http://blueelephantconsulting.com - In this presentation, Dr. Anderson shows that the techniques that we generally use to make decisions may not work when it comes to making good ethical decisions. Instead, Dr. Anderson provides a 5-step framework for engineers to use when they are faced with having to make a good ethical decision.

1. Engineering
Ethical Decision Making
Is It Black & White – Or Is It Gray?

2. Engineers See The World
In Black & White

3. What Is Ethics?
Ethics refers to standards of behavior that
tell us how human beings ought to act in
the many situations in which they find
themselves-as friends, parents, children,
citizens, businesspeople, teachers,
professionals, and so on.
standards of behavior = “a decision making process”
Image Credit: http://ansam518.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/question-2/
Image Credit: http://www.sirlin.net/articles/slippery-slope-and-perpetual-comeback.html

4. Where Did Engineering Ethics
Come From?
• Boston Molasses
Disaster
• Ashtabula River
Railroad Disaster
• Etc.

5. Two Solutions To The
Engineering Ethics Problem
• License Engineers
– US model: Only requires those
practicing independently (i.e.
consulting engineers) to be
licensed,
– Engineers working in industry,
education, and sometimes
government need not be licensed.
• Professional Societies Created A
Code of Ethics
– National Society of Professional
Engineers
– American Society of Civil
Engineers
– IEEE

6. So We’ve Got This Ethics Thing Solved, Right?

7. Southwest Airline’s
Ethics Problem
Image Credit: http://saveadime.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/southwest-airtran-discount-fall-travel/southwest-airlines-logo1/

8. What Is Ethics?
1. “Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is
right or wrong.“
2. “Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.”
3. “Being ethical is doing what the law requires.”
4. “Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our
society accepts.“

9. Feelings = Ethics? Jared Lee Loughner
• Many people tend to equate ethics
with their feelings.
• But being ethical is clearly not a
matter of following one's feelings.
• A person following his or her
feelings may recoil from doing what
is right.
Anders Behring Breivik
• In fact, feelings frequently deviate
from what is ethical.
Image Credit: http://www.neontommy.com/tags/representative-giffords
Image Credit: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/galleries/explosion_rocks_downtown_oslo_norway/explosion_rocks_downtown_oslo_norway.html

10. Religion = Ethics?
Does ethics apply only to religious people?
Religion can set high ethical
standards and can provide
intense motivations for
ethical behavior.
Ethics, however, cannot be confined to religion nor is it the same
as religion.

11. Following The Law = Ethics?
Image Credit: http://www.confederatemercantile.com/catalog.html
Image Credit: http://angelasfailure.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

12. Doing What Society Accepts = Ethics?
Image Credit: http://jasonaclark.com/2009/08/06/does-anyone-else-think-this-sounds-like-nazi-germany-gop-tcot-txcot/

13. Ethics Case Study: The Job Offer
A graduating engineering student is interviewing with several
companies for an entry-level position. He receives an attractive offer
from company A. Since the job market is very competitive, he feels it
unlikely that another company will give an offer, much less an attractive
one. The student accepts company A’s offer and returns a signed letter
of acceptance which documents the terms of the position.
However, he receives an offer from company B one week afterwards. This new
opportunity has a higher salary, more benefits, better advancement
prospects, and a more desirable location. It is significantly better in all
respects.
Since only one week has past since the first acceptance was
returned and the new opportunity is clearly in his professional and
financial interests, he tells company A that he has changed his mind
and accepts the offer of company B. Company A does not express any
criticism of the student’s actions.
Image Credit: http://providentstl.org/job-and-life-skills-resources/interviewmistakestoavoid.html

14. Was Anyone Harmed?
• REFERENCES: Relevant sections of the IEEE
code
• Preamble: … to the highest ethical and
professional conduct …
• 9. to avoid injuring others, their property,
reputation, or employment by false or
malicious action.

15. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

16. Ethics & YOU!
Hank Morris doing his perp walk after being indicted on 123, count ‘em, 123
counts relating to taking multi-million dollar kickbacks from those wanting to
manage money for the New York State pension fund.
Image Credit: http://polizeros.com/2009/03/21/daily-rogues-report-hank-morris/

17. Why Identifying Ethical Standards
is Hard!
2 Big Problems With Identifying
Ethical Standards To Use:
1. What should we base our ethical standards on?
2. How should we apply these ethical standards to specific real
life situations we face?
Image Credit: http://blog.inlina.com/category/entertainment/

18. Sources Of Ethical Standards
The Utilitarian
Approach
The Rights
Approach
The Virtue
Approach
The Fairness or
Justice Approach
The Common Good
Approach

19. Source: The Utilitarian Approach
Image Credit: http://www.clker.com/clipart-66899.html
Image Credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/4616490/US-drones-based-in-Pakistan-Senator-Dianne-Feinstein-reveals-in-apparent-gaffe.html

20. Source: The Rights Approach
Image Credit: http://www.humanrightsnigeria.org/human-rights-lawyer.html
http://walyou.com/hobo-bed-sheets-design/

21. Source:
The Fairness or Justice Approach
Image Credit: http://www.lostartofblogging.com/running-multiple-blogs-advantages-vs-disadvantages
image Credit: http://risezine.wordpress.com/page/7/

22. Source: The Common Good Approach
Image Credit: http://ling.osa.pl/911/?said=3333g&q=puzzle+pieces
Image Credit: http://elderlawsolution.com/elderlaw/2011/05/16/stressors-when-caring-for-elderly-parents/

23. Source: The Virtue Approach
Image Credit: http://qwikstep.eu/search/women-success.html
image Credit: http://www.underconsideration.com/wordit/archives/virtue/

24. Ethics Case Study
• Your company sells cables for $250 that are just as good as $50 cables.
• Your boss has asked you to create a document that confirms that your cables
are worth the extra cost.
• It’s not really true – what do you do?
Image Credit: http://www.ohgizmo.com/2008/03/04/monster-cables-get-hung-drawn-quartered/
Image Credit: http://consumerist.com/2008/02/monster-cables-monster-ripoff-80-markups.html

25. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

26. Ethics & YOU!
Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam, charged by the U.S. Justice Department
and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, accused of reaping more than
$20 million by trading on inside information in a dozen companies.
Image Credit: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/10241

27. A Framework for
Ethical Decision Making
How do you recognize an ethical issue?
1. Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some
group? Does this decision involve a choice between a good and bad
alternative, or perhaps between two "goods" or between two
"bads"?
2. Is this issue about more than what is legal or what is most efficient?
If so, how?
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/

28. Ethics Case Study: A Reference
Request
• A former employee who was fired due to poor quality
work, absences, and lateness related to her drinking
problem, informs you that she has applied for a position
at another company and has already given your name as a
reference.
• She desperately needs a job (she is a single parent with
three children), and she asks you to give her a good
recommendation and not mention her drinking, which she
assures you is now under control.
• She also asks you to say that she voluntarily left the
company to address a family medical crisis, and that the
company was pleased with her work. You like this person
and believe she is a good worker when she is not drinking.
• You doubt that she really has overcome her drinking
problem, however, and you would not recommend your
own company hire her back.
Image Credit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1290542/Drinking-alcohol-pregnancy-damages-sperm-quality-sons.html

29. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

30. Ethics & YOU!
Ken Lay, CEO of Enron
Image Credit: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/10241

31. Building An Ethical Framework
Framework So Far
• Recognize an Ethical Issue
You need to collect all of the
facts
•
•
What individuals and groups have an
important stake in the outcome? Are
some concerns more important? Why?
•
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/
What are the relevant facts of the case?
What facts are not known? Can I learn
more about the situation? Do I know
enough to make a decision?
What are the options for acting? Have
all the relevant persons and groups
been consulted? Have I identified
creative options?

