PROFESSIONALISM

AND
CODE OF ETHICS

Faiz A.W 13213003

Dwi Fitra H.S.W 13213016
Alifah 13213022
Yosua S.A 13213095
Yosi A.N 13213098

IS ENGINEERING A PROFESSION?

Job

Skill
s

Responsibilit
ies

Enginee
rs

IS ENGINEERING A PROFESSION?

Use of
judgmen
t

Requires
sophisticat
ed skills

Formal
educatio
n

Exercises of
discretion

Not routine
nor can be
mechanize
d

Society
to
conduct
standar
ds

Profession

Public
good
results

ENGINEER AS A PROFESSION

Engineer

Judgment
:

Material
s

Discretio
n:

Confidential

Primary
concern!

Public
health

Components

Public
safety

Devices

Objectives

ENGINEER AS A PROFESSION

Educatio
n:

Society
:

Year
one

Mechanical
engineers

Year
two

Year
thre
e

Graduatio
n

Electrica
l
engineers

Engineer
Good
results:

Communication

Transportatio
n

Energy

Medical

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ENGINEERING AND OTHER PROFESSIONS

Engineer

Physician

Lawyer

Employment

Commonly employed by a
larger
group/corporate/organization
(exception: civil engineers)

Able to self-employ

Profession
training

During the years of

undergraduate education

Does not begin until

completing undergraduate
education

Society

Not as binding and powerful

due to the many
specializations

Centralized, must comply

License

Many are trained but not

Requires licenses

OTHER ASPECTS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

The Social Contract

Set up to further the public
good
Implicit social contract
involved
Grants perks such as high
pay and high status for
service in return

Engineer

Physician

Lawyer

The Business Model

Functions to further
members economic
advantage
Union for the elite: limit the
number, control working
conditions, inflating
salaries

Physician

Lawyer

IF ENGINEERING WERE PRACTICED MORE LIKE MEDICINE

Pre-engineering Pre-engineering
1st year
2nd year

Preengineering
3rd year

An engineer!

Employment

Education
Pre-engineering
4th year

Enter
professional
program

Training
under
practitioner

Extensive
specialized
study

Leads to higher
earnings

Work in
engineering
firms

Professional
engineers to
supervise less skilled
technicians

Reduce the number

in work force

CODE OF ETHICS

Framework for ethical judgment

1. Creates environment where ethical
behaviour is a norm

3. Indicating a collective sense of correct

behaviour

2. Bolster ones position with regard to a certain

activity: provides a little backup for one
who is being pressured by a superior to
behave unethically

4. Indicates to others that the profession is

concerned about responsible,
professional conduct

OBJECTIONS TO
CODES
Only few practicing engineers are member of professional
societies and dont compelled to abide the engineering code of
ethics
Engineering codes often have internal conflicts

CODES OF THE
ENGINEERING SOCIETIES
Professional engineering societies in US began to be organized in
the late 19th century
Engineering codes mostly concerned with issues of how to
conduct business in the early 20th century
Nowadays, these codes emphasize commitments to safety, health
public, and even environmental protection

A CLOSER LOOK AT TWO

CODE OF ETHICS
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Electrica
l
engineers

Short and deals in generalities

More likely to be read by the member of the societies
More understandable
Doesnt mention a duty to ones employer
Explicitly mention duty to protect environment

NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers)

Much longer and more detailed

More explicit
Able to cover more grounds/fields
Does mention the engineers duty to his/her employer

RESOLVING INTERNAL
CONFLICTS IN CODES
Internal conflicts can exist within the codes without instructions to solve them
Example : An employer orders an engineer to implement a design that the
engineer thinks will be unsafe and its clear that the engineers job is at a stake
Based on NSPE Codes
Clause I.4 : The engineers have duty to their employers which implies that the engineer
should go ahead with the unsafe design
Clause I.1 and The Preamble : The public safety is important concern of an engineer

There is hierarchy within the code although there is no explicit indication in the
code
The duty to protect public safety is paramount and takes precedence over the
duty to the employer

CAN CODES AND

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
PROTECT EMPLOYEES?

