CE 306 Professional Ethics

Week#1

Dr. M. Mazhar Saleem

Department of Civil Engineering
The University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore
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Course Outline

 Definitions: Ethics, Professional Ethics, Engineering

Ethics, Business Ethics.
 Need and Scope of Engineering and Professional
Ethics through case studies
 Development of Engineering Ethics and Major issues
in Engineering and Professional Ethics.

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Course Outline

Moral Reasoning and Ethical Frameworks

Ethical Dilemma: Resolving Ethical Dilemma and making
moral choices.
Codes of Ethics (of local and international professional
bodies)
Moral Theories: Utilitarianism, right ethics and duty
ethics, virtue ethics: self realization and self interest.
Ethical problem-solving techniques: Line drawing, flow
charting, conflict problems

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Course Outline

Contemporary Professional Ethics

Professional responsibilities, Risk and Safety as an Ethical
concern for Engineers.
Workplace Responsibilities and Ethics: Teamwork,
confidentiality and conflict of interest, Whistle blowing, Bribe
and gift, risk and cost-benefit analyses, gender discrimination
and sexual harassment.
Environmental Ethics.

Computer Ethics and Internet.

Honesty: Truthfulness, trustworthiness, academic and

research integrity, critique codes of ethics
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Course Learning Outcomes

 To explain the ideas and principles of variety of traditional

ethical systems.
 To demonstrate professional ethical concepts and
guidelines in solving major problems of civil engineering
practices in corporate culture.
 To adopt ethical principles in learning engineering
education

Book:
‘Introduction To Engineering Ethics’ by Mike W Martin

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Etiquettes of online Communication
 Email is better than WhatsApp or text messages.
Email is more formal.
 If you send an email on a holiday, do not expect
its response before the next working day.
 Try to avoid phone call as far as possible, be
extra careful on holidays.
 It is always preferable to communicate during
the office hours.
 Be respectful of others time.
 Use formal language. 6
Etiquettes of online Communication

Email Template

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Definitions

A professional is a skillful person who we trust

to get certain services according to certain
standards.

Ethics are the set of behavioral standards that

professionals are expected to follow in their work.

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Case Study 1
Scenario
You are in a decision-making position in a company.
Company wants to buy some equipment.
Contract will be awarded to the supplier offering lowest price

Three suppliers submit the financial proposal:

 Supplier 1: 2.0 Million PKR
 Supplier 2: 1.9 Million PKR
 Supplier 3: 2.1 Million PKR

Ethical Decision: Contract is awarded to Supplier_________

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Case Study 1
Unethical Decision-1
Supplier 1 is your friend (not the lowest) and you want to
award contract to him.

You award contract to supplier 1 giving reason that the

quality of equipment provided by lowest supplier will not be
good.

No one can challenge you because you are at the top position

What’s Wrong: Nepotism (Favoring relatives or friends) 10

Case Study 1
Unethical Decision-2
You have a friend who can supply the same equipment, but he
did not submit the proposal

You call him that reveal that lowest proposal is 1.9 Million

Yourfriend submits a proposal worth 1.8 Million and you

award contract to him.

Your company saved 0.1 Million (100K) and your friend get
the project, but the decision was Unethical.

What’s Wrong: Disclosure of Information 11

Case Study 1
Unethical Decision-3
You contact a random supplier and ask to submit the
proposal worth 1.8 Million.

Youaward the contract to this company and receive a

commission (bribe or illegal money).

Your company saved 100k, you make 100k. Win-win

situation for both, but the decision was Unethical.

What’s Wrong: Disclosure of information and making illegal money

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Case Study 1
Unethical Decision-4
You make your own supplying company in the name of your
brother/son/husband or wife.

Your company submits the lowest proposal, and you award

the contract to this company which is actually yours.

No one lose anything but the decision is Unethical.

What’s Wrong: Manipulating the position of power for your OWN

benefit 13
Case Study 2
Scenario

You are a lawyer.

A clients comes to you and asks to defend him.

Through discussion you find out that he is guilty.

Will you defend him in the court or not? Why?

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Case Study 2
Unethical Approach
If you defend him in the court, it is Unethical

However, it is not illegal to defend him. It is the job of the

JUDGE or Jury to decide if he is guilty or not.

What’s Wrong: Concealing the truth for your own benefit

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Case Study 3
Scenario
You want to buy land to construct an office building.
Someone is selling a piece of land for 5 million.

You don’t have 5 million. You only have 4.5 million.

What should you do?

What can be unethical scenarios in this situation?

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Case Study 3
Unethical Approach
You ask your friends to call the owner of the land and quote
following prices
 4.2 million
 4.1 million
 4.3 million

Owner may realize that he cannot get 5 million and would

agree to sell you for 4.5 million.

What’s Wrong: Manipulation

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Concluded

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