Responsibilities of Engineers

1
Responsibilities of Engineers

• Brian Simon
• Jonathan Levy
• Dwayne Mills
• Brian Tobin

2
Outline

• Confidentiality
• Conflict of Interest
• Environmental Ethics
• Computer Ethics

3
Professional Responsibilities Confidentiality

• Professional Engineers must keep certain
  information of the client secret
• The Majority of Engineering Code of Ethics have
  provisions dealing with confidentiality
• Secret information and formulas help companies
  compete in their fields
• Examples Pharmaceutical, Aerospace, and Utilities

4
What to keep secret?

• As with most ethical questions, the answer is
  common sense, ex. Test results, formulas
• The list is longer than you might think, ex.
  company roster, interview roster and vacations
• Many engineers sign a non-disclosure agreement.
  By signing these, the engineers are legally
  responsible if they share information

5
What if an Engineer leaves the firm

• Legally, the engineer cant bring any specific
  data from one job to another.
• But what about the data inside of the engineers
  head?
• The courts have decided that is up to the
  individual engineer to balance between giving
  specific data and conceptual ideas.

6
The Air Force Tanker Deals

• The Boeing Company
• Offered converted 767 civilian aircraft
• Deal would provide thousands of American jobs
  since Boeing builds in the USA

• Airbus Aircraft
• Offered converted A330 wide body jets
• Aircraft built in several EU countries including
  France

7
Darleen Druyun

• Worked for the Pentagon in the Office of
  Acquisitions.
• Had access to both Boeing and Airbus initial
  proposal.
• Gave confidential information to Boeing that the
  Airbus offer was 5-7 million cheaper per plane.
• Was later hired by Boeing as a consultant.

8
Ramifications

• Boeing won the contract but it has since been put
  in limbo by Boeings actions.
• Boeing CEO Phil Condit forced to resign, Darleen
  fired as well as the person who recruited her.
• Boeing may not win future U.S. contracts as well
  as International contracts.

9
What is a Conflict of Interest ?

• A conflict of interest arises when an interest,
  if pursued, keeps a professional from meeting his
  obligations.
• 3 main situations
• Actual Conflict
• Potential Conflict
• Appearance of Conflict

10
How to avoid them?

• Follow company policy
• Ask !
• Use ethical problem-solving techniques
• Look at ethics codes

11
Cheney and Halliburton

• Cheney held executive position from 1995 to 2000
• Halliburton contributed to Bush campaign
• Government offered Halliburton reconstruction
  contract
• Known as Revolving Door

12
What is being done ?

• Research
• Proposed Amendment
• Longer cooling off period
• Limit amount of lobbying

13
What is Environmental Ethics ?

• Environmental Ethics began in the 1960s.
• Engineers are partly responsible for damage done
  to the environment.
• Views of humans and the environment.
• Where does the environment fit in society?
• Where do humans fit in society?

14
Solving Environmental Ethics Questions

• Cost-Oblivious Approach
• Environmental ruin is intolerable.
• Make environment as clean as possible.
• Unrealistic method.

15
Solving Environmental Ethics Questions

• Cost-Benefit Approach
• Analyzes benefits of helping the environment.
• Costs and benefits fine-tuned to receive the
  greatest results.
• Goal is to create a balance between humans and
  environment.
• Cost-Benefit Approach not perfect.

16
Love Canal Case

• Love Canal was used as a chemical waste dump by
  the Hooker Chemical Plastics Corp.
• The surrounding land was sold to real estate
  developers.
• For the next 20 years, chemicals leaked into
  basements and pipes.

17
Love Canal Case

• In 1977, tests showed the contamination of the
  water, air, and local residents.
• 1983 - Occidental Petroleum Corporation pays 20
  Million to 1300 residents.
• 1995 - Occidental Petroleum Corporation pays 165
  Million for clean up.
• Caused congress to pass CERCLA, the Comprehensive
  Emergency Response, Compensation and Liability
  Act.

18
Computer Ethics Violations

• Embezzlement of Funds/ Identity Theft
• Privacy Issues
• Senate Computer Privacy Invasion
• Hacking

19
Autonomous Computers

• Ability to make decisions without human input
• Potentially Disastrous Effects

20
Codes of Ethics

• Many employers have instituted codes of ethics
  for computer use.
• Excellent Guidelines, however should not
  substitute for sound moral judgment

21

• Fleddermann, Charles. Engineering Ethics.
• Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
  2004
• Online Ethics Center The Love Canal
• http//onlineethics.org/environment/lcanal/index
  .html
• Associated Press Two Blamed for Senate
  Computer Snooping
• http//story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmplstorycid
  536ncid5 36e10u/ap/20040304/ap_on_go_co/judi
  ciary_memos