Software Engineering Code of Ethics 2015

Learning Module
Professional Ethics in IT
Software Engineering Code of Ethics

This course will focus on the study of code of ethics, conflict of

interest, safety and risk tradeoffs in design, confidentiality, and
behavior in the workplace, intellectual property, patents, trade
secrets and contemporary issues in IT. Appropriate Philippine Laws
are also included. This course also includes International Code of
ethics, conduct and practice (IEEE, ACM, etc.)

Objectives
At the end of the term, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss and define professional ethics.

2. Study the characteristics of a profession and concepts of code
of ethics.
3. Discuss thoroughly the software engineering code of ethics.

Resources/Materials
 Books
 Journal Articles
 Internet Sources

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 Software Engineering Code of Ethics 2015

Learning Concept

Professional Ethics
 A profession is a job that requires specific training and is regulated
by certain standards.

 Professional ethics are the ethical norms, values, and principles that
guide a profession and the ethics of decisions made within the
profession.

 IT Manager

 Database Administrator

 Social Media Manager

 Website Developer

 Professional ethics are often established by professional

organizations to help guide members in performing their job
functions according to sound and consistent ethical principles.

Characteristics of a Profession

 Common body of knowledge

 Formal educational process

 Standards of entry

 Recognition of public responsibility

 The Public Interest

 Integrity

 Objectivity and independence

 Due Care

 Scope and Nature of Services

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To be an Ethical Leader

 To be perceived as an ethical leader, one must be a visibly ethical

person and an ethical manager with a consistent message.

 Therefore to be an ethical leader;

 Being a moral person alone is insufficient

Executives are distant from most employees and, without

"moral management," bottom line messages can overwhelm all
others.

 Being a moral manager is insufficient

Moral management gains legitimacy only if employees believe

the given principled, caring person who means what s/he says

 Then ethical leadership

 Is much more than traits (e.g. integrity)

 Requires great care to create and sustain an ethical

culture that sends a consistent message that is at least
as powerful as the "bottom line" drumbeat (via real
attention to ethics in multiple cultural systems).

Values vs. Compliance Orientation

 Compliance orientation

 Requires that employees identify with and commit to

specified conduct

 Uses legal terms, statutes and contracts that teach

employees the rules and penalties for noncompliance

 Values orientation

 Focuses more on an abstract core of ideals such as

respect and responsibility

 Research shows is most effective at creating ethical

reasoning

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Ethical Programs

 It is a program that create firm's ethical climate and helps

ensure that all employees understand the organization's values
and comply with the policies and codes of conduct.

 Organizations should develop an organizational ethics program

by establishing, communicating, and monitoring uniform ethical
values and legal requirements.

A Strong Ethics Program Includes:

 Written code of conduct

 Ethics officer to oversee the program

 Care in the delegation of authority

 Formal ethics training

 Auditing, monitoring, enforcement, and revision of program

standards

Concepts of Code of Ethics

 Codes of conduct - represents employee ethics

 Formal statements that describe what an organization

expects of its employees

 Codes of ethics - corporate or business ethics

 Most comprehensive document and it consists of

general statements that serve as principles and the
basis for the rules of conduct

 Statement of values

 Serves the general public and addresses stakeholder

interests

Code of Ethics

 Code of ethics are formal statements of what an organization

expects in the way of ethical behavior

 It will not solve every dilemma

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 Provides rules & guidelines

 It reflects senior management's desire for compliance

with values, rule & policies in support of an ethical
climate

 And it should be specific enough to be reasonably

capable of preventing misconduct

Corporate Code of Ethics

 Often contain six core values

 Trustworthiness

 Respect

 Responsibility

 Fairness

 Caring

 Citizenship

Implementing Code of Ethics

 Distribute the code comprehensively to employees, subsidiaries,

& associated companies.

 Assist in interpretation & understanding.

 Specify management's role in implementation.

 Make employees responsible for understanding.

 Establish grievance procedures.

 Provide a conclusion or closing statement.

Consideration of Code of Ethics

 Ethics officers or committees are responsible for oversight of

the ethics/compliance program

 Coordinates program with top management

 Develops, revises & disseminates the code

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 Develops effective communication

 Establish audits & control systems

 Provides consistent enforcement of standards

 Reviews & modifies the program to improve effectiveness

Communication of Ethical Standards

 Must start with a foundation, a code of ethics, a procedure for

airing ethical concerns, and executive priorities on ethics

 Can educate employees about firm's policies and expectations,

laws and regulations, and general social standards

 Can make employees aware of resources, support systems, and

personnel who can assist them with ethical advice

 Can empower employees.

