1. Everyday Engineering Ethics A Discussion of Common Ethical Issues Facing the Engineering Professional Module 1 in the “Teaching Engineering Ethics” Series

2. Outline of Material Everyday Ethical Issues = Micro-ethics Macro-ethics (systemic issues) Micro-ethics (the individual and the situation) Corporate Ethical Climate Corporate Policies Industry Practices Government Oversight vs. “The Market” NSPE Board of Ethical Review (BER) Activity: Facing micro-ethical issues

3. Macro-Ethical Issues Safety, Loss of Life, Catastrophic Failures Typically “Newsworthy” Items The Space Shuttle Challenger Bhopal—Union Carbide The Ford Pinto Firestone and Ford Explorer tires Three Mile Island / Chernobyl Nuclear Reactors Kansas City Hyatt Hotel (suspended walkway) The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Indicative of systemic problems (beyond simple engineering and day-to-day ethics)

4. Situational Influences and Factors Company Clients or Customers Industry Government Law Public Agencies Family and Friends Global Connections (Society and Environment) Managers Engineer Colleagues

5. Micro-Ethical Issues Categories: Corporate Commitment / Loyalty Confidentiality (with company, to clients) Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Technical vs. Moral Errors Example: 1999 NASA Mars Climate Orbiter Mission Failure Bribes, Gifts, Kickbacks Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets, Copyrights, and Patents

6. Micro-Ethical Issues Categories (continued): Data Integrity and Reporting Computer Data and Security Anonymity in Corporations Risk-Assessment / Risk Management In the Design Phase During the Testing Phase (Test Protocol and Specs) After product release Whistle-blowing Authority, Teams and the Individual Engineer Situational Factors that govern reasoning and behavior

7. Micro-ethics Case Studies Goals of Exercise To introduce everyday ethical issues you may face To facilitate a forum for discussion Process Project Team Read and Discuss the Scenario Propose a set of Actions (behaviors) Propose an action through the lens of each of the three levels of McCuen’s Six Dimensions of Professional Ethics. Consider the individual, the situation, and the larger organization/industry factors What may be the immediate and long-term results from each of the three actions? Use the Codes to justify the decision