ENT 416 Design Project 1

Professional Responsibility and Ethics

 What is Professional Responsibility?

definition of responsibility
1. The social force that binds you to your
obligations and the courses of action
demanded by that force.
definition of profession
1. The body of people in a learned
occupation.
2. An occupation requiring special
education (especially in the liberal arts
or sciences)

obligated . to follow courses of action.

 When should we be professionally responsible?

Conflicts between individual worker and the company

regarding the public. Whistle blowing!!!
 When should we be professionally responsible?

Conflicts between individual worker and the company

regarding the public. Whistle blowing!
1. manufacturing unsafe products
2. illegal hazard waste dumping
3. operating equipment dangerous to public

Profits versus public safety

Making decisions requiring evaluating .....

Whose values do we use? Company managers? Our
own? Our professions?
 When should we be professionally responsible?

Conflicts between individual worker and the company

regarding the public. Whistle blowing!!!

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION IN MALAYSIA

The Malaysian Parliament has from time to time introduced legal
protection for whistleblowers in an attempt to counter malpractices and
fraud of companies. Such protection is found in the Companies Act 1965
(Act 125) (hereinafter referred to as CA 1965), Capital Markets and
Services Act 2007 (Act 671) (hereinafter referred to as CMSA 2007) and
the newly enacted Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711)
(hereinafter referred to as WPA, 2010).

Comparative analysis of whistleblower protection legislations in England, USA and

Malaysia, African Journal of Business Management Vol. 5(27), pp. 11246-11255, 9
November, 2011
 Rules of Professional Responsibility
(Registration for PEs (BEM)
Five major sections :
1. Responsibility to the Public
2. Competency for Assignments
3. Conflict of Interest
Laws of Malaysia
4. Improper Conduct
5. Uphold integrity of profession
http://www.bem.org.my/v3/pdf/codeconduct.pdf

What obligations do we (engineers) have?

http://www.bem.org.my/v3/pdf/ACT2007.pdf
 Code of Ethics Fundamental Principles

Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and

dignity of the Engineering profession by:
I. Using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement
of human welfare;
II. Being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity
the public, their employers and clients; and
III. Striving to increase the competence and prestige of
the engineering profession.
 Code of Ethics
Fundamental Cannons 1-4

1.Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and

welfare of the public in the performance of their
professional duties.
2.Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their
competence.
3.Engineers shall continue their professional development
throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for
the professional development of those engineers under
their supervision.
4.Engineers shall act in professional matters for each
employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall
avoid conflicts of interest.
 Code of Ethics
Fundamental Cannons 5-8

5.Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the

merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with
others.
6.Engineers shall associate only with reputable persons or
organizations.
7.Engineers shall issue public statements only in an
objective and truthful manner.
8.Engineers shall consider environmental impact in the
performance of their professional duties.
 Guidelines for facilitating ethical problems

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation - obtain all of the

unbiased facts possible
Step 2: Define the Stakeholders - those with a vested interest in the
outcome
Step 3: Assess the motivations of the Stakeholders - using effective
communication techniques and personality assessment
Step 4: Formulate alternative solutions - based on most complete
information available, using basic ethical core values as
guide
Step 5: Evaluate proposed alternatives - short-list ethical solutions
only; may be a potential choice between/among two or more
totally ethical solutions
 Guidelines for facilitating ethical problems

Step 6: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate - engineering

codes of ethics, previous cases, peers, reliance on personal
experience, prayer
Step 7: Select the best course of action - that which satisfies the
highest core ethical values
Step 8: Implement the selected solution - take action as warranted
Step 9: Monitor and assess the outcome - note how to improve
the next time
 Code of Ethics Summary Guide from BEM

http://www.bem.org.my/v3/pdf/circulars/dosdonts.pdf
 Summary

Ethics
We are professionally responsible
Observe the laws
Know and appreciate the Code of Ethics/Conducts

http://www.engr.washington.edu/~uw-epp/Pepl/Ethics/ethics3.html