32. Ethics Case Study: Going Green?
•
An online auction site could order the shirts from a low-cost
company in China or they could order them from a fair-trade
company in San Francisco, which provided safe conditions and
higher wages for the workers who made the clothing.
•
The fair trade shirts cost $28.65,making the grand total for the
project $8,595. In contrast, the Chinese T-shirts are $5.50 each,
and the company's Web site promised fast and free delivery for a
grand total of $1,100.
•
The T-shirts from China would be cheaper so that they could
create a more elaborate design with more graphics and color.
•
Working conditions in China are not good: low wages, rigorous
work schedule, poor safety regulations, and the complete lack of
worker's compensation and benefits.
•
The San Francisco T-shirt company could provide shirts that were
more expensive, they were fair-trade, organic, and eco-friendly.
•
What should they do and why?
Image Credit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1290542/Drinking-alcohol-pregnancy-damages-sperm-quality-sons.html

33. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

34. Ethics & YOU!
Ralph Cioffi, former manager of two Bears Stearns
hedge funds arrested for mail fraud and conspiracy
Image Credit: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/10241

35. Building An Ethical Framework
Framework So Far
• Recognize an Ethical Issue
• Get the Facts
Evaluate Alternative Actions
Which option will produce the most
good and do the least harm?
(The Utilitarian Approach)
•
Which option best respects the rights of
all who have a stake?
(The Rights Approach)
•
Which option treats people equally or
proportionately?
(The Justice Approach)
•
Which option best serves the
community as a whole, not just some
members?
(The Common Good Approach)
•
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/
•
Which option leads me to act as the
sort of person I want to be?
(The Virtue Approach)

36. Ethics Case Study(s)
Receiving a Holiday Gift:
A supplier sends a basket of expensive foodstuffs to your home at Christmas
with a card: "We hope you and your family enjoy the 'goodies.‘". What action(s)
might you want to take?
Sales Expense:
The purchasing manager for a large company agrees to give you an order (their
first), expecting you agree to make a $200 donation to his favorite charity, a local
youth sports team. How do you respond?
Sales Expense Reimbursement:
A customer executive from Southeast Asia will visit your HQ facility and meet
with your executive team. Your independent Southeast Asian agent requests
that you reimburse the customer for his expenses, including expenses that could
violate your company's policies. The agent will reimburse you. How do you
Image Credit: http://wine-bohemia.info/tag/wine-gift-basket/page/2/
proceed?
Image Credit: http://mogosport.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/parenting-and-youth-sports/
Image Credit: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10360549-265.html

37. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

38. Ethics & YOU!
Former Bear Stearns hedge fund manager, Matthew Tanin,
being arrested for fraud.
Image Credit: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/10241

39. Building An Ethical Framework
Framework So Far
• Recognize an Ethical Issue
• Get the Facts
• Evaluate Alternative Actions
Make a Decision and Test It
• Considering all these
approaches, which option
best addresses the
situation?
• If I told someone I respector told a television
audience-which option I
have chosen, what would
they say?
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/

40. Ethics: Case Study(s)
References:
Conflict of Interest:
A large, prospective client calls you and asks about a
competitor's reputation. One of your long time
customers had a very bad experience with this
competitor. What information do you share with the
prospect? How do you respond to the prospect’s
call?
As department manager, you are hosting an informal
celebration in the office. The food budget is $200.
Your next door neighbor has just started her own
catering business and asks to supply the food. Since
she is just starting out, she'll do it at cost and provide
extra items at no charge. What might you want to
consider?
Gratuities:
Competition:
A customer has a large sailing yacht on a vessel that
your company will be unloading. The customer is
present and is watching the off-loading operation.
You are in a head-to-head battle with your arch
competitor, Evil Enterprises. One of your co-workers
approaches you. He has recently joined your
company after having worked for a second
competitor for several years.
The five stevedores and you manage pull off a very
tricky maneuver, safely transferring the yacht to the
trailer. The customer is elated, and reaches into his
pocket, pulling out a big wad of $50 bills. What do
you do?
He suggests, "I made notes on all of Evil's bids when I
could get the data. They use some clear cost
standards. Would you like me to bring my notes to
Image Credit: http://images.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=ref&q=http://truittdesign.personablesolutions.com/References.aspx
the office tomorrow and let you look through them?"
Image Credit: http://images.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=ref&q=http://cruisefever.net/if-i-prepay-the-tips-on-my-cruise-do-i-need-to-tip-anyone-else
Image Credit: http://www.highlighthealth.com/health-news/medical-journal-conflict-of-interest-disclosure-and-other-issues/
How do you respond?
Image Credit: http://fitsit360.com/tag/competition/

41. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

42. Ethics & YOU!
Danielle Chiesi, the former beauty queen turned stock trader got 30
months in prison. Ceisei passed on insider stock information to her
married boss and lover, Mark Kurland
Image Credit: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/10241

43. Should We Ship?
The company records-retention policy instructs employees to discard
development records and test results for products five years after End of Life is
declared. This policy is in compliance with local legal requirements.
Because of how much work you have, you’ve not disposed of some old records,
and they are a couple of years over the limit for the company policy. You finally
get time to clean out your files, but then you receive a legal request for any
information about the old product that is involved in an injury case. Your records
may or may not be applicable to the case.
Should you destroy the records?
You have just discovered that a country in the Far East has new regulations that
apply to your product. The requirement is to submit a report and get a file
number to apply to your product - after the government department has given
its OK. However, you know from industry contacts that there is no enforcement
of the law at this time.
Should you delay shipping products until they are compliant or take other
action?
Image Credit: http://www.servitokss.com/question-marks/

44. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

45. Ethics & YOU!
Ernst Lieb, the former president and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz USA was
fired after repeatedly flouting rules governing the use of company funds and
influence. He paid golf-club fees through Daimler and granted rentals of
vehicles in exchange for flight upgrades. He was reported to have used
corporate funds to build his house in the New York region.
Image Credit: http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2009/04/qa-mercedes-benz-us-ceo-ernst-lieb/

46. Ethics Case Studies
Case #1:
Your company's product uses some supplementary circuit protection in larger
units. While visiting the factory for another reason, you tour the production line
and notice that the protectors are different from the ones you originally evaluated.
They seem to have the same ratings, but you suspect they may not be suitable as a
substitute.
This product is not your responsibility, and you would have to do some research to
figure out if there is a problem.
Image Credit: http://www.ecvv.com/product/92043.html

47. Ethics Case Studies
Case #2:
The latest edition of the standard that applies to your
products now has three pages of "safety" markings and
warnings specified. So many warnings about very
unlikely situations greatly reduce the impact of
warnings that might prevent dangerous events. You
have actually surveyed customers and found that to be
true.
Should you reduce the warning labels to only to the
important ones or just follow the standards of the
certification agencies?
Your marketing department wants you to colorcoordinate and reduce in size the warning labels. The
new version still would comply with the standard, but it
would not stand out on the machine.
Should you resist the change?
Image Credit: http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12506_div/12506_div.HTML

48. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

49. Building An Ethical Framework
Framework So Far
• Recognize an Ethical Issue
• Get the Facts
• Evaluate Alternative Actions
• Make a Decision and Test It
Act and Reflect on the Outcome
• How can my decision be
implemented with the
greatest care and attention
to the concerns of all
stakeholders?
• How did my decision turn
out and what have I learned
from this specific situation?
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/

50. Should We Ship?
A new high-end computer is ready to ship - except for one test that you will not
complete for another three weeks. The probability of failure is low - and even if
the test fails, corrections can be made and sent out later to customers.
Marketing is VERY anxious to ship because the end of the fiscal quarter is next
week.
Should you put on the agency mark and ship while finishing the test?
Your boss tells you that this has occurred before; the company shipped the
product, and there was no problem. He also says that if you do not want to sign
off, then he will do so.
What should you do?
Products were shipped before this test was completed - but it happened
when you were on a business trip. The production manager apologizes,
but doesn't want to take any action.
What should you do?
Image Credit: http://www.servitokss.com/question-marks/

51. IEEE Code Of Ethics
1.
We, the members of the IEEE,
in recognition of the
importance of our
technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the
world, and in accepting a
personal obligation to our
profession, its members and
the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and
professional conduct and
agree:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

52. Building An Ethical Framework
Framework
1. Recognize an Ethical Issue
2. Get the Facts
3. Evaluate Alternative
Actions
4. Make a Decision and Test It
5. Act and Reflect on the
Outcome
Image Credit: http://diwt.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/framework/

53. Final Thought:
You Don’t Look Good In Handcuffs!