ethics

1. UNIT – 3
ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND SOFTWARE
ENGINEERING STANDARDS
UNIT III- ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND SOFTWARE
ENGINEERING STANDARDS
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1. Nature and role of professional societies : Professional responsibilities 1 C 3 Ref-3
2. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information, 1 C 3 Ref-3
3. Conflict of Interest, Competitive bidding, whistle-blowing 2 C 3 Ref-3
4.
Nature and role of software engineering standard: Engineering
standard, the standard of care, design standard, range of standard of
practice.
2 C 3 Tb-3

2. Professional Ethics
“Professional Ethics examines the Moral and
Ethical Issues that arise in a corporate
environment”

3. Engineering Ethics
“Consists of the responsibilities and rights that
ought to be endorsed by those engaged in
engineering, and also of desirable ideals and
personal commitments in engineering”
“Study of the decisions, policies, and values that are morally desirable
in engineering practice and Research”

4.  Doweneedthem?
 Whynotscientists?
 Areengineersprofessionals?
 Istherearelationshipbetweenthesociety andthe
engineer?
 Issocietybetterfromengineering?
What is the role of the engineer to
Society?

5.  “Scientistsstudytheworldasitis,engineers createtheworldthat
neverhasbeen” (TheodoreVonKarman)
 “Engineeringistheapplicationofsciencetothe commonpurpose
oflife”(CountRumford)
 Themainfocusofthescientististodevelop knowledgeand
understandingofthephysical universe.Scienceisthepursuitof
knowledgein itspurestsensewithoutanyconcerntothe needs
ofsociety,whereasengineeringisthe combinationofboth.
Let’s examine the relationship

6.  Thecentralfocusofthe engineering
professionis theapplicationofscientific
knowledgetomeetsocietal needs.
 Engineeringconnectspure scienceto
society
 Engineeringthereforehasa social
responsibility
What then is engineering?

7.  Itmeansacommitmentfromtheengineeringprofessionto placethepublicsafetyand
interestaheadofallother considerations.
 Itmeansthatengineerstakeintoaccountandshowdue regardfortheconsequencesof
theirconductforthewell- beingofothersaswellasfortheimpactoftheirworkon society
andthecitizenry.
 Thisrequirestheengineertomakedeterminedeffortsto discoveralloftherelevantfacts
concerningthedesign, development,anddeploymentandallofthepossible outcomesof
thechoicesavailablethatmaypositivelyand negativelyaffect/impactsocietyandthe
citizenry
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What does “having” social responsibilities
mean?

8.  Ensurethesafetyandwell-beingofthepublic
 Ensurethatsociety’sfundsandresourcesconcerning technologyarewellused
 Refusingtoworkonaparticularprojectorforaparticular company
 Speakingoutpubliclyagainstaproposedproject
 Blowingthewhistleonillegalityorwrong-doing
 ProfessionalSocieties’obligationtoprovideprotectionfor whistleblowers
 Individualandorganizationalconcernabouttheimpactof engineering
projectsonsociety
 Contributingone’sservicestoworthy,non-profitgroupsand projects
 Engineeringschools’commitmenttoeducatingfuture engineersabouttheir
socialresponsibilities 6
Social responsibilities of Engineers ( Some
Examples…)

9.  Commitmentofriskassessmentexpertstoethicalrisk/safety assessments
 Voluntarilyassumethetaskofeducatingthepublicabout importantconsequencesof
varioustechnologicaland scientificdevelopments
 Commitmentofengineerstodesignanddevelopsustainable technologies
 Provideexpertadvicetonon-experts
 Explicitcareandconcernabouttechnology’simpacton NatureandtheEnvironment
 Abidingbytheprinciplesofsustainabledevelopmentwhen thinkingaboutengineering
designs
 Abidingbythe“precautionaryprinciple”whenthinking aboutengineeringdesigns
 Inengineeringdesign,engineershavepracticedsocial responsibilitybyapplyingfactors
ofsafetytotheirdesigns andbybuildinginredundancy
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Social responsibilities of Engineers ( Some
Examples)

10.  The21stcenturywillbedefinedbysomeofthehuge challengesnowfacinghumanity.
 Theseareenergyandfoodsecurity,competitionandscarcity ofnaturalresources,and
climatechange.
 Thisyear’sengineeringgraduateswillfacetheseissues throughouttheirworking
careers.
 Thedemandforengineeringskillsislikelytobehigherthan everbeforeinorderto
deliversustainableengineering systems,low-carbonenergytechnologies,androbust
physicalinfrastructuretoprotectagainstgeophysical hazardssuchassea-levelriseand
extrememeteorological events
Engineering is not a stationary
profession…

