UNIT-2

PROFESSIONALISM

Profession: A type o a job that requires special training or skill especially one that needs a
high level of education such as medical, legal, or teaching.
Professional: Someone who does a job that requires special training and enjoys a high status
The word professional is used many times with different connotations.

Profession

Profession means a job or an occupation, that helps a person earn his living. The main criteria
of a profession involves the following.
● Advanced expertise − The criteria of a profession is to have sound knowledge in both
technical aspects and liberal arts as well. In general, continuing education and updating
knowledge are also important.
● Self-regulation − An organization that provides a profession, plays a major role in
setting standards for the admission to the profession, drafting codes of ethics,
enforcing the standards of conduct and representing the profession before the public
and the government.
● Public good − Any occupation serves some public good by maintaining high ethical
standards throughout a profession. This is a part of professional ethics where each
occupation is intended to serve for the welfare of the public, directly or indirectly to a
certain extent.

Professionals

A person who is paid for getting onvolved in a particular profession in order to earn a living
as well as to satisfy the laws of that profession can be understood as a Professional. The
definition of a professional is given differently by different experts in the field. Let us see the
following definitions −
● “Only consulting engineers who are basically independent and have freedom from
coercion can be called as professionals.” − Robert L. Whitelaw
● “Professionals have to meet the expectations of clients and employers. Professional
restrains are to be imposed by only laws and government regulations and not by
personal conscience.” − Samuel Florman
● “Engineers are professionals when they attain standards of achievement in education,
job performance or creativity in engineering and accept the most basic moral
responsibilities to the public as well as employers, clients, colleagues and
subordinates.” - Mike martin and Ronald Schinzinger

Models of Professional Engineers

An engineer who is a professional, has some tasks to perform by which he acts as any of the
following, which can be termed as Models of Professional Engineers.
 ● Savior − A person who saves someone or something from any danger is called a
Savior. An engineer who saves a group of people or a company from a technical danger
can also be called a Savior. The Y2K problem that created problems for computers
and computer networks around the world was solved by engineers who were the
saviors.
● Guardian − A person who knows the direction towards a better future is known to be
the Guardian for the same. An engineer who knows the direction in which there is
scope for the technology to develop can also be called a Guardian. This engineer
provides the organization with innovative ideas for technological development.
● Bureaucratic Servant − A person who is loyal and can solve problems when they
occur using his own skills, is a Bureaucratic servant. An engineer who can be a loyal
person to the organization and also the one who solves the technical problems the
company encounters, using his special skills can be termed as a Bureaucratic servant.
The company relies on his decision-making capability for the future growth.
● Social Servant − A person who works for the benefit of the society without any selfish
interest and does not work on any business grounds, is called a Social servant. An
engineer who receives a task as part of the government’s concern for the society
considering the directives laid by the society and accomplishes the assigned tasks can
be termed as a Social Servant. He knows what the society needs.
● Social Enabler or Catalyst − A person who makes the society understand its welfare
and works towards the benefits of the people in it, is a Social Enabler. An engineer
who plays a vital role in a company and helps company along with society to
understand their needs and supports their decisions in work can be termed as a Social
Enabler or Catalyst. This person quickens the procedure and helps maintain good
environment in the company.
● Game Player − A person who plays a game according to the rules given is a Game
player in general. An engineer who acts as neither a servant nor a master, but provides
his services and plans his works according to the economic game rules in a given time,
can be termed as a Game player. He is smart enough to handle the economic
conditions of the company.

Professionalism

Professionalism covers comprehensively all areas of practice of a particular profession. It

requires skills and responsibilities involved in engineering profession. Professionalism
implies a certain set of attitudes.
The art of Professionalism can be understood as the practice of doing the right thing, not
because how one feels but regardless of how one feels. Professionals make a profession of the
specific kind of activity and conduct to which they commit themselves and to which they can
be expected to conform. Moral ideals specify virtue, i.e., desirable feature of character. Virtues
are desirable ways of relating to other individuals, groups and organizations. Virtues involve
motives, attitudes and emotions.
According to Aristotle, virtues are the “acquired habits that enable us to engage effectively
in rational activities that defines us as human beings.”
CRITERIA OF PROFESSIONALISM:
 Training:There is an extensive period of training, often after a combination of formal education,
training and apprenticeship; usually in a higher education environment.
Intellectualism :The intellectual component is dominant.
Autonomy: Professionals usually have autonomy in their work.
Judgement: Professionals are in a position, given their training and education, to use their own
judgement in determining the appropriate approach to their clients or customers.
Independence: They can work independently and charge fees or they can be part of an
organization.
Service: Their abilities can provide a valuable service to society and operate with little or no
self-interest.
Dedication: Professionals are dedicated to services and institutions.
Pride : They take pride in the quality of their work.

CHARACTERISTICS:
1. A Neat Appearance
Look sharp and organized: Iron your clothes, polish your shoes, and practice good hygiene and
grooming.
2. Proper Demeanor (in Person and Online)
Be polite and well-spoken 100 percent of the time. Whether you’re speaking with customers,
superiors, or co-workers, keep calm and be tactful, even in tense situations.
3. Reliable
● Get your work done on time.
● Respond to requests promptly and follow-through with promises in timely fashion.
● Set benchmarks and meet them to demonstrate reliability.
4. Competent
● Express confidence, but not attitude.
● Become an expert in your field: Continue your education, attend seminars, and attain relevant
professional designations. Remain teachable. Knowledge is power!
5. Communicator
● Compose your letters and emails to be brief and to the point. Make sure you have a
professional signature and email address.
● Keep your tone polite and formal.
6. Good Phone Etiquette
● Identify yourself with your full name, company, and title when placing and/or answering a
call.
● Do not dominate the conversation; listen intently and process what the other person is saying.
● Do not use slang terms and mind your tone of voice.
● Smile while you talk: The caller may not see it, but they can hear it in your voice.
7. Poised
Maintain your composure, even when facing a difficult situation. If a customer or superior is
being belligerent, do not mirror that behavior. Diffuse the situation with your professional
demeanor.
8. Ethical
AAPC members agree to follow a code of ethics. It is imperative to display ethical behavior at
all times, on or off the clock.
9. Organized
● Keep your area neat and organized for easy execution of tasks.
● Keep an updated appointment book so you don’t forget meetings.
● Carry only the necessary contents for the day in your briefcase.
 10. Accountable
Take responsibility for your actions. Own your mistake, work to resolve it, and fix it as soon
as possible. Even better: Learn from your mistakes. Lead by this example to create trust.

