GENG5505 – Tutorial activity WK10

Case study 1
Engineers are always constrained by budget. What responsibility does an
engineer have regarding the design of safe structures in a developing
country, where funds are usually not available to engineer structures to
standards common in more developed nations? How does an engineer
ethically develop a design when the budget is so severely constrained?

Case study 2
You are an engineer who has taken a new job with a competitor of your
previous company. At a meeting you attend, a research engineer describes
her plans for developing a new product similar to one developed by your
former company. You know that the direction this engineer is taking will be
a dead end and will cost the company a lot of time and money. Do you tell
her what you know? Does your answer to this question change if the new
company is not a direct competitor of the previous one?

Cases adapted from C. B. Fleddermann, 2012

Case%study%1%%
Engineers( are( always( constrained( by( budget.( What( responsibility( does( an( engineer( have( regarding(
the( design( of( safe( structures( in( a( developing( country,( where( funds( are( usually( not( available( to(
engineer( structures( to( standards( common( in( more( developed( nations?( How( does( an( engineer(
ethically(develop(a(design(when(the(budget(is(so(severely(constrained?(

Options%
Reduce& structure& size& and& focus& on& delivering& a& smaller& but& well6built& structure& to& a& known&
standard&

Utilitarianism:((

ETHICAL(–(As(the(structure(is(built(to(a(satisfactory(standard(ensuring(that(required(level(of(safety(is(
met.(

Deontological:(

UNETHICAL( –( Possibly( unethical( as( you( have( been( assigned( to( build( a( certain( structure( and( by(
changing( design( requirements( you( are( no( longer( following( the( rules( as( set( by( your( client.( We( are(
morally(obliged(to(follow(the(rules(regardless(of(the(consequences.((

Virtue(based:(

Ethical( but( depends( on( the( Engineers( own( moral( standards( –( individuals( should( seek( to( live( a(
virtuous( life( and( so( act( accordingly( with( their( morals,( for( instance( an( engineer( with( a( high( moral(
standard( will( consider( reducing( the( structure( size( as( the( right( moral( decision( and( so( by( taking( this(
route(has(made(an(ethical(decision.(

Compromise&the&buildings&integrity&by&not&designing&to&a&known&standard&

Utilitarianism:((

UNETHICAL( –( the( consequence( is( that( the( building( integrity( is( compromised( putting( workers( and(
occupants(at(risk.(

Deontological:(

ETHICAL(–(The(engineer(has(delivered(the(required(outcome(to(the(client(by(following(the(rules(set(
to(them(even(though(the(building(integrity(is(compromised,(the(consequences(are(not(regarded.(

Virtue(based:(

UNETHICAL(but(depends(on(the(Engineers(own(moral(standards(–(individuals(should(seek(to(live(a(
virtuous( life( and( so( act( accordingly( with( their( morals,( for( instance( an( engineer( with( a( high( moral(
standard(will(consider(not(building(to(a(known(standard(as(immoral(and(so(by(taking(this(route(has(
made(an(unethical(decision.(

(
Case%study%2%%
You( are( an( engineer( who( has( taken( a( new( job( with( a( competitor( of( your( previous( company.( At( a(
meeting(you(attend,(a(research(engineer(describes(her(plans(for(developing(a(new(product(similar(to(
one(developed(by(your(former(company.(You(know(that(the(direction(this(engineer(is(taking(will(be(a(
dead(end(and(will(cost(the(company(a(lot(of(time(and(money.(Do(you(tell(her(what(you(know?(Does(
your(answer(to(this(question(change(if(the(new(company(is(not(a(direct(competitor(of(the(previous(
one?(

Options%
Tell&her&what&you&know&

Utilitarianism:((

PROBABLY( ETHICAL( Q( There( would( be( a( strong( argument( that( wasting( time( provides( no( utility( to(
anyone,(so(you(should(tell(her.(However,(the(harm(is(in(that(your(old(company(loses(a(competitive(
edge.( If( the( companies( are( not( competitors,( it( becomes( an( easy( to( decision( (using( the( utilitarian(
framework)(to(tell(her(the(direction(she(is(taking(won’t(work.(

Deontological:(

UNETHICAL(Q(This(is(unethical(since(breaking(confidentiality(is(against(the(law.(Laws(are(different(to(
ethics,(but(are(often(based(in(ethics.(

Virtue(based:(

CLASS(DISCUSSION(–(does(this(answer(change(if(the(new(company(is(not(a(direct(competitor?(

Don’t&tell&her&what&you&know&or&get&involved&in&any&way&

Deontological:((

ETHICAL( Q( There( is( a( clear( argument( that( breaking( commercial( confidentiality( ethics/law( is( an(
unethical(action.(

Indirectly&derail&the&research&effort&so&that&there&is&no&link&to&you.&

Utilitarian:(

PROBABLY(ETHICAL(–(Compared(to(telling(her(what(you(know,(this(action(has(the(added(advantage(
of(there(being(no(chance(you(will(see(any(negative(consequences((like(being(fired(or(sent(to(jail).(This(
may(sound(selfish,(but(if(the(only(difference(here(is(that(you(don’t(go(to(jail((which(is(a(positive!),(
then(it(is(more(ethical(using(a(utilitarian(framework.(

Deontological:((

UNETHICAL( Q( The( action( is( still( unethical,( even( though( the( result( may( be( good.( The( ends( do( not(
justify(the(means(

Virtue(based:((

UNETHICAL(Q(An(ethical(person(would(likely(not(be(able(to(justify(such(underhanded(behaviour.(This(
is(especially(true(since(you(take(no(responsibility(for(what(has(happened.(

(
Three%main%approaches%to%ethics%
%

1.#Utilitarian/#consequences#based#theory#

An%action%is%judged%as%ethical%or%unethical%based%on%the%consequences/outcome%

• The%end%justifies%the%mean%
• Ethically%the%right%action%would%be%something%that%produces%more%good%than%bad%
• Maximizing%benefits,%minimising%costs%
• Predominates%western%thinking%&%particularly%business%&%marketing%
%

2.#Deontological/#Duty#based#theory#

Actions%are%judged%as%ethical%standing%alone%&%without%regard%to%consequences%

• Based%on%the%idea%that%we%are%morally%obliged%to%follow%fundamental%rules%and%principles%regardless%
of%consequences%
• It%is%backward%looking%rather%than%normal%forward%looking%
• To%do%the%right%thing%simply%because%it%is%the%right%thing%to%do,%regardless%of%consequence%
• Morality%a%matter%of%duty%
%

3.#Virtue#based#theory#

The%focus%is%on%the%individual%not%on%the%action.%Individuals%should%seek%to%live%a%virtuous%life%

• Concentrates%on%the%person%who%performs%the%act%
• Particularly,%focuses%on%the%character%traits%of%the%person%or%the%character%development%of%the%person%
• The%possession%and%development%of%a%good%character%of%the%moral%virtues%will%lead%a%person%to%do%the%
right%thing%
%