Hi Oi Lam Siu, thank you for your well-structured and critical analysis of the Abusive Workplace Behaviour case study. I agree that Max’s conduct constitutes a serious breach of both the ACM and BCS Codes of Conduct. Your emphasis on psychological safety and the denial of professional credit is significant in today’s collaborative computing environments, where trust and recognition are essential for team dynamics (Sharp, Robinson and Woodman, 2000).
Your use of the Equality Act 2010 is highly effective in showing how unethical behaviour in the workplace may also have legal implications. As you rightly pointed out, Section 26 of the Act defines harassment as conduct that violates dignity or creates a hostile environment, particularly when linked to protected characteristics.
I would also highlight ACM Principle 1.4, which calls on computing professionals to act fairly and avoid discriminatory practices. Even if Max’s actions were not explicitly discriminatory, the abuse of power and retaliation through authorship decisions create a culture of exclusion and fear. Such behaviour contradicts ethical leadership principles and may damage both morale and professional development opportunities (Johnson, 2018).
This case highlights the importance of ethical awareness, emotional intelligence, and accountability in leadership roles. Thank you for your thoughtful contribution to the discussion.
References
ACM (n.d.) ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Available at: https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
Johnson, C.E. (2018) Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. 6th edn. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Sharp, H., Robinson, H. and Woodman, M. (2000) ‘Software engineering: Community and culture’, IEEE Software, 17(1), pp. 40–47. https://doi.org/10.1109/52.819967
Equality Act 2010, c.15. United Kingdom. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents
BCS (2022) BCS Code of Conduct. Available at: https://www.bcs.org/membership-and-registrations/become-a-member/bcs-code-of-conduct