Responsibilities:

Maintain Associations which advance the goals of the profession.

Promote the well being of the profession's members.
Develop standards for themselves and their institutions.
Control access to knowledge about the profession.
Make sacrifices.
Have the final say about what is accurate about the profession.
Promote favorite legislation.
Find money to support the profession.
Publish information and research to explain the profession's uniqueness.
Protest against stereotyping.

Difference between professional and Amateur:

1. Amateurs stop when they achieve something. Professionals understand that the initial
achievement is just the beginning.
2. Amateurs have a goal. Professionals have a process.
3. Amateurs think they are good at everything. Professionals understand their circles of
competence.
4. Amateurs see feedback and coaching as someone criticizing them as a person.
Professionals know they have weak spots and seek out thoughtful criticism.
5. Amateurs value isolated performance. Think about the receiver who catches the ball
once on a difficult throw. Professionals value consistency. Can I catch the ball in the
same situation 9 times out of 10?
6. Amateurs give up at the first sign of trouble and assume they're failures. Professionals
see failure as part of the path to growth and mastery.
7. Amateurs don't have any idea what improves the odds of achieving good outcomes.
Professionals do.
8. Amateurs focus on identifying their weaknesses and improving them. Professionals
focus on their strengths and on finding people who are strong where they are weak.
9. Amateurs focus on being right. Professionals focus on getting the best outcome.
10. Amateurs think good outcomes are the result of their brilliance. Professionals
understand when outcomes are the result of luck.
11. Amateurs focus on the short term. Professionals focus on the long term.
12. Amateurs focus on tearing other people down. Professionals focus on making
everyone better.
13. Amateurs make decisions in committees so there is no one person responsible if
things go wrong. Professionals make decisions as individuals and accept
responsibility.
14. Amateurs show up inconsistently. Professionals show up every day.
15. Amateurs believe that the world should work the way they want it to. Professionals
realize that they have to work with the world as they find it.
Ethics and Professionalism
The term "moral behavior" is applied in evaluating the personal conduct of a citizen and is
judged in comparison to society's norms. The term "ethical behavior" is applied to that citizen's
conduct in professional matters and is judged in comparison to the standards of the profession,
which are formally expressed in statements called codes of ethics .

A professional has specialized knowledge that must be applied to serve four entities: the
employer, the client of the employer, the profession, and, most importantly, society. A
professional also has legitimate moral obligations. In addition to the application of technical
knowledge and the proper consideration of economic factors, the professional must properly
balance the value obligations to each of the four entities. For example, the employee should be
loyal to the employer, honest with the client, respectful of the profession, and sensitive to the
health and safety of the public. Values such as loyalty, honesty, respect, and sensitivity to
public safety are emphasized in professional codes of ethics.

Professionalism and ethics, are two words that we all know are important, and yet, in our
behaviour, we often, unconsciously or deliberately overlook them in pursuit of short term
benefits.
According to few people ethics can be taught while some say, it depends upon how a person
has been raised, if he or she was made to distinguish between being morally right and being
ethically wrong. It basically demonstrates that all the ethics courses online are useless. But
psychologists today say that ethics consists of knowing what we ought to do, and such
knowledge can be taught.
Professionalism is the conduct, behaviour, and attitude of a person in a work or a corporate
environment. Professionalism can, indeed, be taught, and it has been for centuries, but not in
the classroom. Instead, it is taught in the hidden curriculum at work, where professional
behaviours are recognized and promoted while unprofessional practices get penalised, directly
or indirectly, sooner or later.
Underlying professionalism and ethics are values such as integrity, commitment, sensitivity
and respect, and civic sense. Being professional requires ethical behaviour that drives
interactions with employees, customers, and leaders. It is based on how someone performs their
job, takes decisions, and how their work is perceived in the organisation.
Professionalism and ethics – Non-negotiable at work

Success
Checking tool
Organisational reputation and brand
Profitability and productivity
Building of society

Professional Risk:
Safety
According to William W Lowrance, the famous consultant of those times, Safety was defined
as “A thing is safe if its risks are judged to be acceptable.”
To be more clear on this, let us consider three cases.
Let the first case be where we seriously underestimate the risks of something. Buying a non-
brand electric dryer from a local market without any guarantee, may eventually send us to a
hospital with a severe electric shock or burn. While buying this dryer, according to Lowrance
definition, this is quite safe, as the risks are judged to be acceptable.
Let the second case be where we grossly overestimate the risks of something. If we suddenly
know that the consumption of carbonated beverages like cola are the cause of cancer for 5%
of the world’s cancer patients, then we start worrying considering Cola as a poisonous drink.
So, in this case, according to Lowrance definition, the Cola becomes unsafe the moment we
judged the risks of using it to be unacceptable for us.

