Engineering Ethics
-------------------------ENGR 300
Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering
University of Bridgeport, CT 06601
Coverage
Ethics -- Everyday Life
 Professional Ethics -- Why
 Codes of Ethics
 “Ethics Check” Questions
 The Five P’s
 Case Study -- The Christmas Gift
 Case Study -- Rigging the Bidding
 Ethics Summary

Ethics -- Everyday Life
Principles to guide actions
 “what is good and bad or right and wrong or
with moral duty and obligation”
(Web.3rd.Intl.)
 Major religions, humanistic principles

Professional Ethics -- Why?
 Professional
 Example:
IEEE Code
of Ethics
societies generally
Professional Ethics -- IEEE Code

1. To accept responsibility in making
engineering decisions consistent with the
safety, health, and welfare of the public, and
to disclose promptly factors that might
endanger the public or the environment.
Professional Ethics -- IEEE Code
2. To avoid real or perceived conflicts of
interest whenever possible, and to disclose
them to affected parties when they do exist.
 3. To be honest and realistic in stating
claims or estimates based on available data.
 4. To reject bribery in all its forms.

Professional Ethics -- IEEE Code
5. To improve the understanding of
technology, its appropriate application, and
potential consequences.
 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.

Professional Ethics -- IEEE Code
7. To seek, accept, and offer honest
criticism of technical work, to acknowledge
and correct errors, and to credit properly the
contributions of others.
 8. To treat fairly all persons regardless of
such factors as race, religion, gender,
disability, age, or national origin.

Professional Ethics -- IEEE Code
9. To avoid injuring others, their property,
reputation, or employment by false or
malicious action.
 10. To assist colleagues and co-workers in
their professional development and to
support them in following this code of
ethics.

“Ethics Check” Questions
Blanchard & Peale, “The Power of Ethical
Management”:
 1. Is it legal? Will I be violating either civil
law or company policy?
 2. Is it balanced? Is it fair to all concerned
in the short term as well as the long term?
Does it promote win-win relationships?

“Ethics Check” Questions

3. How will it make me feel about myself?
Will it make me proud?
Would I feel good if my decision were
published in the newspaper?
Would I feel good if my family knew about it?
The Five P’s
(Blanchard & Peale, in Fogler & LeBlanc):
 Purpose:
What is the objective for which you are
striving?
Are you comfortable with that as your
purpose?
Does your purpose hold up when you look at
yourself in the mirror?

The Five P’s

Pride:
Can you take pride in the solution you have
developed?
Is there any false pride or self-doubt
involved?
The Five P’s

Patience:
Have you taken the time to think through all
the ramifications of your solution?
The Five P’s

Persistence:
Are you sticking to your guns and not being
dissuaded by other demands?
Have you given up too soon on finding a
solution that is fair and balanced to all
concerned?
The Five P’s

Perspective (the “hub”):
Have you taken the time to focus inside
yourself to be sure everything fits with your
ideals and beliefs?
How does the solution fit into the ‘Big
Picture’?
The Christmas Gift
(Fogler & LeBlanc)
 Tom can influence selection of suppliers.
He typically receives from ballpoint to
bottle of liquor at Christmas.
 This time one supplier sends expensive
briefcase, name-stamped.

The Christmas Gift (cont.)

What to do?:
–
–
–
–
Keep the case, don’t let influence
Keep the case, as otherwise embarrassing
Return the case
Other ...
Rigging the Bidding
(Fogler & LeBlanc):
 Jill designs for a large company and needs a
certain piece of equipment. The equipment
from Company A is widely sold, but Jill has
heard that it’s no good. She knows that the
equipment from Company B is good though
much more expensive. Her company uses
competitive bids to decide. Should she insert
unnecessary specifications that exclude A?

Rigging the Bidding

The questions:
–
Is Jill being ethical in using false specifications
to circumvent company policy, even if she
believes it is in the company’s best interests?
–
Would you do the same if you were in Jill’s
position?
Ethics -- Summary

Ethics problems are where you can lose:
–
–
–
–
–
Your job
Your career
Your reputation
Friendship
(or self esteem!)
Ethics -- Summary

Ethics Codes:
–
Help guide behavior
–
Help determine attitudes
–
Help determine legality