Conflict of Interest Flashcards
What is conflict of interest?
Competing interests that are dragging you in separate ways
- almost always unethical and unprofessional
- can happen either intentionally or unintentionally
- always concerns desicion making
Prof Swarts definition of conflict of interest
Direclty concerns desicion making
- if you stand to benefit directly or indirectly and that benefit arises from somewhere other than your employer / client then your desicion making process is conflicted
Clear conflict
something that is right in front of you while you are making the desicion
Potential conflict
There is no immediate conflict, but lurking in the background, ready to influence your desicion making process
Percieved conflict
To an outsider who doesnt understand the whole situation it looks like a conflict but there is really no conflict.
- This could still harm your reputation
Two golden rules of conflict of interest:
- You must be fully altert to conflict of interest (they arrive often
- ALWAYS disclose conflicts of interest (this often resolves confclits)
- Never fall into the trap of saying “ even though there is a conflict, I will still make the correct ethical decsion, so no need to disclose”
> no one will percieve it this way
7 common manifestations of conflicts:
1) secret commisions
2) misuing employers facilities (tools, facilities, instruments, ammenities, computers)
3) Secret employment (moonlighting) - if you show up monday morning exhausted
4) Self serving descisions, abuse of privelidges
5) Influence / peddling (support of a group, cause, political party)
6) abusing confidential info
7) arranging future employment (non-competition clause in your employment contract may lead to a lawsuit if you bring knowledge with you)
Psychology of Obedience to Authority
People were willing to continue an experiment when they thought they were harming others - under authority of a researcher encouraging them
