EG 2401A Engineering Professionalism

Tutorial 4 (Semester 2 2021/22)

Question 1
Consider the statement, “Among the four categories of factors that can contribute to technological
disasters, it is the hardest to eliminate socio-cultural factors”.
(a) Explain what socio-cultural factors are in the context of the above statement.
(b) If you agree with the above statement, list down your reasons with suitable engineering
examples to support your answer.
If you do not agree, explain with suitable engineering examples which other factor is hardest to
eliminate, and give reasons why it is harder than socio-cultural factors.
In either case, do not use examples discussed in the lectures.

Question 2
Explain the following with suitable examples (different from those discussed in the lectures) to
illustrate your answers:
(a) Why Groupthink must be avoided in engineering
(b) Why normalization of deviance must be avoided in engineering
(c) Why citizens of lesser industrialized countries are likely to experience paternalism

Question 3
(a) Bribery is considered not only a legal issue but also a moral one. Explain with suitable
example(s) what ethical theories would be violated in bribery.
(b) Explain why the moral status of paying a bribe is different from that of paying extortion. Give a
suitable example (different from those discussed in the lectures) to illustrate your answer
(c) Section III.2d of the NSPE Code states that “Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the
principles of sustainable development in order to protect the environment for future generations”.
Using the definition of sustainable development as given in the NSPE Code, do you agree that
sustainable development is supported by the Golden Rule? Give examples to illustrate your answer.

Question 4
Imagine that after your graduation, you decided to stay on in NUS as a Research Engineer to work
in a research group. As part of your job, you help to supervise students carrying out their Final Year
Research Project (FYP). You also help in evaluating equipment specifications and making
recommendations for purchase by the research group.
(a) At the end of the students’ FYP, they brought a gift to thank you for your help in their project.
Can you accept this gift? What are the factors you would have to consider?
(b) One of the FYP students you supervised (Mr. ABC) joined an equipment company XYZ after
his graduation. He invited you to a seminar that his company is organizing to promote a new
product which he knew your research group may be interested to purchase. He mentioned that there
will be a lucky draw with generous prizes after the seminar. Should you attend the seminar?
(c) Assuming you attended the seminar, you then participated in the evaluation of XYZ’s product
and you recommended its purchase to the research group. After the purchase was finalized and the
equipment was delivered, Mr. ABC brought you an IPad as a gift. Should you accept this gift?