Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls in the Tech Industry from Coursera

This course focuses on what went wrong. That is, it focuses on the difficulty every manager experiences and how some make the mistake of following an incorrect ethical path.

Examined are operating “in the gray”, whether we are driven by rational thinking or intuition, and the possibility of the deliberate infliction of a negative act. Each of these is not an uncommon occurrence. Indeed, operating in the gray is a topic that comes up often in conversations with managers and leaders at every level.

The goal of this course is to understand how things can go wrong and how those ethical mistakes affect one’s team, the company, and the society at large. These possible errors are not easily seen and sometimes, for leaders and managers, appear without warning. Stopping them is, many times, a function of ethical awareness and the courage to act.

This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.

What's inside

Syllabus

Managing Where “Right” and “Wrong” Become Blurred

This module addresses the difficulties that technical leaders may have with ethical situations – the areas of work where the ethical path is not clearly defined, what may be termed “The Gray”. When operating in such conditions, it is easy to rationalize any path – this too is considered and discussed. Lastly, we discuss how one may find the correct ethical path even in the midst of “The Gray”.

What Drives Us: Rational Thinking or Intuition?

This module compares and contrasts rational thinking and intuition with the goal of determining which is better to use in ethical decision making.

The Deliberate Infliction of a Negative Act?

This module addresses the motivations of the leader and some of the ways that they may fall prey to ethical difficulties.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops a foundational understanding of what ethics in management contain, how managers may compromise them, and what consequences these actions may entail

Led by Daniel Moorer, Assistant Professor, and Evans Family Faculty Fellow, Daniel Fellow in Engineering Management, of the University of Colorado Boulder, who is known for his contributions to engineering and technology management

Investigates real-world ethical scenarios that managers face, using case studies and examples to illustrate the complexities of ethical decision-making in the field of technology and engineering

Explores various ethical theories and frameworks to provide a solid foundation for understanding and analyzing ethical dilemmas in management contexts

Suitable for engineering and technology professionals, as well as managers and leaders in technical industries, who seek to enhance their ethical decision-making skills

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls in the Tech Industry with these activities:

Review Engineering Ethics

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Refreshing your knowledge of engineering ethics will help you recall the ethical principles and guidelines for engineering practice, which is crucial for making ethical decisions in the field.

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Review your notes or textbook chapters on engineering ethics
Read articles or watch videos about recent ethical issues in engineering

Review Units of Measurement

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Reviewing units of measurement will help you refresh your knowledge of how to use and convert between different units of measures, as this is essential for understanding the quantitative data and calculations throughout this course.

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Go over your notes and assignments from previous math or science courses
Review online resources such as Khan academy

Practice Converting Units

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Practicing converting units will help you strengthen your understanding of how to use and convert between different units of measurement and to become more confident when working with quantitative data.

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Solve practice problems from your textbook or online resources
Create your own practice problems and try to solve them

Four other activities

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Create a Unit Conversion Cheat Sheet

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Creating a cheat sheet will help you summarize the most common unit conversions and have them readily available for easy reference, which can be helpful when completing calculations and solving problems.

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Gather a list of the most common units of measurement used in the course
Create a table or chart that lists the units, their conversions, and any formulas you need
Review your cheat sheet regularly

Explore Case Studies on Ethical Decision-Making

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Exploring case studies will provide you with practical examples of ethical dilemmas and how they were addressed, allowing you to learn from real-world scenarios.

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Find case studies related to engineering ethics
Analyze the case studies and identify the ethical issues involved
Discuss your analysis with classmates or a mentor

Develop an Ethical Decision-Making Framework

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Developing a decision-making framework will help you establish a clear and systematic approach to ethical decision-making in engineering practice.

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Research different ethical decision-making models
Identify the key steps and principles involved in ethical decision-making
Create a flowchart or diagram that outlines your ethical decision-making framework
Test your framework by applying it to real-world ethical scenarios

Contribute to Open-Source Projects Related to Ethics

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Contributing to open-source projects can provide you with hands-on experience in applying ethical principles to software development and collaboration.

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Find open-source projects that align with ethical values
Review the project's codebase and documentation
Identify areas where you can contribute to improving the ethical aspects of the project
Propose your contributions to the project maintainers

Career center

Learners who complete Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls in the Tech Industry will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Engineering Manager

Engineering Managers steer the technical vision of a project or product. They bridge the gap between engineers and management, ensuring a high output of quality products efficiently. This course may help teach you how to proactively identify, address, and neutralize potential ethical pitfalls, which can help an Engineering Manager effectively lead a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Engineering Manager

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the overall success and profitability of a product. One way that is done is by completing thorough research and due diligence on the market, competition, and current trends. Understanding the ethical implications of a product, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls, can be instrumental to success in this role. This course may help by teaching you how to think through ethical dilemmas and avoid potential ethical issues in the future.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Technical Program Manager

Technical Program Managers coordinate technical aspects of a project, especially within the software engineering field. This role requires a strong background in technology and a deep understanding of the development process. This course may be useful since it addresses managing in situations where right and wrong are not always clearly defined, a skill that this role requires.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Program Manager

Software Development Manager

Software Development Managers work with a team of software developers to plan, design, and implement software systems. They also manage the day-to-day operations of the software development process, including budgeting, scheduling, and quality control. This course may be useful since it helps build a foundation in understanding what motivates people and what can potentially lead to ethical pitfalls, such as deliberately inflicting harm.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Manager

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use advanced statistical and computational methods to analyze large amounts of data in order to extract meaningful insights. This information is then used to help businesses make better decisions. This course may be useful by teaching you how to understand and mitigate potential ethical issues in data science, such as privacy concerns and algorithmic bias.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Quality Assurance Manager

Quality Assurance Managers are responsible for ensuring that products and services meet the required standards of quality. They develop and implement quality assurance processes, monitor quality metrics, and identify and resolve quality issues. This course may be helpful since it can help you build a foundation in understanding how to navigate ethical dilemmas and avoid potential pitfalls.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Manager

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts protect computer networks and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. They also develop and implement security plans and procedures, and monitor security systems for vulnerabilities. This course may be helpful since it can help you build a foundation in understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of information security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Computer Systems Analyst

Computer Systems Analysts design, implement, and maintain computer systems. They also analyze and solve problems with computer systems, and provide technical support to users. This course may be useful since it can help you build a foundation in understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of computer systems analysis.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators design, implement, and maintain databases. They also ensure that databases are secure and reliable, and that data is backed up and restored properly. This course may be useful since it can help build a foundation in understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of database administration.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Network Administrator

Network Administrators design, implement, and maintain computer networks. They also ensure that networks are secure and reliable, and that data is transmitted securely. This course may be useful since it can help build a foundation for understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of network administration.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers write and maintain computer programs. They also analyze and solve problems with computer programs, and provide technical support to users. This course may be helpful since it can help build a foundation for understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of computer programming.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer

Web Developer

Web Developers design and develop websites. They also analyze and solve problems with websites, and provide technical support to users. This course may be helpful since it can help build a foundation for understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of web development.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. They also analyze and solve problems with software systems, and provide technical support to users. This course may be helpful since it can help build a foundation in understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of software engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

IT Specialist

IT Specialists provide technical support to users, and install and maintain computer systems and networks. They also analyze and solve problems with computer systems and networks, and provide training to users. This course may be helpful since it can help build a foundation for understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of IT support.

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IT Manager

IT Managers plan, organize, and direct the activities of an organization's IT department. They also develop and implement IT policies and procedures, and manage IT budgets. This course may be useful since it can help build a foundation for understanding how to proactively identify and mitigate potential ethical issues in the field of IT management.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager