17 Copying

Copying is imitating or reproducing an original. In project management, copying most often relates to taking credit for ideas that someone else developed. Copying is unethical behavior on both personal and professional levels.

The Sin

Project management has been practiced for many years, dating back to the time of the pyramids in Egypt. It became a profession in the 1950s and 1960s and has continued to grow as people recognize that projects are the key to success in organizations. Projects today are viewed as organizational assets.

As project management professionals, it is important that we use the practices that have served us and others well in the past. However, it is also important that we build on these practices and add to them so they can become best practices for others to follow.

When we adopt a practice or a theory that another person has developed, we must credit that person appropriately. We cannot adopt an idea that someone else has set forth without attribution; this conduct violates ethical standards and is detrimental to our teams and our organization. By in effect claiming that someone else’s work is really our own work, we diminish the contribution of the originator and overstate our own capabilities. We disrespect intellectual property.

When we copy we are not acting in a truthful way, violating the codes of conduct followed by the Project Management Institute and virtually every other professional organization. Copying demonstrates that we are striving for personal gain rather than respecting our fellow practitioners.

We are all under great pressure to complete our projects on time, within budget, and according to specification. It has become all too common to look for shortcuts to meet these demands. Copying is an example of such a shortcut. The widespread use of the Internet as a resource and the availability of so much information online make it far easier than ever to engage in copying. It is also easy to engage in competitive intelligence about what is underway in other organizations and use their best practices as if they were our own work.

When we violate intellectual property considerations, we are engaging in dishonest behavior. Copying may help us complete our project on time, but in the long run others will realize that we are misrepresenting the original work of others. This can have dire consequences for our organizations, leading to possible lawsuits and litigation, not to mention the effects on our own integrity and professional reputation.

A Case of Copying

In a project procurement management class I was teaching, I asked students to prepare a job description for a procurement specialist to support a complex project. When I was reading the papers submitted in this graduate class, one of the papers sounded familiar. This was indeed the case—two students had submitted the same job description. I then did an Internet search and found they had copied word for word a job description in use by a state government. A little more research revealed that this was a relatively common practice for students submitting papers in many of my classes.

I pointed out in my classes that copying violates the university’s code of conduct and is an unacceptable practice, not only in academia but also in our work as project professionals. To combat this practice, I spent hours trying to determine whether or not original work had been submitted. The ready availability of electronic books makes it very easy to copy material into many assignments. The university subsequently purchased software that detects this problem. Many universities at the master’s and doctoral levels now submit project management theses and dissertations to such software before they can be approved and a degree is conferred.

Still the practice continues; no one expects to be caught.

Danger Signs

In the early stages of a project, costs are typically low because the project is just beginning and morale is high because people are excited to be part of the project. If evidence of copying is uncovered early in the project, the consequences can be destructive and costly—especially if no action is taken to address the situation. Trust then cannot form on the team, and the project’s ethical standards are compromised.

If we see someone else being rewarded for work that was obviously done by others without credit, the result is low morale and a negative view of the organization. Unfortunately, if we bring the problem to the attention of others, we may be the ones considered to be the problem; we may be asked to just let it go and be told that it will not happen again. When we continue to see the practice, it may lead to reduced motivation because we feel no one cares; we may even decide to leave the organization. Either way, the result is low morale. The organization suffers because it loses key people and key intellectual property.

Solutions

Screening for copying can be done but it takes time. It also is something that we would prefer not to do as we want to trust everyone we are working with to do original work and to do their best. In today’s environment, time is of the essence, and it is burdensome to have to determine whether we can trust team members.

If we do observe such behavior, we first need to check to confirm that it is copying. It is our responsibility then as project professionals to point out the behavior to the individual involved and give that person an opportunity to explain his actions. We then also need to explain why we feel it is inappropriate behavior. This is difficult to do as it takes time from our own work; moreover, it is hard to confront others and easier to walk away and avoid the problem. But if we do not take action, the behavior will continue and may have negative ramifications that affect the project and our organization. Customers and end users will lose confidence in our work and our integrity. Over the long term, our organization may not become or remain the leader in its field.

Tips for Preventing Copying on Your Project

If you observe someone copying on your project, point out the behavior and determine why it is happening.

Lead by example by referencing your own sources and showing the individual how you handled a similar situation in the past.

If the behavior continues, raise the issue to the next level in an effort to effect change in the organization and continue to demonstrate in a positive way how this problem can be avoided.

Raise the topic at team meetings—even at a kickoff meeting—as a practice to avoid throughout the project. The team could prepare a code of conduct as part of a team charter that notes that this behavior is inappropriate and will not be tolerated.