A study of quantity surveyors' ethical behaviour

Fan, L; Ho, C and Ng, V (2001) A study of quantity surveyors' ethical behaviour. Construction Management and Economics, 19(1), pp. 19-36. ISSN 01446193

Abstract

Several contemporary theories of ethics are reviewed and then linked to professional ethics. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect primary data regarding quantity surveyors' attitudes towards professional ethics. The subjects were members of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS). Systematic multivariate statistical analyses, such as ANOVA, F-distribution, and test for significance, were used to draw insight from the survey results. A discrepancy in the standards of professional ethics between senior and junior surveyors was found in the survey. In addition, wide and significant variances towards ethical concepts and decisionmaking considerations were found between senior and young practitioners. The results also show that the respondents attach great importance to the interest of their employers, their clients and themselves, which is not in line with the expectations of the general public. These findings provide useful information for researchers in studying specific ethical decision-making models as well as drafting more theoretically based rules of conduct.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: professional ethics; surveyors; Hong Kong; China; ethical decision-making models; ethics; rules of conduct; surveying profession
Index terms: multivariate statistical analysis, drafting, profession, ethics, variance, Hong Kong, quantity surveying, ethical behaviour, China, decision-making, practitioner, questionnaire, survey, professional ethics, surveying
Subjects: technical documentation, ethical issues, health monitoring assessment and metrics, ethical practice, profession, data collection methods, practitioner, institututions, decision analysis, measurement and scaling, statistical analysis, Geography
Topics: Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Health and Safety, Design Practice
Descriptive scope: 5 PCTEA

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