Microlink Information Technology College

ማይክሮሊንክ የኢንፎርሜሽን ቴክኖሎጂ ኮሌጅ

Department of Computer Engineering

Lecture Notes

Course Name: Professional Ethics

Course Code: Mgmt-404

Chapter: Chapter-1

Section: ED4CE1

Instructor Name: Abinet E.

Mail address: abinet12wessen@[Link]

Major Reference: [1]. Engineering, Business and Professional Ethics

Simon R., Ross D., Christopher P. and Krisen M.

[2]. Professional Ethics and Human Values by R.S

NAAGARAZAN.
 Chapter -1
Introduction
1.1 What is Ethics?
 Ethics is relevant to you in your everyday life as at some point in your professional or personal life
you will have to deal with an ethical question or problem.
 Ethics: The philosophical study of what is right or wrong in human conduct and
what rules or principles should govern it. Hence, the term is singular. This is often
classified into meta-ethics, applied ethics and professional ethics.
 Meta-ethics: The systematic study of the nature of ethics. This looks into issues
such as how an ethical judgement can be justified and the possible theoretical
underpinning of ethical reflection and practice.
 Applied Ethics: The application of ethics in a particular area of practice, e.g. business or
bio-ethics.

1.2 Professional Ethics:

The ethical identity, codes and practices of particular professions, such as the professions
followed by nurses, doctors, lawyers or engineers

In life, our behavior is governed by different norm systems. The word NORM comes from Latin
“NORMA”= yardstick. Norms dictate what we “ought” or “ought not” to do. The norm systems
governing the behavior of a professional are:

 Individual morality
Refers to individual values of a specific person and what they believe to be right.
Individual morality is influenced by how a person was raised. It is their personal value
system. The sanction for disobeying one’s individual morality is a guilty conscience.

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  Positive morality
This set of norms represents what is considered “right” in society at a particular
time. The permission for failure to obey positive morality is social sanction.
 Law (Legal Norms)
Laws protect society and prevent anarchy by regulating behavior.
Public Law – also referred to as criminal law: between the state and individual.

Private Law – also referred to as contractual law and focuses on the relationship between persons.
Formal Law and Common Law find expression in the reported judgments of
courts.

 Morality: Morality often refers to standards of moral conduct – right behavior.

In the history of philosophy, there have been many attempts to differentiate the
concept from ethics. However, it is most often used interchangeably with the term
‘ethics’, which is how we will use it.

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Key Concepts

Here are the meanings of some key words and concepts:

The process of determining right and wrong conduct. The discipline dealing with what is good
Ethics:
and bad and with moral duty and obligations

Ethical
Behavior that conforms to accepted standards of conduct
Behavior:
Ethical The process of sorting out the principles that help determine what is ethical when faced with an
Reasoning: ethical dilemma
Ethical System: A specific formula for distinguishing right from wrong

An action or conduct which violates the principles of one or more ethical systems, or which is
Unethical:
counter to an accepted ethical value, such as honesty

Non-ethical Powerful human motivations that are not based on right or wrong, but on considerations of
Considerations: survival and well-being, such as health, security, love, wealth, or self-esteem

This is an ethical problem in which the ethical choice involves ignoring a powerful non-ethical
consideration. Do the right thing, but lose your job, a friend, a lover, or an opportunity for
Ethical Dilemma:
advancement. A situation or problem facing an individual that
involves complex and often conflicting principles of ethical behavior

 Engineering ethics is the field of applied ethics, which examines and sets standards for
engineers' obligations to the public, their clients, employers and the profession and is
appropriate in all aspects of professional practice.

 Engineering Ethics: Engineering ethics is defined in the two ways:

1. The study of moral issues and decisions confronting individuals and organizations involved
in engineering.
2. The study of related questions about moral conduct, character and relationship involved
in technical development.

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 An engineer as a professional
The concept of a professional tends to be an elevated one.
The following features can be associated with professionals:
 Specialized knowledge and skills.
 Power – the power of specialized knowledge and the capacity to significantly
affect others, be they persons, groups or the environment.
 A monopoly or near monopoly of a particular skill.
 Managers undergo an extensive period of training that includes the development of
both skills and the intellect.
 Membership of a professional body that is responsible for maintaining standards,
protecting rights and ensuring proper training.
 Autonomy of practice.
 The engineer clearly falls under this definition of profession, and analysis of some
of these points reveals core values.

