CPM CPM Ethics & Professional Responsibility 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical framework focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people?
- Virtue ethics
- Deontological ethics
- Utilitarianism (Correct answer)
- Relativism
Correct answer: Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism evaluates actions based on their outcomes and seeks to maximize overall benefit for the largest number of stakeholders.
Question 2: A CPM manager discovers a colleague is falsifying expense reports. The FIRST appropriate action is to:
- Ignore it to avoid conflict
- Confront the colleague privately
- Report it to HR or the ethics hotline (Correct answer)
- Share the information with the team
Correct answer: Report it to HR or the ethics hotline
Professional responsibility requires reporting misconduct through proper channels such as HR or an ethics hotline to protect organizational integrity.
Question 3: Which principle requires managers to act in the best interest of the organization and its stakeholders rather than personal gain?
- Transparency
- Fiduciary duty (Correct answer)
- Equity
- Accountability
Correct answer: Fiduciary duty
Fiduciary duty obligates managers to prioritize stakeholders' interests above their own personal benefit.
Question 4: Conflict of interest in management MOST commonly arises when:
- A manager oversees too many employees
- Personal interests could improperly influence professional decisions (Correct answer)
- A project exceeds its budget
- Two departments share the same resources
Correct answer: Personal interests could improperly influence professional decisions
A conflict of interest exists when a manager's personal interests have the potential to bias their professional judgment or decisions.
Question 5: Which element is central to building an ethical organizational culture?
- Strict hierarchical authority
- Tone at the top from senior leadership (Correct answer)
- Maximum profit orientation
- Minimal employee autonomy
Correct answer: Tone at the top from senior leadership
Ethical culture is largely shaped by senior leadership modeling and consistently demonstrating the values they expect throughout the organization.
Question 6: Whistleblower protections in the U.S. are primarily designed to:
- Reward employees financially for reporting
- Prevent retaliation against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct (Correct answer)
- Allow employees to bypass their managers
- Eliminate internal grievance procedures
Correct answer: Prevent retaliation against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct
Whistleblower protection laws shield employees from retaliation when they report violations of law or ethical standards in good faith.
CPM CPM Ethics & Professional Responsibility 1
Which ethical framework focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people?