HONESTY, TRUST & LOYALTY

IN WORKPLACE
LECTURE 4 – ENGINEERING ETHICS
OUTLINE:

1. Honesty & Dishonesty

2. Dishonesty in Research and Testing
3. Confidentiality
4. Intellectual Property
5. Expert Witnessing
6. Informing the Public
7. Conflict of Interest

This chapter covers important ethical concepts that are crucial

to an Engineer’s profession, like honesty and building trust
among the public

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HONESTY/DISHONESTY:

Honesty: The freedom from deceit or

fraud

All codes of practice emphasize

honesty

In the Preamble of the NSPE:

Service by engineers requires

honesty, impartiality, fairness, &
equity
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HONESTY/DISHONESTY: CONT’D

In the Rules of Practice:

Engineers shall not permit the use of their name nor associate in
business with any person or firm engaging in fraudulent or
dishonest professional practice

Why should we be honest in our profession?

- Religious obligation of honesty in general
- A means for being ethical, honorable and respected
- Requested by Standards of Practice in Engineering
- A commonly-accepted trait

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HONESTY/DISHONESTY: CONT’D

Dishonesty has many forms:

- Lying
- Deliberate Deception
- Withholding Information
- Failure to seek the Truth

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FORM OF DISHONESTY

Lying: Knowingly convey false or misleading information

• Something that is wrong
• Stated in words
• With the intention to deceive

Deliberate Deception: Implying knowledge one’s do not have

Claiming something in a deceitful manner
• Ex: Misrepresenting one’s own expertise; praising a
product disproportionately

Withholding Information:
Showing one aspect only, instead of the full picture, especially
in Engineering research. Not discussing negative points.

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FORM OF DISHONESTY CONT’D

Failure to seek the Truth

An Honest Engineer is someone who is committed to
finding the truth rather than simply avoiding dishonesty…

Ex:
Suppose engineer Mary suspects that some data she has
received from the lab are inaccurate. In using the results
as they are, she is neither lying nor concealing the truth.
But she may be irresponsible in using the results without
inquiring further into their accuracy.

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HONESTY/DISHONESTY: CONT’D

The Utilitarian Perspective:

Engineers provide successful
designs for bridges, buildings,
cars, all kinds of products, etc…
that make people’s lives better

Thus, being an honest Engineer is

Ethical

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HONESTY/DISHONESTY: CONT’D

The Perspective of the Self-Defeating Approach:

Engineers presenting unsuccessful or bad designs,
hiding vital data, not learning from mistakes,
simply:
• Defeats the purpose
• Undermines the function

Thus, being an dishonest Engineer is Unethical

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DISHONESTY IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND
TESTING

• Falsification: Falsification of data involves distorting

data by smoothing out irregularities or presenting only
those data which fit one’s theory.
• Fabrication: Involves inventing data and even
reporting results of experiments that were never
conducted.
• Plagiarism: Is the use of intellectual property of others
without proper permission or credit.

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CONFIDENTIALITY:

Truth misused by disclosing it at inappropriate

circumstances, while it belongs to the client

Engineers can mishandle client confidentiality in two ways:

1. Breaking confidentiality when not warranted

2. Refusal to break confidentiality when higher obligation
to the public obliges so
Ex: Home inspection

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:

It is the property that results from mental labor

It can be protected by many ways including
• Trade Secrets: Formulas, Info…
• Patents: Protection issued by authority for protection
• Copyrights: Books, Graphics, Music…
• Trade Marks: Words, Phrases, Symbols…

Such cases could be very complex, and the best

way to deal with them is using Line Drawing
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EXPERT WITNESSING :

Engineers are often hired as expert witnesses or technical

experts where accidents/ failures occur, or when defective
products cause harm to the public.

Engineers have to be immune against perjury or withholding

information during testimony by:
1. Having adequate time for investigation
2. Approaching the matter with good conscience
3. Consult extensively with lawyers to explain technical
details of case & prepare for cross-examination
4. Being objective and unbiased
5. Being open to new information during course of trial
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INFORMING THE PUBLIC :

According to NSPE:

Engineers are requested to notify employers, or

such other authority, as may be necessary, when
their professional judgement is overruled at
circumstances which might jeopardize safety,
health, and welfare of the public.

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INFORMING THE PUBLIC : CONT’D

This obligation of Engineers to protect the health and

safety of the public requires more than refraining from
telling lies, or simply refusing to withhold information…

It sometimes requires that Engineers aggressively do

what they can to prevent disasters, and ensure that
consumers of technology are not forced to make
uninformed decisions regarding the use of that
technology.

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST :

This is especially problematic because it threatens to

compromise professional judgement in a way that makes it
less likely for the consumer or client to benefit as expected.

Conflicts of interest strike hard at the heart of

professionalism.

Engineers and professionals are paid for their expert

services and unbiased professional judgement.

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST CONT’D

NSPE Canon 4 states that engineers shall act as “faithful

agents or trustees” in performing their professional duties.
The first entry under the heading is that engineers should
disclose all “known” or “potential” conflicts of interest to
their employer or client.

Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional duties

by conflicting interests:
a. Engineers shall not accept financial or other
considerations from material suppliers for specifying
their products.
b. Engineers shall not accept commissions or allowances
directly or indirectly from contractors or others. 17
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: GUIDELINES

1. Conflicting Interests will most likely influence professional

judgement.

2. Differentiate between Conflict of Interest & Conflict of

Commitment.

3. The interests of the client/public that the Engineer

should protect are restricted to the morally legitimate
ones. An engineer has no professional duty to serve his
client or employer by performing illegal acts (fraud,
theft, etc..)
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST: GUIDELINES

Differentiate between “Actual” and “Potential” interests…

• Example 1: As a consultant, you recommend a company

you are a partner in to do the site investigation works for
your project = Actual
• Example 2: municipality wants to drill a water well due to
water shortages. One of the members has a brother who
is an expert in this field and can be of help = Potential

Note: It is better in this case for the municipality member not

to hide it, and deal with his brother’s offer as any other one
– judgement and selection of best offer not influenced.

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST: GUIDELINES

In cases where such conflicts can not be avoided, the

Engineer should be very clear and reveal the existence of
the conflict rather than wait for the consumer or public to
find out.

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