1.3 Value Systems

Values are the unarticulated beliefs that form the foundation for ethical behavior, i.e. practices that are
viewed by our society as correct behavior.

As an Engineer, you should acknowledge the fundamental importance of the following values both for
yourself and for your profession:

 Quality of life - people being satisfied with their whole life experience;

 Health, human potential, empowerment, growth and excellence - people being healthy,
aware of the fullness of their potential, recognizing their power to bring that potential into
being, growing into it, living it, and, generally, doing the best they can with it, individually
and collectively;

 Freedom and responsibility - people being free and responsible in choosing how they will
live their lives;

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  Justice - people living lives whose results are fair and right for everyone;

 Dignity, integrity, worth and fundamental rights of individuals, organizations,

communities, societies, and other human systems;

 All-win attitudes and cooperation - people caring about one another and about working
together to achieve results that work for everyone, individually and collectively;

 Authenticity and openness in relationships;

 Effectiveness, efficiency and alignment - people achieving the maximum of desired

results, at minimum cost, in ways that coordinate their individual energies and purposes
with those of the system-as-a-whole, the subsystems of which they are parts, and the larger
system of which their system is a part;

 Holistic, systemic view and affected parties orientation - understanding human behavior
from the perspective of whole system(s) that influence and are influenced by that behavior;
recognizing the interests that different people have in the system's results and valuing those
interests fairly and justly;

 Wide participation in system affairs, confrontation of issues leading to effective problem

solving, and democratic decision-making.

1.4 Code of Ethics

The norm system governing and regulating engineering professional behavior is professional
ethics. Certain common principles underlie professional codes and bodies, e.g. Medical and Dental
Council, Police Service Code of Conduct, Estate Agents Code of Conduct. Codes may not be
exhaustive and may not include all the rules and regulations that apply to every situation. The
contents therefore have to be viewed within the framework of company policies, procedures and
the requirements of the law.
In our society, ethical concerns have escalated in the past few years and have been raised at
government level. Organizations have hot lines for employees to anonymously report unethical

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behavior. In our field of engineering issues of fairness have been legislated and we have a Code of
Conduct in place. The question of ethical practice, however, covers broad ground and encompasses
everything we do as professionals and the way we behave towards each other and our clients.

Practicing engineers must become aware of their ethical responsibility towards the client as well as
being on the lookout for possible areas where ethical concerns could arise.

Engineers need to understand what values are and examine their own value system, which
determines their interactions. What pitfalls regarding business and professional ethics face
Engineers and what standards of integrity they need to be aware of and adhere to, i.e. what ideals
should they strive towards.

Most codes have common fundamental principles, which boil down to four universal fundamental
principles:
1. Respect for People’s Dignity and Rights

• Respect the client’s personal integrity (privacy, confidentiality)

• Be non-judgmental of the intrinsic value of the client irrespective of age, behavior, culture,
gender, race or religion
• If you are not competent to undertake a project/ task refer to another engineer
• Respect the knowledge skills and experience of your colleagues and other professionals

2. Responsible Practice

• The critical focus of this principle is to limit your practice to your field of expertise and
competence
• You must have the appropriate knowledge and skill before undertaking an activity
• Undergo relevant training and adhere to best practice
• Keep abreast of new developments in your field
• Use a new technique under supervision of a competent and experienced engineer

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3. Integrity in Relationships

• The power relationship is unbalanced between the client and the engineer as most power
rests with the engineer (having the knowledge and skill) which leaves the client vulnerable
• Professional codes expect engineers to act with integrity
• For engineers to be accepted in society and successful in their profession they need to be
trusted. There is a fiduciary relationship whereby one person (the client), in a position of
vulnerability, justifiably reposes confidence, good faith, reliance and trust in another (the
engineer) whose aid, advice or protection is sought in some matter. In such a relationship
good conscience requires one to act at all times for the sole benefit and interests of another,
with loyalty to those interests (source Wikipedia)

4. Responsibility

 Clients are clearly the engineer’s first responsibility but engineers also have a responsibility
to society
 Examples of responsible social actions are to:
• disperse information that can advance the profession
• protect the public trust in the engineering profession by “blowing the whistle” on
non-professional conduct
• assisting in some instances where worthy causes cannot afford professional services
• protect society from dangerous practices

1.5 Code of Conduct for Professional Persons

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is three fold:
to increase professional and ethical consciousness among engineers and their sense of
ethical responsibility;
to guide engineers in making more informed ethical choices; and
To help the Engineering profession it function at the fullness of its potential.