Let the third case be a situation wherein, a group makes no judgment at all about whether the
risks of a thing are acceptable or not. As defined by Lowrance, this is the position where the
thing is neither safe nor unsafe with respect to that group. Just like using the products of certain
brands are considered safe, while others are not where nothing seems to differ.
Safety is frequently expressed in terms of degree and comparisons. The words like fairly-
safe and relatively-safe are used where an individual is judged on the basis of settled values
and it is further decided that the risks of anything are more or less acceptable in comparison
with the risks of the other thing. For example, the consideration that roadtravel is safer than
air-travel.
Risk
Any work which might lead to harm us and is not considered safe, can be understood as a risk.
According to a popular definition, “A risk is the potential that something unwanted and
harmful may occur.” According to William D Rowe, potential for the realization of
unwanted consequences from impending events.
Risk is a broad concept covering many different types of unwanted occurrences. When it
comes to technology, it can equally well include dangers of bodily harm, of economic loss or
of environmental degradation. These in turn can be caused by delayed job completion, faulty
products or systems or economically or environmentally injurious solutions to technological
problems.
With the advancement in technology, people are now aware of all that goes into a process.
Further, risks are understood as those that can be identified. Overall, the public perception has
also undergone a change.
Acceptability of Risk: Lowrance in his definition observed safety as acceptable risk. Let
us relate to this and further see the definition by William D. Rowe, “a risk is acceptable
when those affected are generally no longer apprehensive about it”.

Influential factors that lead to such apprehension are −

● Whether the risk is accepted voluntarily.
● The effects of knowledge on how the probabilities of harm (or benefit) are known or
perceived.
● If the risks are job-related or other pressures exist that cause people to be aware of or
to overlook risks.
● Whether the effects of a risky activity or situation are immediately noticeable or are
close at hand.
● Whether the potential victims are identifiable beforehand.
The acceptability of risk depends upon the types of risks such as voluntary and involuntary
risks, short term and long term consequences, expected probability, reversible effects,
threshold levels for risk, delayed and immediate risk, etc.
Let us have a better understanding on the acceptability of risks in our subsequent sections.
Voluntarism and Control
In our daily life, we come across many such things where the scopes of risk might or might
not be low. The person who breaks a red signal, is prone to be a victim of an accident, but
risks. A person who lives near a dumping yard is prone to ill-health, but neglects. A boy who
rides a vehicle at a high speed cannot rely on the perfect functioning of the brakes. But these
people take voluntary risks thinking they can control.
In this manner, they may well display the characteristically unrealistic confidence of most
people when they believe hazards to be under their control. Enthusiasts worry less about the
risks they might face and hence neglect the dangers behind them. The chance of getting
affected is unpredictable in such cases.
Effective information on Risk assessment
The acceptance of risks also depends on the manner in which information necessary for
decision making is presented. A person can be motivated to violate the safety rules by
explaining the higher probability of success, whereas the same person can be demotivated
from such task, by explaining the probability of failure and the fatal effects of it.
Hence, options perceived as yielding firm gains will tend to be preferred over those from
which gains are perceived as risky or only probable. Emphasizing firm losses will tend to be
avoided in favor of those whose chances of success are perceived as probable. In short, people
tend to be more willing to take risks in order to avoid perceived firm losses than they are to
win only possible gains.
Job-related Risks
In some jobs where the workers are exposed to chemicals, radiations and poisonous gases etc.,
they are not informed about the probable risks the workers would be facing, in doing
their jobs. These are such dangers where the toxic environments cannot readily be seen,
smelled, heard or sensed otherwise.
The workers at such places are simply bound to their work and what they are told to do. The
health condition of a person who gets affected under such environments cannot be neglected
because that will be the future condition of co-workers.
Magnitude and Proximity
It is unfortunate that most of us, realize the magnitude of risk only when we ourselves or the
person who is in our close proximity or a relative, gets affected. A group of 20 friends
including us, if gets affected or if had a narrow escape from death, affects us more than the
incident occurred to a group of 50 strangers, in a group of a 1000. This proximity effect arises
in perceptions of risk over time as well.
A future risk is easily dismissed by various rationalizations including −
● The attitude of “out of sight, out of mind”.
● The assumption that predictions for the future must be discounted by using lower
probabilities.
● The belief that a counter-measure will be found in time.
A continuous enthusiasm that fosters us to do such task without thinking is really dangerous.
Either the attitude that everything is under control and nothing is going to happen or the
negligence upon the number of accidents occurred is equally risky. It is important that
engineers recognize as part of their work such widely held perceptions of risk and take them
into account in their designs.
Risk Analysis

The study of risk analysis covers other areas such as risk identification, risk analysis, risk
assessment, risk rating, suggestions on risk control and risk mitigation. In fact, risk analysis
can be deeply discussed with a view on risk management study. The risk management study
also includes residual risk transfer, risk financing, etc.
A step-wise risk analysis includes −
● Hazards identification
● Failure modes and frequencies evaluation from established sources and best practices.
● Selection of credible scenarios and risks.
● Fault and event trees for various scenarios.
● Consequences-effect calculations with work out from models.
● Individual and societal risks.
● ISO risk contours superimposed on layouts for various scenarios.
● Probability and frequency analysis.
● Established risk criteria of countries, bodies, standards.
● Comparison of risk against defined risk criteria.
● Identification of risk beyond the location boundary, if any.
● Risk mitigation measures.
Roles of a professional:
1. Personal
2. Professional
3. Social role
4. Ethical role
5. Model Human role

Professional role: Accountants are responsible for examining financial statements to

ensure accuracy and compliance with existing laws and regulations, handling tax-related
tasks such as calculating the.

• Teacher.
• Technician.
• Laborer.
• Physical.
• Commercial Banker.
 • Engineer.
• Lawyer.

Social role: It says that the behaviour of a person is context-specific, based on factors
like social position. For example, the social roles of an electrician, a doctor, a psychologist, a
mother, a grandfather are all different from each other.