Professional societies can and should protect employees who are

being pressured by their employer to do something unethical or
who are accusing their employers or the government of their
unethical conduct
Example : the action of the IEEE on behalf of three electrical
engineers who were fired from their jobs at BART org. when they
pointed out deficiencies in the way control systems for BART
trains were being designed and tested.
This type of intervention is essential when ethical violations are
pointed out

OTHER TYPES OF CODES OF

ETHICS
Many other organizations have also developed codes of ethics for various
purpose similar to those professional engineering societies
Many of the important ethical question faced up by the engineers in the
context of their work for corporation and since most practicing engineers arent
member of the professional societies/organization. These problems has led to
adoption of codes of ethics by many corporations
There would be some value to the corp. codes since the corporation can tailor
its code to individual circumstances and companys unique mission
Since corporate codes are tend to be coercive, these codes tend to be longer
and more detail to provide very specific and clear guidance
Meanwhile, professional societies codes cant be really explicit since there is no
means to reasonably enforce its code

CASE 1- THE INTEL PENTIUM

CHIP

SUMMARY
In late 1994, the media began to report that there was a flaw in the new Pentium
microprocessor produced by Intel.
This particular flaw was in the floating-point unit (FPU) and caused a wrong answer
when double-precision arithmetic, a very common operation, was performed.
A standard test was widely published to determine whether a users microprocessor
was flawed. Using spreadsheet software, the user was to take the number 4,195,835,
multiply it by 3,145,727, and then divide that result by 3,145,727. As we all know from
elementary math, when a number is multiplied and then divided by the same number,
the result should be the original number. In this example, the result should be
4,195,835. However, with the flawed FPU, the result of this calculation was 4,195,579

SUMMARY
At first, Intels response to these reports was to deny that there was any
problem with the chip. When it became clear that this assertion was not
accurate, Intel switched its policy and stated that although there was indeed
a defect in the chip, it was insignificant and the vast majority of users would
never even notice it. The chip would be replaced for free only for users who
could demonstrate that they needed an unflawed version of the chip .
Finally, after much negative publicity in the popular personal computer
literature and an outcry from Pentium users, Intel agreed to replace the
flawed chip with an unflawed version for any customer who asked to have it
replaced.

ANALYSIS
Acting ethically is in Intels, or any companys best interests. Intel
made some ethical errors by not respecting the rights of its
customers. The company also made utilitarian errors, some of
which were probably caused by lack of information. The most basic
information can be obtained, however, by asking questions based
on Kantian principles, such as, If I act this way toward my
customers, would it be all right if they (and others) act the same
way toward me? The answer would have prompted Intel to respect
its customers rights and to implement its final policy at the start.

ANALYSIS
Ninth clause of the IEE code of ethics : to avoid injuring others,
their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious
action
The behavior of Intel in the fourth quarter in 1994 did not coincide
with the ninth clause of the IEEE code of ethics, because the
processor produced mathematical errors that could have harmed
others because of incorrect mathematical results implemented
within engineering applications

ANALYSIS
Intel finally came around to respecting its customers rights, which
correspondingly promoted their happiness. When it decided to give
a new chip to anyone who requested one, to disclose all future chip
flaws, and to communicate its concern and solutions to the public,
Intel reflected the ethical principles of fairness and the pursuit of
the greatest good. And if the Pentium chip crisis serves to
promote these principles industry wide, this will increase happiness
for all of us, nontechnical people and technical people alike.

CASE 2 - RUNWAY CONCRETE AT

THE DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT

SUMMARY:

The City of Denver embarked

on one of the largest public
works project in history.

The project had many

problems such as flawed
baggage system costing
the city millions of dollars.

3B use a substandard mixture

for the concrete.

Much complicated problems

arise when the
subcontractors filed a lawsuit
against the California based
construction firm Ball, Ball
and Brosamer (3B's).

