engineers and society

Multiple Choice

Explain how the hierarchy in an engineering company helps in the systematic arrangement of job profiles and decision-making processes.

• The hierarchy complicates job roles and decision-making by creating confusion and overlapping duties.
• Hierarchy in engineering firms hinders communication and accountability, leading to poor job organization.
• A flat structure in engineering promotes job flexibility and decision-making without defined roles.
• The hierarchy aids in systematic job arrangement and decision-making by defining roles and responsibilities, ensuring clear communication and accountability.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Administrative Engineering Company Level (Top Management)?

• Strategic planning

• Making company-wide decisions

• Design, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting

• Long-term business direction

Multiple Choice

Discuss the main differences in responsibilities between the Managerial Engineering Company Level and the Operational Engineering Company Level.

• Managerial Engineering focuses on technical support and project implementation, while Operational Engineering oversees strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Managerial Engineering is tasked with daily task management and team supervision, whereas Operational Engineering is responsible for long-term project development and client relations.
• Managerial Engineering deals with product design and innovation, while Operational Engineering is in charge of market analysis and customer feedback.
• Managerial Engineering is responsible for strategic oversight and resource management, while Operational Engineering handles daily operations and process execution.

Multiple Choice

The ________ Engineering Company Level is responsible for the execution of design, testing, maintenance, and troubleshooting tasks.

• Operational
• Administrative

• Managerial

• Environment

Multiple Choice

Who among the following is typically found at the Administrative Engineering Company Level?

• Project Leader

• Engineering Chairman

• Staff Engineer

• Help Desk Technician

Multiple Choice

What are some examples of problems that mechanical engineers solve?

• Engines, turbines, robots
• Building and structure

• Power System

Multiple Choice

Which type of engineer is most likely to solve problems related to pollution and ecological systems?

• Civil Engineer

• Environmental Engineer

• Mechanical Engineer

• Chemical Engineer

Multiple Choice

Discuss the significance of the top 10 dream employers for engineering graduates and how they might influence career choices.

• The top 10 dream employers have no impact on engineering careers.
• The significance of the top 10 dream employers lies in their ability to attract engineering talent, shape career aspirations, and influence job market trends.
• Engineering graduates prefer companies based on salary alone.
• Career choices are solely influenced by personal interests, not employers.

Multiple Select

Which three branches of engineering are listed as having the top engineering jobs?

• Mechanical Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Environmental Engineering

• Electrical Engineering

Multiple Choice

A person starting as an intern in an engineering company is likely working at the ___ level.

• operational
• Managerial

• Administrative

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between managerial and operational engineering company levels?

• Managerial level involves more technical tasks, operational level involves more leadership.

• Managerial level is for entry-level professionals, operational level is for experienced professionals.

• Managerial level involves leadership and experience, operational level is for entry-level and technical roles.

• There is no difference between the two levels.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are departments found in the small engineering firm?

• IT Department

• Finance Department

• Design Department

• Legal Department

Multiple Choice

The ___ is responsible for overseeing the entire power engineering consulting firm according to the organization chart.

• General Director
• Deputy General Director

• Manager

Multiple Choice

Based on the organization chart of Engineering and Environmental Consultants Sdn Bhd, who is responsible for the Geotechnical Engineering division?

• Tang Tih Seng

• Mohd Amin Shaari

• Yacob B. Ali

• Lim Kim Oun

Multiple Choice

How can employees benefit from becoming familiar with the culture of their organization?

• Employees benefit by improving productivity, minimizing collaboration, and lowering engagement.
• Employees benefit by improving communication, enhancing teamwork, and increasing job satisfaction.
• Employees benefit by avoiding conflicts, decreasing motivation, and enhancing isolation.
• Employees benefit by reducing workload, increasing stress, and limiting creativity.

Multiple Choice

Discuss the importance of distinguishing between decisions that should be made by managers and those that should be made by engineers within an organization.

• Engineers should handle all financial decisions.
• Managers should focus solely on technical tasks.
• Engineers are responsible for employee performance evaluations.
• Managers should make strategic and operational decisions, while engineers should make technical and design decisions.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are challenges that engineers may face in balancing loyalty?

• Loyalty to their employer

• Loyalty to their profession

• Loyalty to their family

• Loyalty to their country

Multiple Choice

What is a common complaint engineers have about communicating with managers?

• Managers do not understand technical issues

• Managers are too strict with deadlines

• Managers do not attend meetings

• Managers focus only on profits

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes managers' priority of obligations?