Ethical role: Ethical behaviors in the workplace includes; obeying the company's rules,
effective communication, taking responsibility, accountability, professionalism, trust and
mutual respect for your colleagues at work. These examples of ethical behaviors ensures
maximum productivity output at work.

A role model is a person who serves as an example by influencing others. For many children,
the most important role models are their parents and caregivers. Children look up to a variety
of role models to help shape how they behave in school, relationships, or when making
difficult decisions.

PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Professional accountability is a commitment that you make to yourself and your career
when you become a nurse to advance, grow, improve, and adapt to your work.
• Ownership comes from being fully engaged in your work and feeling a sense of pride
in your profession.

“The word accountable can be defined as being responsible for ones own decisions or actions
and being able to justify them when asked”

SUCCESSFUL PROFESSIONAL:

Strengthen your sales skills. No matter what line of business you're in, sales are probably
an important part of your field. Even if you don't actually work in sales, as a professional you
will need to be able to sell ideas, project roles, and cooperation.

Exercise communication skills. Communication skills will help you in any professional
arena, and may even benefit your personal life as well. How you communicate can affect the
first impression others have of you, and may make or break your professional opportunities.

Work on interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are essential if you want to be part of any
professional team. The ability to get along with others and work collaboratively is an
important part of any business, no matter what professional field you work in.

Learn leadership skills. If you're hoping to become a successful professional, you probably
have aspirations of earning a leadership role. The best way to prepare for that role - and
prove to your superiors that you're a natural leader— is to develop your leadership
skills before you get promoted to a managerial role.

Offer help without being asked. An easy way to stand out to your colleagues and superiors
is by offering help without being asked for it. If you're practicing empathy and working on
your leadership skills, you should be able to notice when others are having a hard time on a
project. Most people you work with will help when they're asked, but offering your
assistance before anyone else has to ask will set you apart from your peers.

Show appreciation at every step. Depending on the field you work in, it may be easy to
feel that your job is more important than other peoples' jobs. However, that simply isn't true.
No position at your place of employment could function without the tireless efforts of
countless other workers, many of whom may remain largely unseen from your office. If you
want to build strong professional relationships, you must respect and appreciate everyone
you work with and everyone who works for you.

Take an interest in coworkers and employees. In many corporate jobs, it's easy for
employees to feel like cogs rather than individuals. If you want to build and foster strong
professional relationships, take a real interest in your coworkers' and employees' lives.
Remember that each employee is a human who has meaningful experiences and has personal
thoughts and feelings.

Practice networking. Networking is an important way to build and expand on professional

relationships. But a poorly-executed networking attempt smacks of desperation and desire.
Instead of going into a situation hoping blindly for some kind of connection to form, go in
prepared to network and equipped with the proper skills.

Take responsibility for your actions. Taking responsibility for your actions cuts both ways:
don't be modest about your accomplishments (though don't showboat, either), but you also
need to take responsibility for your mistakes. Don't try to pass the blame, and don't be overly
defensive about your mistakes. Simply accept that a mistake was made, acknowledge what
you should have done differently, and use the incident as a learning experience.

Be self-motivated. In the professional world, no one will likely be there to help you budget
your time or offer motivation on a project you've been dreading. You need to summon the
strength and responsibility to be your own motivator.

Learn to ask. Whether you're asking for help, asking for clarification, or asking for a
promotion, you've got to be willing and able to ask. Opportunities rarely come without any
effort, and the same is true of professional opportunities.

Make SMART goals. Goals are important to better yourself, both in your personal life and
your professional life. They give you something to work toward and they help fill your work
and your life with greater purpose.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION:

• IMA
• IEI
• ASCE
• AIBA
• ASEE

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of

Modern Scientific System of Medicine in India, which looks or cares after the interest of
doctors or the well being of the community at large. It was established in 1928as the All India
Medical Association, renamed "Indian Medical Association" in 1930. It is a society registered
under The Societies Act of India.
With over 305,458 member doctors through more than 1,700 active local branches in 29 States
and Union Territories in India, it is the largest association of physicians and medical students
in India.

It is headquartered in Calcutta (Kolkata). The general control management and direction of the
policy of the Association is vested in the 'Central Council' to which local branches send
representatives and which meets once a year to lay down policies. It delegates its powers to a
Working Committee (A representative body of all state Branches) for implementation of
programmes and activities.

This committee meets at least three times a year to execute various activities for welfare of
members and the people in matters of health.

The Indian Medical association is a founder member of the World Medical Association.

IFI: The Institution of Engineers (India) [IEI] is a statutory body to promote and advance the
engineering and technology, established in 1920 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1935.

It is the largest multi-disciplinary professional body of engineers encompassing 15 (fifteen)

engineering disciplines with a Corporate membership of over 2 lakhs, and serving the nation
for more than 9 decades. The IEI has its headquarters located in Kolkata with national presence
through more than hundred Centres and several Overseas .

The Institution of Engineers (India) is a first professional body to represent India in several
International Bodies, such as the World Mining Congress (WMC), the World Federation of
Engineering Organizations (WFEO), the Commonwealth Engineers’ Council (CEC), the
Federation International du Beton (fib), and the Federation of Engineering Institutions of South
and Central Asia (FEISCA).

It also has bilateral agreements with a number of professional societies across the globe.
IEI holds the International Professional Engineers (IntPE) Register for India under the global
International Professional Engineers Alliance (IntPEA). The Institution also award the
Professional Engineers (PE) Certification.

The Institution of Engineers (India) is a pioneer body to introduce, starting from 1928,
continuing engineering education programme, successful completion of which is recognized
as equivalent to a degree in engineering by the Government of India, the Union Public Service
Commission, the State Governments and many Public / Private Sector organizations in the
country.