PROBLEM
Two subcontractor filed lawsuit against Ball, Ball and
Brosamer also known as 3B's claiming that the company
owned them money
CSI Trucking responsible to haul the sand and gravel used
in the concrete did not receive their payment because it
would leave record of improper receipt 3Bs altered the
recipe for concrete used in runaway and apron
construction in order to save money and increase their
Denver
profit official and FBI investigate the case and found out
that from the test of the core sample the concrete had
correct strength.

PROBLEM
Denver district attorney office claimed that the inspection
report was falsified.
Fort Collins, Colorado, company,Empire Laboratories test
report had been falsified five to six time to hide result. Four
employees of Empire claimed the altering of test data was
standard operating procedure.
Question about short cement content in 3Bs mixture
resurfaced in the November Denver Post article.
Batch plant operator claimed that they were tipped off before
inspection so during inspection it would appear that they
were using correct recipe for concrete.

CODES OF ETHICS VIOLATED

3B did not hold paramount the welfare and safety of the
public by risking it with the unreliable and below standard
concrete paving.
Empire laboratories did not work with the highest standard of
honest and dignity as the professional obligation should, the
SOP of the company is altering the data.

NSPE GUIDE ON CODES OF

ETHICS
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and
welfare of the public
Engineers shall issue public statement only in an
objective and truthful manner.
Engineers shall avoid deceptive act

Solution:
Make a lifestyle check among the officials of the city of Denver. The
objective of this solution is to eliminate the officials which promotes
a money driven or biased justice system.

CASE 3 - COMPETITIVE BIDDING

AND THE PARADYNE CASE

SUMMARY
Kasus paradyne dimulai tanggal 10 juni 1980.
SSA melakukan permintaan proposal untuk sistem komputer untuk
mengganti peralatan yang sudah tua di kantornya.
SSA berencana untuk membeli sistem off the shelf yang sudah ada
pada vendor, daripada sistem yang didesain secara spesifik
(custom-made).
Pada bulan maret 1981, SSA membuat kontrak 115 juta dolar untuk
membeli 1800 sistem komputer ke Paradyne.
Masalah segera terjadi setelah penandatanganan kontrak, ketika
komputer paradyne gagal memenuhi pengujian.

Salah satu persyaratan kontrak bahwa komputer dapat berfungsi 98

persen sepanjang waktu.
Persyaratan ini tidak dapat terpenuhi setelah beroperasi selama 21
bulan.
Setelah hampir dua tahun, sistem akhirnya dapat bekerja sesuai dengan
yang direncanakan.
Setelah diinvestigasi, komputer Paradyne yang didemokan ke SSA
merupakan komputer yang berbeda, sebuah modifikasi komputer PDP
11/23 yang diproduksi DEC yang ditempatkan pada kabinet yang diberi
label P8400 oleh Paradyne, sehingga seolah olah buatan Paradyne.

ANALISIS
Dari sisi paraydne
Melakukan penipuan terhadap SSA, karena komputer yang diminta
oleh SSA didesain dengan sistem off the shelf, namun ternyata
sistem komputer yang dikirim yaitu sistem yang belum ada dan
belum dikembangkan. Dan komputer yang dikirim merupakan
buatan DEC dan Paradyne hanya menempel label di atas label DEC.
Paradyne sebagai produsen sistem komputer melakukan penipuan
karena sistem komputer yang belum ada sudah ditawarkan kepada
pembeli. Selain itu, memasang label pada produk orang lain yaitu
DEC.

Dari sisi SSA

SSA melakukan kesalahan dengan membiarkan salah satu pekerjanya
untuk bekerja di Paradyne, dengan mengatakan bahwa tidak ada masalah
etika dengan hal tersebut kepada Paradyne. Namun, pekerja SSA yang
bekerja di Paradyne sudah tahu apa yang akan menjadi evaluasi untuk
mendapatkan kontrak. Pekerja tersebut merupakan mantan atasan di
SSA.
SSA membiarkan pekerjanya bekerja di Paradyne, sehingga dapat
melakukan lobi agar kontraknya diterima. Hal ini dapat menyebabkan
masalah konflik kepentingan, karena pekerja tersebut akan berusaha
semaksimal mungkin agar kontrak dari Paradyne dapat diterima oleh SSA.