Engineering Ethics and Professional Conduct

Lesson 1

INTRODUCTION

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DEFINITIONEngineering ethics is the field of applied ethics and system of moral principles that apply to the practice of engineering. The field examines and sets the obligations by engineers to society, to their clients, and to the profession. As a scholarly discipline, it is closely related to subjects such as the philosophy of science, the philosophy of engineering, and the ethics of technology.

Engineering ethics ….• The study of the moral issues and

decisions confronting individuals and organizations engaged in engineering

• The study of related questions about the moral ideals, character, policies, and relationships of people and corporations involved in technological activity.

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Definition of Ethics

A set of moral values and principles which form the standards guiding the code of conduct of individuals, organizations and professions.

Ethics refers to standards of conduct . . . that indicate how one should behave based on principles of right and wrong. As a practical matter, ethics is about how we meet the challenge of doing the right thing

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Definition of Ethics ….• Ethics deals with what we believe to be

good or bad and with the moral obligations that these beliefs imply.

• Ethics involves the rules for deciding right and wrong, and the code of conduct that is based on our decisions.

• Conduct is the manner in which a person behaves

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What is a professional?• Possesses specialized knowledge

and skills

• Belongs to and abides by the standards of a society

• Serves an important aspect of the public good

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Professional ethics• is usually connected to a shared

understanding of proper conduct guidelines among a group of people associated by means of their profession;

• Allows diverse, multidisciplinary, and multicultural teams to work in unison toward common goals.

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Why do Engineers need to know about Ethics?.

• With knowledge & skills, engineers have the capability to do services to the public.

• With this capability, engineers have a tremendous responsibility to clients, individuals and society.

• Ethics help engineers to guide their decisions to ensure they act responsibly.

• As occupations become more specialized, the ethical issues become more specialized

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Basic Ethical Concepts

• Ethical considerations are an integral part of making engineering decisions.

• The professional obligations of engineers go beyond fulfilling a contract with a client or customer.

• Codes of ethics can provide guidance in the decision-making process.

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Basic Ethical Concepts……

• Ethical obligations do not stop at any country’s border; they are global.

• Wherever engineers practice, they should hold paramount the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

• How an engineer fulfills those obligations may depend on the social and economic context of engineering practice.

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Code of Ethics• Express the rights, duties, and obligations of the

members of the profession.• Provides framework for arriving at good ethical choices.• May not be comprehensive, but all inclusive.• Codes of ethics are written by specific groups of people

for specific groups of people, each group having its own purpose for existence and its own means of accomplishing its purpose.

• Codes of ethics are to be reflections of the morally permissible standards of conduct which members of a group make binding upon themselves.

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Code of Ethics• Your code of ethics defines your responsibilities to

society and the environment, your employer or client, and your fellow engineers.

• Governments - federal, state, and local - impose added responsibilities on engineers through administrative rules and regulations, and civil and criminal codes.

• Strictly speaking, morality is used to refer to what we would call moral conduct while ethics is used to refer to the formal study of moral conduct.

• Ethics is also often called moral philosophy.

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Guidelines for Professional Conduct• Achieving an ethical professional career is a journey,

not a destination. Your understanding of ethical behavior will change with time, experience, and discussion with others who have set out to take a similar journey. Only when you decide on a lifetime of learning about and discussing ethical behavior with others, can you hope to complete the journey successfully.

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Guidelines for Professional Conduct…

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• The responsibility borne by employers and senior members of the profession to set standards of ethical behavior in their own lives cannot be overstated. It is the responsibility of people in positions of authority and seniority to make their peers and colleagues aware of the need to read the code of ethics often. Further, these mentoring members have an ethical responsibility to model behaviors that others may learn from and to raise questions and engage their peers and colleagues in discussing ethical issues.

Important Terms in Professional Conduct• Bribe: A gift or favor, given or promised, with the intent to

influence the judgment or conduct of another.• Confidential or Proprietary Information: Information that is

the property of the employer, which the employer has the right to make available to or withhold from others within the firm or the general public, as he or she alone deems appropriate (such as lists or other information concerning an employer’s clients, suppliers, personnel, or shareholders; competitive business strategies and plans; and special methods of operation). Annual reports, quarterly reports, and annual or other periodic filings that are considered public information once they are filed and press releases issued by the employer are not confidential or proprietary information.

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Important Terms in Professional Conduct……..

• Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest is any activity, transaction, relationship, service, or consideration that is, or appears to be, contrary to the individual’s professional responsibilities or in which the interests of the individual have the potential to be placed above his/her professional responsibilities.

• Family Members: Family members include a spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, in-laws, or any other person sharing the same home or otherwise in a close familial relationship with the business.7

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Important Terms in Professional Conduct……..• Harassment : Harassment is any unwelcome and

offensive verbal or physical conduct of one person toward another based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law that has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile work environment; interferes with the individual’s work performance; or otherwise affects or harms an individual’s employment opportunities.

• Kickback: The illegal giving back of a portion of a payment received for work or services as a means of obtaining or otherwise influencing the judgment or actions of another, or with the expectation of receiving special treatment not afforded to all.

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Important Terms in Professional Conduct……..

• Outside Employment: Providing work or services for pay for an employer, including yourself, who is not your normal full-time employer.

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