ASCE: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a tax-exempt professional

body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide.
Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it is the oldest national engineering society in the United
States. Its constitution was based on the older Boston Society of Civil Engineers from 1848.

ASCE is dedicated to the advancement of the science and profession of civil engineering and
the enhancement of human welfare through the activities of society members. It has more than
152,000 members in 177 countries. Its mission is to provide essential value to members, their
careers, partners, and the public; facilitate the advancement of technology; encourage and
provide the tools for lifelong learning; promote professionalism and the profession; develop
and support civil engineers.
Engineering Ethics as social experimentation:

Engineering itself is based on the improvement of current life, whether in terms of technology
or efficiency or availability with less financial efforts. The process of engineering lets you go
through a series of different experiments when it comes to practical use. Though it is not like
an experiment in laboratory under controlled conditions, which is done while learning, an
engineer should be ready to do the same on a social scale involving human subjects.
Experimentation is the main aspect of designing process. An engineer who is ought to design
the parts of a car, will be able to understand the result only when it is tested practically.
Preliminary simulations are conducted from time to time to know how the new concept of
engineering acts in its first rough design. Materials and processes are tried out, usually
employing formal experimental techniques. Such tests serve as a basis, which help in
developing the final product.
Engineers as Experimenters

In the process of developing a product, an engineer generally learns through experimentation.

To simply put, a trial and error method is the mostly used one to obtain results, but that goes
with some calculations. Hence, we can say that, primarily any experiment is carried out with
partial ignorance. Even the outcomes of the experiments may not be as expected. An engineer
should always be ready for the unexpected output. The improvement of current prototype will
lead to some change which may or may not be fruitful.
The experiments made are mostly subjected to risks though the project is small. Many
uncertainties are likely to occur depending upon the changes that might occur in the altered
model or materials purchased. At times, when the materials were subjected to continued stress
and strain, or some process, it might happen that the nature of the substance changes which
might lead to some destruction. These are the areas of experiment where nothing is really
predictable.
Responsibility in Experimentation
Although the experiments and the results are uncertain, there are few things which an engineer
is ought to keep in mind. Consider the following points which are related to the moral aspects
of human behaviour −
● To maintain the safety of human beings.
● To procure their rights of consent.
● To keep them aware regarding the experimental nature of the project.
● To warn them about the probable safety hazards.
● Should monitor the results of the experiment continuously.
● Having autonomy in conducting experiments.
● Accepting accountability for the results of the project.
● Exhibiting their technical competence and other characteristics of professionalism.
Conscientiousness
The ethics that an engineer should follow depends upon the moral standards of the individual.
Conscientiousness implies consciousness which means the sense of awareness. Every
engineer is expected to have some moral standards irrespective of the role he is performing.
The present working environment of engineers, narrow down their moral vision fully with the
obligations accompanied with the status of the employee. But this might break the moral laws.
Along with satisfying the employer’s goals, by behaving as a responsible employee, by not
doing any fraud, not breaking confidentiality and violating patent rights etc., an engineer
should be conscious about the unexpected. Adverse outcome may come up as unexpected
result of their experiments; for this, they are answerable to the public.
Informed Consent
As a responsible engineer, one should be informed of the facts so as to be conscious. The
engineered products of the company should be in such a way that they can never be used to
perform any illegal or unsocial activities, which causes destruction.
It is to be observed that if a company produces some products that are out of fashion or the
items which promote wastage of energy and do not fetch in benefits, such things are to be well
explained to the employer and alternative solutions should also be suggested by the engineers.
Moral Autonomy
Any person can be morally autonomous only when one is being genuine in one’s commitment
towards moral values. Moral beliefs and attitudes must be integrated into an individual’s
personality which leads to a committed action.
The responsibility to answer an unexpected result, influences an engineer to involve himself
personally into the work. This leads to moral autonomy wherein, he also gains the trust of the
employer, through his commitment. Such responsible actions lead to great outcomes.
Accountability
Accountability can be understood as the moral responsibility that we have towards our actions.
It means a tendency to be willing to openly accept the moral examinations towards one’s
actions and being responsive to the assessment of others. The gap between casual
responsibility and moral accountability is common in any profession, along with engineering.
Let us now consider the following instances to understand accountability −
● When a group of persons are involved in the completion of a project, then the
accountability refers to the group minimizing the chances of acceptance of moral
responsibility towards a specific action, where each person makes only a small
contribution to something much larger.
● The accountability is diffused within the organization and one has to accept it. Both
credit and failure need to be considered for accountability where the work is diffused
and the areas of personal accountability are delimited within the organization.
● At times, when the engineers are pressurized to move to another project while the
current is still underway, then the accountability is limited only for meeting schedules.
● There is always a moral involvement beyond the laid down institutional role, where
the engineers cannot separate themselves from personal responsibilities of their work.
Codes of Ethics

