org
2011
 General Principles
p and Guidelines

• Keepp ppeople
p informed

• Do not change standards or requirements after the

f t
fact

• Attempt to resolve problems at the level they occur,

i.e. do not immediately escalate!

• Make accurate,
accurate honest reports

• Make decisions on the basis of facts; not hearsay,

assumptions, or opinions

www.pmhouse.org
2011