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As professionals, engineers commit themselves to supporting and acting in accordance with ethical
guidelines covering the following six main areas:
 Competency
 Integrity
 Public Interest
 Environment
 Dignity of the Profession
 Administrative

1.6 Engineering Ethics Overview

Engineering Ethics is the activity and discipline aimed at

 Understanding the moral values that ought to guide engineering profession
or practice,
 Resolving moral issues in engineering, and
 Justifying the moral judgments in engineering. It deals with set of moral
problems and issues connected with engineering.

Engineering ethics is defined by the codes and standards of conduct endorsed

by engineering (professional) societies with respect to the particular set of beliefs,
attitudes and habits displayed by the individual or group. Another important goal of
engineering ethics is the discovery of the set of justified moral principles of obligation,
rights and ideals that ought to be endorsed by the engineers and apply them to concrete
situations. Engineering is the largest profession and the decisions and actions of
engineers affect all of us in almost all areas of our lives, namely public safety, health,
and welfare.

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 Scope
The scopes of engineering ethics are twofold:
1. Ethics of the workplace, which involves the co-workers and employees in an
organization.
2. Ethics related to the product or work, which involves the transportation,
warehousing, and use, besides the safety of the product and the environment outside
the factory.

Approach
There are conventionally two approaches in the study of ethics:
1. Micro-ethics, which deals with decisions and problems of individuals,
professionals, and companies.
2. Macro-ethics, which deals with the societal problems on a regional/national level.
For example, global issues, collective responsibilities of groups such as professional
societies and consumer groups.

Sensitive Ensues of Engineering Ethics:

There are two different senses (meanings) of engineering ethics, namely Normative
and Descriptive senses.
 The normative sense includes:
o Knowing moral values, finding accurate solutions to moral problems and
justifying moral judgments in engineering practices,
o Study of decisions, policies, and values that are morally desirable in the
engineering practice and research, and
o Using codes of ethics and standards and applying them in their transactions
by engineers.
 The descriptive sense refers to what specific individual or group of engineers
believe an act, without justifying their beliefs or actions.

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 1.7 Cultural, Political, Social motivations & limitations

 Cultural practices, customs, rituals, and belief systems can motivate or demotivate
development and adoption of science and technology.
 low value of time and punctuality, low value of work, intellectual property right and
copy right, research

 more value to ritual, predestination, formality, religion, tradition, caste

 Political systems can create conducive environment or hurdles in development and

use of science and technology.
 Authoritarian, despotic, repressive, lack of rule of law, impunity, irregular and
selective application of law, lack of freedom of expression and choice frequently
changing policies and rules, vague regulations

 Social norms and values can encourage or discourage (assign arbitrary limits)
people to be professional engineers.
 Gender-class-caste roles, defective social norms and values, gap between rich and
poor, access to health and education, social security, conflict, rent seeking culture,
suspicion of new ideas and technologies

1.8 Impacts and consequences of technology on society

 The impacts and consequences of technology on society are multifaceted (consequences

are positive or negative, depending on use or abuse, or ability to prevent abuse)
 Impact on social values and family structure
 Impact on cultural norms
 Impact on transportation of goods and services
 Impact on communication and information generation
 Impact on production means and price of goods

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1.8.1 Computer and Computer Crimes
1. Computer:
 Modeling, simulation (visualization of potential impacts and solution before the
event occurs and solutions implemented), design, solution techniques (FDM, FEM),
Management Information System, Spatial planning using GIS, computer crimes,
intrusion on personal privacy, data mining, data theft,
Effects: information generating, storing and dissemination
 Design of materials using simulation
 Electronic equipment

2. Electronic Transaction Act 2063 (2006) has listed the following acts
under the Computer Crime
 Theft, damage or alteration of computer source code
 Unauthorized access to materials on computer
 Destruction and computer and information system
 Publication of illegal materials on electronic form
 Violation of confidentiality
 Posting of false information
 Submitting or showing forged license or certificate
 Non-submission of the document or other materials
 Computer fraud

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