The engineers who are represented as professionals, and who belong to a professional society
need to have some moral responsibilities. A code of conduct is important for engineers to
remain committed to their world.
The engineering societies such as AAES, ABET, NSPE, IEEE and AICTE have framed
these codes of ethics which are helpful to engineers to strengthen the moral issues on their
work. The codes of ethics play at least eight important roles such as the following −
● Serving and protecting the public − Engineers are in a responsible position where
trust and trustworthiness, both are essential. A code of ethics functions as a
commitment by the profession as a whole that engineers will serve the public health,
safety and welfare.
● Guidance − Codes are written in brief yet prove effective in offering general guidance
to the engineers. More specific directions may be given in supplementary statements
or guidelines, which tell how to apply the code. If needed, the assistance is obtained
for further specification.
● Inspiration − Codes of ethics, which specify a collective commitment towards a
profession, help in motivating the engineers towards ethical conduct. Actually, these
codes make one feel really responsible and proud to be a professional thus motivating
towards the commitment one should have towards one’s profession.
● Shared Standards − The standards established should be applicable to all individuals,
in their particular professions. With the codes of ethics, the public is assured of
engineers with minimum standard of excellence and the professionals are provided a
fair way to compete.
● Support for Responsible Professionals − The professionals who act ethically have
more positive support through these codes. A professional engineer who has the
intention to stand by the codes of ethics, can have no harm from immoral professional
obligations, as he can reject smoothly yet formally. As well, these codes can provide
legal support for engineers criticized for living up to work-related professional
obligations.
● Education and Mutual understanding − The codes which are widely circulated and
officially approved by professional societies, promote a shared understanding among
professionals, the public and government organizations about the moral
responsibilities of engineers. These codes prompt discussion and reflection on moral
issues.
● Deterrence and Discipline − The professionals who fail to follow the codes exhibit
unethical conduct, which is evident from the disobedience towards their profession.
Such an investigation generally requires paralegal proceedings designed to get at the
truth about a given charge without violating the personal rights of those being
investigated. This might lead to expulsion of those whose professional conduct has
been proven unethical, which also leads to loss of respect from colleagues and the local
community.
● Contributing to the Profession’s Image − Codes project the engineers as the
professionals of ethically committed profession, which inspires them to work with
great commitment and more effectively to serve the public. It can also win greater
powers of self-regulation for the profession itself, while lessening the demand for more
government regulation.
Advantages of Codes of Ethics

Let us now see the following advantages of codes of ethics. The codes
 ● Set out the ideals and responsibilities of the profession.
● Exert a de facto regulatory effect protecting both clients and professionals.
● Improve the profile of the profession.
● Motivate and inspire practitioners, by attempting to define their raison d’etre.
● Provide guidance on acceptable conduct.
● Raise awareness and consciousness of issues.
● Improve quality and consistency.
Engineering Ethics:

Engineering is the process of developing an efficient mechanism which quickens and eases
the work using limited resources, with the help of technology. Ethics are the principles
accepted by the society, which also equate to the moral standards of human beings. An
engineer with ethics, can help the society in a better way.
Hence the study of Engineering ethics, where such ethics are implemented in engineering by
the engineers, is necessary for the good of the society. Engineering Ethics is the study of
decisions, policies and values that are morally desirable in engineering practice and research.

Morals: The word “Morality” originates from the Latin word “mos” meaning “custom”. Morals
are the principles or habits with respect to right or wrong of one’s own conduct. They are not
imposed by anyone. Morals are what you think is good and bad personally.

Though morals are not imposed, they can be understood as the preaching of our inner self.
Depending on a few factors, our mind filters things as good or bad. These are the ideas that
help frame our personality so that we can distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.
A moral is the code of conduct that you develop over time and set for yourself to follow, just
like
● Being good to everyone
● Speaking only the truth
● Going against what you know is wrong
● Having chastity
● Avoid cheating
● Being a nice human being etc.
Morals are always defined by one’s own personality. Morals can be changed according to
one’s beliefs as they are completely dependent on one’s perception towards the ethical values.
Ethics: The word “Ethics” originates from the Greek word “ethos” meaning “character”. Ethics
are a set of rules or principles that are generally considered as standards or good and bad or
right and wrong, which are usually imposed by an external group or a society or a profession
or so.
Ethics can be understood as the rules of conduct proposed by a society or recognized with
respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group or culture. Ethics are
dependent on others definition. They may or may not vary from context to context.

A person who strictly follows a set of ethical principles, may not have any moral at all while
a person who violates ethical principles at times, may maintain a high moral integrity. The
ethical theories include duty ethics, right ethics, virtue ethics and so on. A best example that
can explain ethics is utilitarianism.
Utilitarianism is the philosophy which explains that the happiness or pleasure of a greatest
number of people in the society is considered as the greatest good. According to this
philosophy, an action is morally right if its consequences leads to happiness of the people and
wrong if the action leads to their unhappiness. This theory moves beyond the scope of one’s
own interests and takes into account the interests of others.
Ethics in Engineering

Ethics are principles followed depending upon the moral responsibility that a person feels.
The study of related questions about moral ideals, character, policies and relationships of
people and organizations involved in technological activity, can be termed as Engineering
ethics.
An engineer whether he works individually or works for a company, has to go through some
ethical issues, mostly under the conditions such as, conceptualization of a product, issues
arising in design and testing departments, or may be on the issues involving the
manufacturing, sales and services. Questions related to morality also arise during supervision
and team works.
The ethical decisions and moral values of an engineer need to be considered because the
decisions of an engineer have an impact the products and services - how safe they are to use,
the company and its shareholders who believe in the goodwill of the company, the public and
the society who trusts the company regarding the benefits of the people, the law which cares
about how legislation affects the profession and industry, the job and his moral responsibilities
and about how the environment gets affected, etc.
Not only an engineer, but everyone has to follow a set of morals in order to keep away from
getting morally degraded. Our behavior should include the following −
● Respecting others and ourselves.
● Respecting the rights of others.
● Keeping promises.
● Avoiding unnecessary problems to others.
● Avoiding cheating and dishonesty.
● Showing gratitude towards others and encourage them to work.
Morality commands respect for persons, both others and ourselves. It involves being fair and
just, meeting obligations and respecting rights and not causing unnecessary harm by
dishonesty and cruelty or by hubris.
Steps to Deal with Issues
Whenever there occurs an issue, one should possess a few skills in order to sort out the
problem. The issues that engineers face, have to be dealt with patience and few moral goals
have to be kept in mind while dealing with such issues. They are as follows −
● Moral Awareness − One should be able to recognize the moral problems and issues
that occur in Engineering. The analysis on the problem is necessary in order to
differentiate and judge according to ethics or according to the rules to follow.
● Cogent Moral Reasoning − In order to come to a conclusion on an issue, the
argument has to be assessed and comprehended. The argument on both sides has to be
considered with all the probabilities and the nature of the argument should be logical
and moral.
● Moral Coherence − After having gone through all the logical and moral facts,
consistent and comprehensive view points are to be formed based upon a consideration
of relevant facts.
● Moral Imagination − The moral issues and the practical issues have to be dealt
separately. Alternative responses are to be found out for dealing with moral issues
while creative solutions should be found out for practical difficulties.
● Moral Communication − The language to communicate about one’s moral views
should be so precise and clear, that the expression or words should not alter the original
meaning.
Though one has all these moral goals, the ethical reasoning for achieving moral conduct with
responsibility and commitment is obtained by a few skills that are described below.
Important Skills for Ethical Reasoning

