Overview Of Ethics In Engineering Practices

Background

It is responsibility of an engineer to solve the technical problems, but it is also the duty of engineer to satisfy the customers with highest design standards. At times engineer are pulled towards unethical or illegal behavior to meet the expectations. Hence ethics in engineering practice plays a vital role in engineering discipline. Ethics set a specific set of value factors for engineering profession. The long term and short term objective of individual, an organizational and professional objective requires some codes of ethics for quality engineering.  Engineering ethics is core practice for engineering discipline and engineering principle management. This reduces the complexity of engineering decisions that are of ethical importance. Engineering ethics are not in place and lacking complacency basis. Ethical compromises led to engineering disasters. For instance inadequate reinforcing strength of building construction is an unethical engineering practice. As most of today’s engineering discipline implies more about modeling and designing, engineering ethics became essential tool in this discipline. Engineering ethics defines systematic approach in a comprehensive way.

Literature review

The engineering management and engineering practice has long timeline of engineering ethics since ancient times. Henkert and O’Connell classified engineering ethics as microethics domains and macroethics domains. A microethic correlates individual engineer relationship. Macroethics provide solution for social consequence and social policies. The conflict between professional ethics and engineering management is defined by Nolley and Spurlock. System dynamics was given by Geistauts. Critical thinking of engineering ethics solves policy arguments by system diagrams. The technical competence and integrity provide high level professional ethics. Engineering ethics practices shall ensure high level delivery of professional conduct. The characteristic of engineering ethics is applicable in major services like medicine, engineering, law and other professions.

Questions:

• What is engineering ethics?
• What is the benefit of engineering ethics?
• What are engineering ethics principles?