11. Whydoengineershavetheresponsibilityto thinkaboutthe interactionof
technologyandsociety?
 Aren’ttheysupposedtoimplementthegoalsoftheir employersandclients..,not
decidewhatthosegoalsshould be!?!
 Answer:Becauseengineersaretheoneswhocreateallof thetechnologyand
 Responsiblemoralbeingsaresupposedtothinkaboutthe effectsoftheirown
actionsandcreationsespeciallyifthey impactothers.
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Engineering Social Responsibility

12.  “Engineeringisagreatprofession.Thereisa fascinationof
watchingafigmentofthe imaginationemerge,throughtheaid
of science,toaplanonpaper.Thenitmovesto realizationin
stoneormetalorenergy.Then itbringsjobshometomen.
Thenitelevates thestandardsoflivingandaddstothe comfort
oflife.Thatistheengineer'shigh privilege….Totheengineer
fallsthejobof clothingthebarebonesofsciencewithlife,
comfort,andhope…”
--Herbert Hoover
(US miningengineer &3istPresident oftheUS) (1874- 1964)
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Engineering and Society

13. “ Scientistdiscoversthat whichexists.An
engineercreatesthat which neverwas”
Theodore vonKarman(1881-1963)
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Define Engineering

14. Nature and role of professional societies
Professional Responsibilities
Few of the important responsibilities that engineers have:
⮚ Confidentiality and Proprietary Information
⮚ Conflict of Interest
⮚ Competitive Bidding
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

15. Professional Responsibilities Cont..
What is Confidentiality ?
⮚ When the word confidential is added to any information, it means that it should
not be shared with one and all.
⮚ It is mostly a trade secret.
⮚ Maintaining confidentiality and avoiding harmful conflicts of interest are
especially important aspects of teamwork and trustworthiness.
Source: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/engineering_ethics/engineering_ethics_confidentiality.html

16. Professional Responsibilities Cont..
What is Proprietary Information ?
⮚ Proprietary information, also known as a trade secret.
⮚ Information a company wishes to keep confidential.
⮚ Proprietary information can include secret formulas, processes, and methods
used in production.
Source: https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/proprietary-information.html

17. Professional Responsibilities Cont..
Difference between Confidentiality and Proprietary Information
⮚ As adjectives the difference between confidential and proprietary.
⮚ Is that confidential is (meant to be) kept secret within a certain circle of
persons; not intended to be known publicly.
⮚ Proprietary is relating to property or ownership, as proprietary rights .
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

18. Professional Responsibilities Cont..
Understanding Proprietary Information
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

19. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information
Hallmark of the profession
⮚ Requirement that members of the profession keep certain information of their
client secret or confidential
⮚ Confidentiality : Mentioned in engineering codes of ethics
i. Why must some engineering information be kept confidential?
⮚ Most information about how a business is run, its products and its suppliers,
directly affects the company’s ability to compete in the marketplace
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

20. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information Cont..
⮚ Such information can be used by a competitor to gain advantage or to catch up
⮚ It is in the company’s (and the employee’s) best interest to keep such
information confidential to the extent possible
ii. What types of information should be kept confidential?
⮚ Test Results and Data, Information about upcoming unreleased products, and
designs or formulas for products
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

21. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information Cont..
⮚ Business information such as the number of employees working on a project,
the identity of suppliers, marketing strategies, production costs, and production
yields
⮚ Most companies have strict policies regarding the disclosure of business
information and require that all employees sign them
⮚ Frequently, internal company communications will be labelled as
“proprietary.”
⮚ Engineers working for a client are frequently required to sign a nondisclosure
agreement
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

22. Confidentiality and Proprietary Information
⮚ It seems fairly straightforward for engineers to keep information confidential
⮚ It is obvious what should be kept confidential and from whom it should be
kept
⮚ An engineer is required to keep information confidential even after moving to a
new employer in the same technical area
⮚ Companies have the right to keep information away from their competitors
Source: Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999

23. Learning Resources Used for Unit III
1) Charles D Fleddermann, “Engineering Ethics”, Prentice Hall, New Mexico, 1999
2) https://www.tutorialspoint.com/engineering_ethics/engineering_ethics_confidential
ity.html
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wka2Bkiq3Qk
References

24. Thank You