PROFFESIONAL PRACTICES

ASSIGNMENT NO 02

SUBMITTED BY : SAAD ALI MUBARAK

SUBMITTED TO : MA’AM MAJIDA KHAN TAREEN
ROLL NO : 222201017
CLASS : BSCS-III
1. What are the ethical issues in this case?

Ethical Issues:
a. Intellectual Property Violation: Ralph reused code that he had developed
during his previous job without obtaining proper permissions. This raises ethical
concerns about intellectual property rights and plagiarism.

b. Lack of Disclosure: Ralph did not inform his current employer, SDX Alliance,
that he had used code from a previous job. This lack of transparency can be
considered unethical because it hinders SDX Alliance's ability to make informed
decisions.

c. Unfamiliarity with Copyright Laws: Ralph's admission of not being aware of

copyright laws highlights a lack of knowledge in the field, which can lead to ethical
issues when handling intellectual property.

d. Potential Consequences: The potential consequences of this situation include

legal issues, financial implications, and delays in product development. These
consequences have ethical implications for all parties involved.
2. Who are the actors and what is their obligation in this case?
Actors and Their Obligations:
- Ralph: As an entry-level software engineer, Ralph had an obligation to inform
his current employer about the code's source and potential copyright issues. He
should also have known and followed intellectual property and copyright laws.

- SDX Alliance: The company should have policies and procedures in place to
ensure the ethical use of intellectual property. Additionally, they have an
obligation to address potential copyright issues promptly and ethically.
 - The Previous Startup: Although it is out of business, the previous startup still
owns the intellectual property rights to the code. If contacted, they have an
obligation to respond to inquiries and, if necessary, grant permission for the use of
the code or negotiate terms.

- Legal Authorities: In case legal action is required, legal authorities may need to
be involved to enforce copyright laws and resolve disputes.
3. Would the issue in the case have occurred if the actors followed the IEEE code
of ethics?
The issue in this case could have been mitigated or potentially avoided if the
actors had followed the IEEE Code of Ethics, which promotes ethical behavior in
the field of engineering and technology.

4. What sections of the IEEE Code of Ethics would have been relevant in this
case?
Relevant Sections of the IEEE Code of Ethics:
- Principle 1: "to accept responsibility in making decisions consistent with the
safety, health, and welfare of the public and to disclose promptly factors that
might endanger the public or the environment."
- Principle 6: "to maintain and improve our technical competence and to
undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience,
or after full disclosure of pertinent limitations."
- Principle 7: "to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to
acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of
others."
5. What Should They Do?
- SDX Alliance should immediately cease using the code developed by Ralph that
is subject to copyright infringement.
- SDX Alliance should make all reasonable efforts to contact the previous startup
and negotiate a solution, such as obtaining permission or purchasing the rights to
the code.
- Legal counsel should be consulted to assess the potential legal implications and
strategies for resolution.
- Ralph should learn about copyright laws and ethical standards for software
development to prevent such issues in the future. Additionally, he should
cooperate fully with any legal or ethical actions taken by SDX Alliance.