The value of morality in project management

Ethics matter to all organisations, their workers, and other stakeholders, but project managers who oversee complicated projects and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders need to pay even greater attention to ethics. 

For example, project managers must disclose their skills and abilities while bidding without applying hyperbole or exaggeration and avoid unethical tactics to win the project to underscore the significance of ethics in project management.

Each November, we mark the International Project Management Day, a time to raise awareness of the importance of project management, the contribution of project managers and promoting excellence in the field. Project managers shoulder an often taxing responsibility - determining what needs to be done, setting goals and deadlines, allocating resources, monitoring progress, and resolving any problems that arise – throughout the cycle of any given project. This year’s International Project Management Day is themed on ‘The Excellence Equation: People + Purpose + Projects’.

The human element is especially important in bringing a project to life. Projects are conceived by people, executed by teams of people, supervised by people and projects’ successes serve the interest of people. Which then calls into question the pertinent issue of ethical conduct.

Prospecting and Bidding. The Global Business Ethics Survey 2023 Findings indicate that 65 percent of employee respondents reported misconduct within 12 months, compared to 60 percent in 2020. The same report states that 12 percent of employees worldwide observed an act of corruption, which could indicate a bribe, kickback, or inappropriate gift to a government official.

Recently, the media was awash with the story of Henan International Corporation Group (CHICO), a company that was sanctioned by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for allegedly indulging in fraudulent activity while executing a project funded by AfDB in Uganda. It was reported that the firm and its project managers employed unethical means to secure the projects and ensure their bids were considered over those of their competitors.

Once a project is procured through unethical or fraudulent means, the remaining stages are compromised since the firm must recoup expenses incurred in securing the bid. Unethical tactics include conflict of interest, lobbying, entertaining clients by wining and dining with them, and providing material and non-material inducements to secure contracts.

If a project manager invests significant funds and effort in the initial scoping, bidding, and prospecting, the pressure to recoup some of these expenses would be high, impacting the project's execution, ultimately compromising the quality of construction material use, ultimately endangering the community.

It is crucial to remember that, like other professions such as medicine and law, project management carries a significant responsibility to society and its stakeholders, including customers and the public. Project managers cannot simply dismiss their obligations to these stakeholders as just another expense. Instead, they must actively uphold normative and ethical standards of behaviour throughout the entire project lifecycle, from project bidding to project handover. This personal responsibility is a key aspect of the project manager's role.

Ethics and project management in the real world: Some would argue that although everything sounds nice on paper, it is challenging to implement in the "real world." They might simply brush off some of the messages herein as sermons because they believe that the real world of project managers differs significantly from what is stated in theory or textbooks. Although in response, the genuine limitations, pulls, and pressures that project managers experience cannot be underestimated, managers should make efforts to do the right thing and be honest in all actions undertaken during a project's lifecycle.

Ultimately, it is in every project manager's best business interest to uphold ethical standards. Failure to do so can result in a ruined reputation due to bad press, criminal investigations, and legal action. This is especially true in today's environment, where there is a growing trend of trial by media that can be unduly sensational. By highlighting these potential consequences, project managers can be more cautious in their decision-making and actions.

Exemplary values come at a cost – a great deal of sacrifice – but as the saying goes, "the softest pillow is a clear conscience." In the long run, you cannot attach a price to a good reputation for any organisation. Let us consider eliminating this. 

The author, Lydia Nabitosi N. Tukashaba, Senior Officer Project Management, Uganda Development Bank Limited