Let us now discuss the important skills for ethical reasoning −

● Moral Reasonableness − The ability and willingness to be morally reasonable that
one should have while dealing such issues. Unless one is willing and improve such
ability, justice cannot be done.
● Respect for Persons − The persons involved in the issue, should be treated with
genuine concern by one. Such concern should also be there with oneself along with
being there for others.
● Tolerance of diversity − One should have a broader perspective towards ethnic and
religious differences that the people have. Every person differs with another when
compared on grounds of moral reasoning. The acceptance of those differences is really
important.
● Moral hope − The moral conflicts can be resolved by using better communication and
having rational dialogue which is evident-based and open-ended which is acceptable
and appreciable by both the parties.
● Integrity − The moral integrity has to be maintained. Being honest and having strong
moral principles helps one to resolve an issue in an efficient manner. An individual
also needs to consider other’s professional life and personal convictions while solving
a problem.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINEERING
 In 21st century as we see everything surroundings us is made of with help of the knowledge of
engineer’s, this shows us how much is the importance of engineering in our life & society in
which we live in. Now before advancing towards the importance on engineering first we need
to have introduction regarding engineering as well as its origin.
What is engineering?
Engineering is the application of scientific knowledge to solving problems in the real
world.
The term Engineering is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning “cleverness”
and ingeniare, meaning “to contrive, devise”. The engineering is the vast knowledge of sea
or space which have boundaries at infinity, i.e. day by day from more and more research and
practical experiment we are getting more information and knowledge. Engineers are problem
solvers, organizers, communicators, calculators and designers. Engineering is a highly creative
activity, especially when complicated problems are involved. The modern Engineer is also very
software savvy and can use a range of different computing programs to assist in verifying
designs and predicting how structures will behave in the environment.

ROLE OF ENGINEERS: An engineering manager is responsible for ensuring that key

projects and engineering duties are fulfilled. They are responsible for solving any engineering
issue that comes up in a project. A few of the main duties of an engineering manager are
answering technical questions, proposing budgets for projects, training new employees, and
working with various other departments. They also have to prepare reports on the progress of
any project. Some of the jobs titles that an engineering manager could grow into are director
of engineering and chief technology officer.

Responsibilities for Engineering Manager:

● Assign tasks to engineers

● Gauge progress of various projects
● Communicate effectively with customers
● Collaborate with the sales team to create new products
● Propose budgets for various projects
● Create reports to give updates on projects
● Attend trade shows and conferences
● Train new employees

PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTES: The smallest problems can be harmful and damage your
career. Therefore, that’s critical that you understand at least the basics of professional and
office etiquette. It’s not only the way you behave and speak but also the way you introduce
yourself, dress up, follow the policies of the company and even eat.

1. Say Your Full Name

As to work etiqutte, any deal starts with an introduction. You present your project and
company to potential customers, but at first, you introduce yourself. Say your full name
before extending a hand. The proper introduction has many benefits; you sound more
professional, people remember and recognize you quite often.
2. Shake Hands Appropriately
It’s time to shake hands once your partner knows who you are. A handshake is a symbol of
friendship and professional etiquette. If you’re the host or the higher-ranking person,
regardless of gender, extend your hand first. Mind that it’s not the greetings only, but also the
gesture that demonstrates your confidence level.
Try to avoid the following:
Too Long/ Too Short Handshake
Don’t make it extremely long or short. Three or four seconds is enough. Look at the person,
smile and take your hand away.

Forceful Grip
Hold on! It’s not a show of physical strength. The handshake must leave a pleasant
impression.
Limp Handshake
In the past, men were taught they should use a gentler handshake with women, while women
were taught that too firm handshake was masculine. Forget “lady fingers” and always extend
the partner your full hand. A limp or “fish” handshake is a bad idea for both genders today.
3. Take Care of Your Outfit

This can’t be stressed enough. Your attire creates a big impression! That’s the first thing
people notice when meet you in or outside the office. What should you do? First, check out
what the dress code is at the event, business meet up, or restaurant you’re planning to attend.
Second, make sure your garb falls within those guidelines. Avoid wearing sloppy and
inappropriate clothing in the office. Wear what you find comfortable and what fits you best.

4. Notice that even Twitter Etiquette Exist

We live in the world where a single social media post may trigger off plenty of troubles. Be
aware of what content you publish to avoid any misunderstandings with your boss and
partners. Add value to your tweets, think of what your audience enjoys reading. Don’t drag
Twitter into those days when people used the platform to share what they had for breakfast.

Send Separate “Thank You” Notes

It’s advisable to follow up a meet up or a job interview with a small note to express your
gratitude or interest. Send those thank-you notes within 24 hours. However, if you write it
after the event, do it separately for every person. If you can’t decide between e-mail or the
handwritten note, consider that the handwritten one may arrive in a couple of days. In some
situations like a job interview, it might be decisive.
6. Don’t Pull out Someone’s Chair
Business environment is a place where we should forget about gender rules of etiquette
sometimes. Both men and women are able to pull out the chair for themselves and should do
it. When you enter the office or come to the dinner, take your place not disturbing others.

