Practice Problems

Part I. Instructions: Analyze each statement below and decide whether you agree or disagree
with it.

Statement Agree/Disagree
1. The majority of people are brave, Agree
good, and kind.
2. If you trust someone completely, you Disagree
are asking for trouble.
3. It is hard to get to the top without Disagree
sometimes cutting corners.
4. A good way to handle people is to tell Agree
them what they like to hear.
5. There is no excuse for telling a white Agree
lie to someone.
6. It makes sense to flatter important Disagree
people.
7. Most people who get ahead as Agree
leaders have led very moral lives.
8. Overall, it is better to be humble and Agree
honest than to be successful and
dishonest.
9. A leader should take action only when Agree
it is morally right.
10. It is better not to tell people the real Disagree
reason you did something unless it
benefits you to do so.

Part II. Instructions: Discuss the following:

1. What makes an ethical person?
-A person that thinks before he/she acts and does things that is right. An ethical person have a
sense of duty, aren’t afraid to speak up specially voicing out what is true, treats people well
and consistently models ethical character.
2. Choose and discuss one of the following:
a. Honesty is the best policy.
b. The truth will set you free.
-Keeping a truth by yourself is like carrying a burden all along, especially if this
actuality has a large impact. Deciding on whether to reveal this fact is far more
problematic, you have to consider the consequences if bringing out this truth would
be the right thing to do. Sometimes telling the truth hurts more people than doing
good. Keeping the truth only for yourself makes you feel uneasy and anxious and as
time goes by this feeling worsens. Not until revealing the truth will comfort the
feeling of uneasiness and free you from this burden. Nonetheless, the important
thing is truth shall always be known particularly those that may impact the safety of
people.
c. Honesty is something so tough and tempting. It demands self-denial and spiritual
purity. Honesty counts even things that we may think simple and immaterial. Who
doesn’t sometimes behave dishonestly?
d. You are allowed to tell a white lie once in a while to spare someone's feelings; that’s
not wrong!
e. Is giving a bribe dishonest if I have to accomplish something?
f. To be honest with yourself, will make your life simple. Honesty is the best policy. Be
honest and you are less likely to face any difficulties.
g. What are some advantages of conducting business with integrity? Some people say
they have no responsibility beyond maximizing the value of the firm in financial
terms. Can this position be defended? If so, how?
h. I try to be honest and treat others as I would like to be treated. I hope that others
do the same. I believe it is very important to have empathy for one another.
 i. If I am hungry and my family is starving, is it acceptable to steal food
from the local
supermarket?

Assessment

ASSIGNMENT No. 1:

Three "ethics checks" to help individuals decide what is right:

1. Is it legal? Will I be violating either civil law or company policy?
2. Is it balanced? Is it fair to all concerned in the short
term as well as the long term? Does it promote win-win
relationships?

3. How will it make me feel about myself? Will it make

me proud? Would I feel good if my decision was published in
the newspaper? Would I feel good if my family knew about
it?
Blanchard and Peale
(1988)

Instructions: Consider the situation presented in the case study

and write your thoughts on what you would do to resolve the
issue.

1. An Engineer is required to design a “Pressure Vessel” using a

specific “Design Code” that requires a material thickness of
20mm. The designer is asked to reduce the thickness of the
material in order to reduce costs for the customer who is
planning to buy a large number of these vessels. What does he
do?
 - As an engineer, one must comply with standards set by
the design codes. He should strictly follow the required thickness
to ensure that the vessel will perform as required and will not
compromise safety. Additionally, pressure vessels should be
designed according to its intended purpose, if the material used is
thinner than required, result is the vessel can only hold less
pressure than what the required thickness can provide. If thinner
vessel is constructed and loaded with pressure that exceeds what
the vessel can hold, tendency is it will burst or explode. Thickness
of the material is crucial in the design of such vessel and should be
the least priority to alterations if possible. Nonetheless, the
engineer should also evaluate if he could modify the design of the
vessel to accommodate thinner material without compromising
the required performance. Otherwise, he should stick to what the
code dictates and propose other measures to decrease the cost of
the design without altering its thickness. -162
2. An Engineer is responsible for the disposal of “Hazardous
Chemical Waste” and due to the high costs involved is asked
by the CEO to arrange to have the materials dumped in the
river that runs past the outer perimeter of the factory. Does
he comply?
-He must not comply! Firstly, it is illegal to dump waste in the
river. There are regulations that will be violated if such waste
is disposed in the river. By the fact that it is hazardous, it could
destroy many living organisms and could inflict tremendous
damage to the environment. This could also lead to the
contamination of water that could compromise safety of
anyone with access to it. Secondly, hazardous chemical wastes
are handled and disposed according to the standards set by
organizations that regulate the disposal of hazardous wastes.
There are proper protocols that should be followed to ensure
that this type of wastes will end to where they should be. It is
highly not ethical to just dump it where you want without
considering the effects of such actions. Lastly, as an engineer,
one should value the environment over technological
advancements. Additionally, the actions of an engineer will to
reflect to its professional standard, and violating certain laws
or regulations will deem an engineer as unethical professional.
-170

3. During the design of a pumping station a particular type of

pump is specified for the task. There are 3 possible suppliers with
some minor technical differences that would not have a
significant impact on the effectiveness of the design, but the one
supplier is a little more expensive than the other two. This
supplier offers the Engineer a free 10 day holiday in Mauritius if he
buys the pumps from them. What does the Engineer do?
-As an ethical professional, the engineer must refuse to these
kinds of offers. Aside from violating code of ethics, it’s like valuing
your personal gains more than of your services. The engineer
should not compromise the overall integrity of the station over his
personal gains. Although the pump is of minor technical
difference to what is required, still it could damage the station and
further cause safety hazard to personnel as well. Furthermore, the
offer is clearly a form of bribery which is not tolerated in an ethical
career. May it be small or simple, compromising engineering
design over something that is for your advantage is not a way to
practice the profession. Nonetheless, the engineer could evaluate
the implications of utilizing lower cost pump to the performance
of the station. But if budget is not an issue, the engineer should
go for the pump that is most suitable for the station no matter the
cost. -156