Unit V
Unit V
GLOBAL ISSUES
Global Issues
Multinational Corporations
Environmental Ethics
Computer Ethics
Weapons Development
Engineers as Managers
Consulting Engineers
Engineers as Expert Witnesses and Advisors
Moral Leadership
Code of Conduct
Corporate Social Responsibility.
Globalization
Means integration of countries thro’
commerce, transfer of technology and
exchange of information and culture.
Includes acting together and interacting
countries.
The activities of the MNC should give economic and transfer
phones have found their way into remote villages than the
landline telephone connections.
The term “appropriate” is value based and it should ensure
those issues.
Engineers in the past are known for their negligence of
environment, in their activities.
It has become important that engineers design eco-
friendly tools, machines, sustainable products, processes
and projects.
There are essential now to
Ensure protection of environment.
being released into the air from the thermal power stations
using the fossil fuels and several processing industries.
These gases form compounds with water in the air and
in nature.
Utlitarianism aims to maximize good consequences for
human beings.
Most of the goods are engineered products made out
natural resources
Human-centered environmental ethics
snow-clad mountains)
scientific interests to explore into nature or process.
computers.
The use of computers have raised a host of moral concerns
such as free speech, privacy, intellectual property right and
physical as well as mental harm.
Power relationships
Biased Software(Unfair)
Property
The most troublesome issues about property and
computers fall under two general headings.
The first is the use of computers in misuse and
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Common cases of computer abuse
Stealing or cheating by employees at work.
stealing by non-employees or former employees.
in widespread fraud.
Protection against criminal abuse
It has become a major constraint for effective and successful
design of many computer systems an programs.
Engineers predict not only the intended context in the
as a security feature.
Now, data encryption technique is widely employed to
Hackers
Legal responses
Professional issues
Computer Failures
Computer Implementation
Health conditions
4.Weapons development
Military activities including the world wars have stimulated the
growth of technology.
The growth of internet illustrates this fact fully.
The development of warfare and the involvement of engineers
bring out many ethical issues concerned with engineers such as
the issue of integrity in experiments as well as expenditure in
defense research and development ,issue of personal
commitment and conscience and the issues of social justice and
social health.
Engineer’s involvement in weapons development
to do.”
“Criteria: Insist that the result of conflict resolution be based on
objective standard.
6. Consulting engineers
The consulting engineers work in private.
There is no salary from employers.
It means offering a price and get something in return for the service
offered.
The organizations have a pool of engineers
The expertise can be shared and the bidding is made more realistic.
Individual consultants have to develop creative designs and build
their reputation steadily and carefully over a period of time.
Responsibilities of Consulting engineers-
contingency fee
This is the fee or commission paid to the consultant when one is
successful in saving the expenses for the client.
A sense of fairness and honesty is required in fixing this fee.
The fee may be either as an agreed amount or a fixed percentage of
the savings realized.
Responsibilities of Consulting engineers-safety
and client needs
The greater freedom for the consulting engineers in decision making
on safety aspects and difficulties concerning the truthfulness are
matters to be given attention.
E.g. in design-only projects, the consulting engineers may design
non-availability of materials.
Properly trained supervision is needed.
Hired Guns
Violate the standards of honest and due care in conducting
investigations.
Forward white lies and distortions.
Finance Bias
Consultants may be influenced for monetary considerations.
Engineers as expert witnesses-abuse
Ego Bias
The assumption that the own side is innocent and the other side is
testimony.
The integrity of the consultant will keep these biases away from the
justice.
Engineers as advisers in planning and policy
making
Technology is always involved in decisions about policy-making and
public planning.
In policy making, public officials and the general public need
objective studies about the costs and benefits of alternative
transportation, housing , energy use, land use and national defense.
In public planning, they need expert advice about the feasibility , risks
and benefits of particular technological projects that affect local
communities.
Normative models of advisers
Hired Guns
This model makes the obligation to clients paramount if not
exclusive.
Facts favorable to the client are dramatically highlighted an