• They prioritize personal relationships over organizational needs

• They may counterbalance organizational obligations with outside loyalties

• Their obligations are mostly aligned with organizational goals

• They always prioritize engineering ethics above all else

Multiple Choice

Knowledge of the organization helps engineers understand:

• How to be promoted faster

• How they and managers frame issues under organizational influence

• The financial statements of the company

• The personal hobbies of coworkers

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements is the most accurate about engineer-oriented companies, based on the quote "We have overdesigned our products and would rather lose money than diminish our reputation."?

• These companies always try to reduce costs.

• The company's reputation is considered less important than profit.

• They prioritize product quality and reputation even if it might result in a loss.

• Overdesigned products are rare in these companies.

Multiple Choice

How do managers in customer-oriented companies view the role of engineers?

• As partners who share the same point of view.

• As individuals who focus on business aspects.

• As advocates of a point of view different from their own.

• As the final decision-makers for technical issues.

Multiple Choice

In customer-oriented companies, which of the following statements about safety and quality is most accurate?

• Quality is always prioritized over safety.

• Both safety and quality are considered equally important.

• Safety outranks quality, but quality may sometimes be sacrificed.

• Quality is sacrificed only in engineer-oriented companies.

Multiple Choice

What is the direct consequence of a centralized structure in finance-oriented companies regarding decision-making authority?

• Engineers are given more authority to make final decisions.

• Managers are more inclined to seek consensus with engineers.

• Engineers receive less information, and their decisions are given less weight.

• The company's structure becomes more flexible and decentralized.

Multiple Choice

Based on the organizational principles of "Acting Ethically without Having to Make Difficult Choices," and that "the process for handling organizational disobedience should proceed as quickly as possible," which of the following actions is the most appropriate for the supervisor to take?

• Allow the behavior to continue, as the employee’s high performance outweighs the safety risk.

• Formally document the incident and initiate the disciplinary process immediately to address the disobedience, ensuring fairness and swift action.

• Hold a team meeting to discuss general safety procedures, without singling out the individual employee.

• Transfer the employee to a different department to avoid a direct confrontation and a potential dispute.

Multiple Choice

A team of engineers has designed a new solar panel. They present two options to the project manager:

• Option A: A standard panel with a 20% efficiency rating, which is readily available from a certified supplier and costs $500 per unit.

• Option B: A cutting-edge panel with a 25% efficiency rating, which costs $800 per unit and requires the company to invest in new manufacturing equipment.

The manager must now decide which option to choose for mass production, taking into account the company's budget, sales projections, and competitive market position.

Based on the distinction between Proper Engineering Decisions (PED) and Proper Management Decisions (PMD), which of the following is the most accurate analysis of the situation?

• The choice between Option A and Option B is a Proper Engineering Decision (PED) because it involves technical specifications and performance.

• The analysis of the technical specifications of both panels is a Proper Engineering Decision (PED), while the final choice to invest in new equipment for Option B is a Proper Management Decision (PMD).

• The decision on the cost and market viability of both options is a Proper Engineering Decision (PED), and the decision on which panel is more efficient is a Proper Management Decision (PMD).

• The entire decision, including the technical comparison and the final investment choice, is a single Proper Management Decision (PMD), as the manager is ultimately responsible.

Multiple Choice

A new employee, Ali, has just joined a technology company. He wants to demonstrate his loyalty and become a valuable asset to the organization. Based on the qualities of a loyal employee described in the slides, which of the following is the most effective strategy for Ali to adopt?

• He should focus on building blind trust with his colleagues and supervisor by agreeing with all their ideas to show he is a team player.

• He should avoid taking on any new tasks that require learning new skills to minimize errors and avoid unnecessary risks.

• He should consistently strive to perform his job in the most efficient manner, remain updated on new industry technologies, and be prudent in his professional decisions without placing blind faith in others' promises.

• He should prioritize earning the highest possible salary, believing that financial success is the only way to demonstrate his loyalty to the company.

Multiple Choice

A manager at a company notices that a talented and skilled employee, Sarah, is becoming disengaged. Sarah has been with the company for several years and consistently produces high-quality work, but recently she has shown signs of looking for new opportunities. The manager is concerned about losing a valuable asset.

Based on the principles outlined in slide 62 regarding the importance of employee loyalty, which of the following strategies is the most effective for the manager to re-engage Sarah and strengthen her loyalty to the company?

• Increase Sarah's salary and offer her a larger financial bonus to reward her past performance and keep her from leaving.

• Give Sarah more freedom to manage her work and assign her to a project that requires her to develop new skills and interact with senior leadership.

• Remind Sarah of her long-term obligation to the company and the value of her current position in a highly competitive job market.

• Provide Sarah with the same routine tasks and responsibilities, as this ensures stability and reduces the risk of her making mistakes.