November 3, 2006
Dear Editor
As a former writer, reviews editor, and reviewer for allpm.com and kickstartnews.com, I am most impressed with the global focus of your website and articles, its professionalism, quality, and focus on the people involved. Your site has moved to the top of my list of top quality Project Management information.
Thomas Kappel
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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November 3, 2006
Thanks for the forwarding the November PM World Today. I read through several articles including the one from SaraLee. (I was very fortunate in that the office building I own in Slidell only had to have the roof replaced!)
I found Dr. Cleland’s article very interesting and I agree with his comments about the lack of discussion of ethics in the PMBOK. The challenge for PMCC has been how to teach ethics. When clients call and ask for ethics training, I always ask a number of questions. Invariably they want training to an “ethics standard” and that is the dilemma! Because ethics and morals are synonymous, does the ethics standard for a US company, where most of the population profess to be Christians, translate well into a place like Africa? My own experience is that it does not. (A fact that the French and other European companies exploit when competing against US based companies). The PMI Ethics standard is really just a general list of do’s and don’ts and does not address the kind of “real world” ethics dilemmas that practicing project team members encounter. So, in my opinion, there is an “ethics education gap” in the PM methodology and processes that we all need to address.
With highest regards,
Ben E. Voivedich Jr.
PMCC President
Houston, TX, USA
benvee@pmccinc.com
www.pmccinc.com
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November 14, 2006
Dear pmforum.org,
I found Dr. Cleland’s article very interesting and I agree with his comments about the lack of an in depth discussion of ethics in the PMBOK. The challenge for my company as a PM training and consulting practice, has been how to teach ethics. When clients call and ask for ethics training, I always ask a number of questions. Invariably they want training to an “ethics standard” and that is the dilemma! Because ethics and morals are synonymous, does the ethics standard for a US company, where most of population profess to be Christians, translate well into a place like Russia or Asia? My own experience is that it does not.
Additionally, what is unethical (and illegal) for an American company can be normal practice for others. (A fact that the some exploit to their advantage in certain parts of the world!) With regards to the PMI Ethics standard, it is really just a general list of “do’s and don’ts” for the project manager and does not address the kind of “real world” ethics dilemmas that practicing project team members encounter. So, in my opinion, there is an “ethics education gap” in the PM methodology and processes that we all need to address.
Hopefully Dr. Cleland’s article will provoke more discussion of how to develop and teach a meaningful PM ethics course that is applicable to the project team as well as the project manager.
With highest regards,
Ben E. Voivedich Jr.
PMCC President
Houston, TX, USA
benvee@pmccinc.com
www.pmccinc.com
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November 20, 2006
Dear David,
The PMI CEO, President, and Board of Directors have recently hired an outside attorney to file an "Ethics Complaint" on their behalf against PMI member Edward Fern. I believe that this is a gross misuse of the PMI Code of Ethics, and in my formal response to the PMI Ethics Review Committee I have stated that this is a flagrant example of the widespread use of "Frivolous Lawsuits" that plague our society these days in the USA. This action is an obvious attempt to silence a dedicated, professional PMI Member and advocate who has aired a number of complaints and criticisms against the current manner in which PMI is governed.
One of the primary allegations against Ed Fern is that he has a conflict of interest with PMI due to his having held an office on the board of directors of the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (asapm). As I have stated in my letter to the PMI Ethics Review Committee, I believe that several current members of the PMI Board of Directors have been, or currently are, also officers in other "competing" organizations. With a broader perspective, I also believe that many of the leaders of AACEi, AIPM, APM, IPMA, asapm, and PMAJ are also PMI members. Do they all have an "unethical" conflict of interest?
I attach my 6 page letter to the PMI Ethics Review Committee to this message, with the hope that you will help to give this unwarranted action the visibility and exposure around the world that it deserves. With this visibility I trust that the PMI Ethics Committee will be sufficiently embarrassed so that they will do the proper thing and dismiss this complaint against Ed Fern.
Thanks for passing this on to your readers.
Russ Archibald
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
russell_archibald@yahoo.com
www.russarchibald.com
Read Russ's complete letter to the PMI Ethics Review Committee
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Letters to the Editor are readers comments and observations on the Editorial, Viewpoint Columns, articles, papers or other notices of PM happenings appearing in the monthly issues of the Project Management World Today.
Editorial Policy: The PMFORUM® has no connection to any national or international project management organization nor does it reflect the policy of any project management professional or commercial organization. The PMFORUM® maintains an objective and impartial view of project management affairs. In the interests of advancing professional project management the PMFORUM® will publish contending and objective views on issues that reflect collegial differences and perspectives