 Provides guidance for ethical standards & activities that

integrate the functional areas of business

 helps employees identify ethical issues & provides a mean to

address & resolve

 Can help reduce criminal, civil & administrative consequences

including:

 Fines, penalties, judgments, etc.

Oversight of Ethical Standards

 Reflect organizational size, culture, values, management style &

employee base

 Improve employee understanding of ethical issues

 Influence the organizational culture, significant others, &

opportunity in the ethical decision making process

 Overall, provide for recognition of ethical issues, understanding

of culture & values, and influence ethical decision making

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Enforcing Ethical Standards

 Consistent enforcement is critical

 But an internal system for employees to report misconduct is an

opportunity to register ethical concerns

 Ethics hot lines

 Questionnaires may be used to serve as benchmarks

 Corrective actions provide standards & punishment

 If a company has determined that its ethical performance has

not been satisfactory, management may want to recognize the
way ethical decisions are made:

 A decentralized organization may be centralized (perhaps

temporarily) so that top level managers can ensure that ethical
decisions are made.

 A centralized organization may be decentralized (perhaps

temporarily) so that lower level managers can make more
decisions.

 An effective ethics program employs many resources to monitor

ethical conduct and measure the program’s effectiveness

 Observing employees

 Internal audits

 Surveys

 Reporting systems

 Investigations

 Independent audits

Mistakes in Ethical Programs

 Not having a clear understanding of the goals of the program

from the beginning.

 Not setting realistic and measurable program objectives.

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 Senior management's failure to take ownership of the ethics
program.

 Developing program materials that do not address the needs of

the average employee.

 Transferring a domestic program internationally.

 Designing a program as a series of lectures.

Software Engineering Code of Ethics

 Professional Code of Ethics

 Association of Information Technology Professionals

(AITP)

 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

 Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Computer Society (IEEE-CS)

 National Society for Professional Engineers (NSPE)

What is IEEE?

 The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

 An international non-profit, professional organization

 Advancement of technology related to electricity and to

electronic applications.

IEEE Code of Ethics:

 Formed in 1963 as a merger of AIEE (American Institute of

Electrical Engineers) and IRA (Institute of Radio Engineers)

 World’s largest professional/technical organization for

advancement of technology

 IEEE membership requires adherence to IEEE code of ethics

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History of IEEE Code of Ethics

 1912 – Code adopted by the American Institute of Electrical

Engineers (AIEE).

 1963 – IEEE endorsed “Canons of Ethics of Engineers” after

AIEE/IRE merger.

 1974 – Board of Directors approved “IEEE Code of Ethics for

Engineers”.

 1990 – Board of Directors approved simplified IEEE Code of

Ethics.

 2006 – Board of Directors approved revision to the IEEE Code of

Ethics.

Eight Key Principles

Public

 Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.

 Disclose to appropriate persons or authorities any actual or

potential danger to the user, the public, or the environment, that
they reasonably believe to be associated with software or related
documents.

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Client and Employer

 Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests

of their client and employer consistent with the public interest.

 Promote no interest adverse to their employer or client, unless a

higher ethical concern is being compromised; in that case, inform
the employer or another appropriate authority of the ethical
concern.

Product

 Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related

modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.

Judgment

 Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in

their professional judgment.

Management

 Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and

promote an ethical approach to the management of software
development and maintenance.

 Ensure good management for any project on which they work,

including effective procedures for promotion of quality and
reduction of risk.

Profession

 Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the

profession consistent with the public interest.

 Be accurate in stating the characteristics of software on which they

work, avoiding not only false claims but also claims that might
reasonably be speculative, vacuous, deceptive, misleading, or
doubtful.

Colleagues

 Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their

colleagues.

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Self

 Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding

the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical
approach to the practice of the profession.

 Further their knowledge of developments in the analysis,

specification, design, development, maintenance, and testing of
software and related documents, together with the management of
the development process.

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Illustrations/Examples/Formulas

See attached files (Moodle)

References
Professional Ethics

Retrieve From
http://ethics.iit.edu/teaching/professional-ethics

Code of Ethics and Standard of Professional Conduct

Retrieve From
https://www.cfainstitute.org/ethics/codes/ethics/Pages/index.aspx

Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice

Retrieve From
http://www.acm.org/about/se-code

Software Engineering Code of Ethics – IEEE Computer Society

Retrieved from
https://www.computer.org/cms/Computer.org/Publications/code-of-
ethics.pdf

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