Ethical Dilemmas Tackled Differently by Engineers at Different Levels
by: jacobgan@gmail.com
Total views: 18
Word Count: 851
A profession is a learned calling necessiting systematic familiarization and preparation as well as a responsibility to a social good. Engineering is the innovative practice of applying technical knowledge for the aid of all humanity and therefore is a profession.
The use of technological knowledge needs to judge the mission to provide value products and services. This commission also has to consider generating a genuine impact on society and the high-value of life. Because engineering is a profession, engineers must imagine the impact of their professional activities.
Ethic standards as guides
Ethic can be viewed as "pertinent to morals" and ethical as "in accordance with the rules or standards for rightful conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession." As moral values may be influenced by the culture of the society, each profession therefore has to present its own set of standard rules so that there is a shared accord of what practices are suitable and what are not. In this way, not only the members of the profession know which actions are desirable, others outside the profession will be able to know what to assume from the profession as well.
Shortfalls of ethical standards
However, it is not doable to provide instructions to cater to all settings. Therefore, there are situations when they are shades of gray with no one right answer. In such quandary, engineers must look for their best personal solutions. Many options will have similarly significant results. Diversed interest groups are influenced differently and to different levels.
Solutions to ethical conditions are seldom uncomplicated issues. In making decisions when ethical tight spots arise, engineers need to be aware of how their decisions will affect many groups. What may make the selection making extra critical is that the alternatives that are more ethical may put the engineers themselves, or their employer, at a position that is not favorable to their organization.
An ethical dilemama situation
We shall make clear the dilemmas often faced by engineers by refering to the notorious Challenger space craft explosion case.
In order for the shuttle to have enough velocity to escape from the earth's gravitional pull to reach the orbit, the space vehicle's own rockets are supplemented by two booster rockets that use solid fuel. These solid-fuel rocket boosters were made by Morton Thiokol. Due to the cold condition expected during the time of the launch of the space craft, a teleconference was held the night before the launch between NASA managers and Thiokol managers and engineers. We can take it that all the officials were either engineers or familiar with rocket engineering.
The original recommendation by Thiokol was not to launch the space craft until the temperature had risen to a sufficient high level so that the O-rings would be able to perform the sealing operation. However, due to the displeasure by NASA representatives over the recommendation, it was revised to launch recommendation. Unfortunately, the shuttle exploded soon after launch.
Let us review the quandary faced by each of these three groups in this case:
Group 1 - NASA Managers
Group 2 - Thiokol Officials
Group 3 - Thiokol Engineers
Dilemma of NASA managers
The NASA officials were under the high pressure to launch the space shuttle due to a few reasons. Further delay in the launch would upset the launches of ensuing missions. Delay in the launch would incur more cost and made the space vehicle project less economically profitable. The lauch date was critical as President Reagan would be making the State of the Union speech as the space craft was in space. In addition, he would be talking about education, and what better time for the president to discuss education than when a teacher was in space?
On the other hand, NASA representatives were not furnished with solid proof to conclude that the launch would be perilous as a result of cold condition. What's more, they did specify the perfromance of the solid-fuel rockets even at a cold environment, although not as low as what was expected at the time of the launch.
Dilemma of Thiokol representatives
Insisting on the no-launch recommendation would antangonize the company's ties with NASA officers and affects their prospect for further business deals. Also, their engineers could only provide circumstantial evidence of the danger of cold condition on the perfromance of the O-rings but it was not very unequivocal.
Dilemma of thiokol engineers
Although they were aware of the poor operation of the O-rings at cold condition, they did not have adequate time to prepare a very convincing case. Although they expressed strong objection to the change in the recommendation from no-launch to launch, they were over-ruled.
Conclusions drawn from case
The standpoints of a situation depend largely on the position a professional is in. Particularly, a young professional is commonly very disturbed with the techical problems though as he advances the organizational ladder, he becomes more and more disturbed with the business problems of the organization. When we teach engineering ethics, we have to look at the apprehension faced by engineers at different levels of their careers.
About the Author
Jacob Gan PhD (Michigan) writes for www.succezz.com, www.JacobGan.com, www.JacobEducation.com, www.DemystifyCancer.com, www.understanding-orchids.com, www.motivate2success.com, www.JacobLearning.com and hosts Jacob.TheeLearningcentre.com, an elearning portal.
Rating: Not yet rated
Comments
No comments posted.Add Comment
More articles in this Category
1: Conduct Background Check to Get Peace of Mind
2: A guide for Grooms - how to prepare for your wedding day.
3: What Leads People to Risk their Lives for Strangers?
4: Thoughtful Bridesmaids Gifts are Cherished Bridesmaids Gifts