7. Show Your Professionalism in the Workplace

Many employees are confused when it comes to workplace ethics. “Can I enter someone’s
office if the deal is urgent?” “Can I borrow somebody’s cup if mine has disappeared?” “How
should I behave in the team?” First, never barge into someone’s place with little warning.
Remember that your boss and colleagues have the door closed for a reason. Always knock
before coming in. The list of good manners of corporate etiquette also include:
Don’t Criticize and Gossip
Making fun of someone or running down your colleagues is a horrible manner. If you find
something amusing or wrong, don’t add negative context to your comment. Speak your mind
in a polite way. Usually, there’s a “gossip girl” in every team. Save your time and energy
ignoring any gossips you hear. Believe only proved facts and be honest yourself. That’s one
the best ways to get respect at work.
Follow Office Rules
Almost every company has its own policies. Familiarize with them and follow. It’s going to
make you a king of workplace etiquette because workers rarely pay enough attention to those
rules.

8. Stop Crossing Your Legs

We frequently see people sitting with their legs crossed, and posture relaxed. There’s nothing
wrong with it, actually, until it comes to the business environment. At business events, it may
be distracting and inappropriate. Try to avoid it if possible.

Follow the Rules of Proper Dinner Etiquette

Conducting business over the meal is an old strategy to get to know business partners better.
How you behave before, during and after the dinner tells your host a lot about your
personality, manners, social awareness, and professionalism. Have a look at the following
guidelines to find out more.
Grab a Snack Ahead of Time
It’s much harder to control your behavior and manners when your stomach is rumbling louder
than music. You shouldn’t be starving. Have a snack before to feel more confident.
Staff Your Bag Under the Chair

It’s always problematic to find the right place for your briefcase, phone, sunglasses, and
clothes. Put small units in the bag and store it under the chair. Never place something on the
table regardless of how small it is! Find a coat hook for clothes or place it over the back of
your chair.
Wait to Sit
Remain standing until the host, most senior or oldest person has taken their sits. Be polite and
don’t rush.

Be Familiar with Placement Settings

Usually, you’ll be dealing with folk, plates, and spoons. However, if the dinner is fancy,
check out if you’re familiar with the placement settings.
10. Turn off the Phone
Our phone is the most distracting thing ever. Try to avoid answering the calls during a
meeting. If the calls are important for your business, ask your assistant to take that
responsibility and response or just turn on a voicemail to call back later. The point is that you
must be interested in live networking and make the most of it.
Finally, remember that a person with bad manners has small chances for success. Unspoken
rules of society matter when it comes to recognition, promotion or business development.
Make sure your behavior and appearance contribute to your status in a very profound way.
EMAIL-WRITTING:

1.Include a clear subject matter.

Always include a subject matter that succinctly captures what your email is about. If your email
is urgent or requires immediate response, include this in the subject line, but do this sparingly.
If your email isn’t urgent, then you will only annoy people by crying wolf.
Don’t capitalize all your letters, no matter how urgent your email is, as you will look aggressive
2. Always use an appropriate greeting
Salutations are hotly debated. Many argue that you should always use a formal greeting. This
depends on the recipient. If you are writing to a close colleague or your team, an informal ‘Hi’
will likely be sufficient.
If you are writing in a chain of emails where the context has already been established in a prior
email or even by phone, then it’s fine to write with no greeting.
If you are writing to someone you don’t know so well, then always add a formal salutation and
an introduction.
3. Only use shorthand if you know your recipients
If you are writing to your own team about a project that you have been discussing, then you
can write short, instructive emails with a list of bullet points. This means they can quickly
understand the task and it’s far easier to read on a smartphone.
However, sending a note like this to people you don’t know can make you appear blunt, rude
and even a bully. If you don’t have a pre-existing relationship with the recipient, then you need
to build one up first before writing shorthand emails.
Equally, don’t write emails that are superfluous, as this will just bore the recipient.
4. Be wary of using humor or colloquialism across cultures
Be aware that funny sayings or colloquialisms may be completely misconstrued by your
colleagues in overseas offices. At worst, you could insult them, at best; you can make them
feel confused or left out.
5. Consider the purpose of your email
Always state if your email needs an action and by when. Open-ended emails can be confusing.
Having an action or even letting the recipient know that no further action is required is helpful.
Whatever you do, before you click send, visualize what you want to achieve and modify your
language as such.
6. Think before you smile
Emojis have crept into everyday use. With the increase of email and text communication, it’s
impossible to see facial expressions so people add smiley faces to soften their emails.
It depends on the norm in your organization and sector but be mindful of when and to who
you’re sending emojis to. If you’re sending them to people you know well, and you know will
understand them, then that is fine. If not, then consider if they’re really needed.
7. Don’t hit reply all or CC everyone
Have you checked that you’re only communicating to the people you need to communicate to?
It can be annoying to be copied into every email or to see every response in a chain if it is not
relevant to your recipient.
8. Reply in a timely fashion
Always reply within 24 hours, even if it is to acknowledge an email and explain that you will
revert with an appropriate response within a defined timescale. People don’t like to be ignored!
9. Think about where your email could end up
Never use inappropriate language in a work email. The reality is that your email will remain
on the server long after you have deleted it.
The issue may be resolved but your email will still be in existence and you would not want to
cause offence or get into trouble for something you foolishly wrote without much thought.
10. Always spell check
Sending emails with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors can be infuriating for colleagues.
They could imply that you’re too lazy to use the spell checker before you click send. Take the
time to re-read your emails, make sure they make sense and have the right tone before you send
them.