For this assignment, you will participate in a class discussion about Ethics in Project Management and Society.   The assignment consists of an initial post and at least two replies to others'.

Initial Post:

It is crucial for project managers to consider the ethical implications of their decisions and actions and to prioritize ethical principles throughout the project lifecycle. The case studies below demonstrate the importance of ethical decision-making in project management and the consequences of failing to prioritize ethical principles.  

1-5: Catastrophic Safety Failures

1. Boeing 737 MAX Crisis – Speed-to-market took priority over safety, leading to two fatal crashes due to faulty MCAS software.
2. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill – Cost-cutting and ignored safety warnings resulted in a catastrophic environmental disaster.
3. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster – Mismanagement of a reactor safety test led to one of history’s worst nuclear accidents.
4. Rana Plaza Collapse – Project mismanagement ignored building safety regulations, leading to over 1,100 deaths.
5. Union Carbide Bhopal Disaster – Failure to implement safety controls in an industrial project led to a deadly gas leak.

6-10: Corporate Fraud & Deception

1. Volkswagen Emissions Scandal – Engineers programmed software to cheat emissions tests, leading to lawsuits and fines.
2. Enron Scandal – Executives manipulated financial reports, causing a major corporate collapse.
3. Theranos Scandal – False claims about medical technology misled investors and endangered public health.
4. Wells Fargo Fake Accounts Scandal – Employees created fake customer accounts under unethical project incentives.
5. 2008 Subprime Mortgage Crisis – Poor project oversight in financial risk assessment led to a global economic collapse.

11-15: Infrastructure & Environmental Negligence

1. Flint Water Crisis – A failure in public project execution led to lead contamination in drinking water.
2. Boston Big Dig – Poor project oversight resulted in excessive cost overruns and serious safety issues.
3. Three Gorges Dam – Disregard for environmental and social impacts led to mass displacement and ecological damage.
4. PG&E California Wildfires – Neglected infrastructure maintenance caused devastating wildfires and lawsuits.
5. Hurricane Katrina Response – Poor planning and mismanagement in disaster recovery worsened the crisis.

16-20: Product Failures & Technology Mismanagement

1. Ford Pinto Case – Cost-cutting in design led to fatal explosions in rear-end collisions.
2. Takata Airbag Recall – Ignoring quality defects in airbag production led to fatalities and global recalls.
3. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall – Rushed production led to battery failures, fires, and a global recall.
4. Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Scandal – Poor project oversight on data privacy led to unethical use of user information.
5. Panama Canal Expansion – Financial mismanagement, contractual disputes, and poor labor conditions led to delays and cost overruns.

Select one of the (ethically challenged) projects above for your initial post. Research the ethical dilemma, draft a summary, and apply the PMI Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF) to defend a possible ethical alternative in your initial post.

Your initial submission should be a substantive post (~400+ words). Your response should include APA-compliant in-text citations and references. (Please see the Amberton Library APA 7 Guide to APA Style 7th Edition page if you are new to APA style.)  Your initial post is due by Thursday of Week 1.