NPTEL Ethics in Engineering Practice Sheet 6B

What is the role of engineers as consultants?

• The role of engineers as consultants is to perform routine maintenance and repairs on equipment.

• The role of engineers as consultants is to provide legal advice and representation to clients.

• The role of engineers as consultants is to provide expert advice and solutions to clients in their respective fields of expertise.

• The role of engineers as consultants is to design and build infrastructure projects.

Why is ethical decision making important in engineering?

• Ethical decision making is important in engineering to prioritize safety, well-being, and ethical considerations of the public and the environment.

• Ethical decision making is not important in engineering.

• Ethical decision making only focuses on personal gain and profit.

• Ethical decision making hinders progress and innovation in engineering.

What are the managerial responsibilities of engineers?

• Supervising and evaluating engineering teams.

• Planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling engineering projects.

• Managing financial resources for engineering projects.

• Designing, testing, and implementing engineering projects.

What skills are required for engineers to be effective consultants?

• Technical and soft skills

• Leadership and project management skills

• Analytical and critical thinking skills

• Communication and problem-solving skills

How does ethics play a role in engineering management?

• Ethics has no role in engineering management.

• Ethics only applies to personal life, not professional life.

• Ethics is a subjective concept and varies from person to person.

• Ethics guides decision-making, ensures responsible and sustainable practices, promotes safety and quality, and maintains trust and integrity in the profession.

What are some ethical challenges faced by engineers in consulting roles?

• Lack of technical expertise, poor communication with clients, failure to meet project deadlines

• Ignoring environmental impact, prioritizing profit over safety, compromising professional standards

• Conflicts of interest, maintaining client confidentiality, ensuring accuracy and integrity of work, balancing needs of multiple stakeholders

• Inadequate risk assessment, lack of transparency in decision-making, unethical use of client information

What factors should engineers consider when making ethical decisions?

• Cost-effectiveness, personal beliefs, convenience, popularity, personal gain, short-term consequences

• Efficiency, profitability, personal values, public opinion, immediate benefits, personal interests

• Competition, market demand, personal preferences, public perception, immediate rewards, personal advantages

• Public safety, environmental sustainability, social justice, well-being, legal and regulatory requirements, professional codes of ethics, long-term consequences

How can engineers balance their managerial responsibilities with ethical considerations?

• By ignoring ethical considerations and focusing solely on managerial responsibilities

• By prioritizing managerial responsibilities over ethical considerations

• By relying solely on personal judgment and disregarding professional codes of ethics and legal frameworks

• By prioritizing ethical decision-making, promoting open communication and transparency, setting clear expectations and guidelines, fostering a culture of ethical behavior, and seeking guidance from professional codes of ethics and legal frameworks.

What are some ethical guidelines for engineers in consulting roles?

• Using confidential information for personal gain, engaging in conflicts of interest, providing false or exaggerated information, prioritizing cost-cutting over public safety, violating professional standards and codes of conduct

• Disclosing confidential information to the public, engaging in conflicts of interest, providing incomplete or misleading information, prioritizing personal interests over public well-being, disregarding professional standards and codes of conduct

• Maintaining confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, providing accurate and unbiased information, prioritizing the safety and well-being of the public, adhering to professional standards and codes of conduct.

• Sharing confidential information with competitors, accepting bribes or kickbacks, providing inaccurate or biased information, prioritizing personal gain over public safety, ignoring professional standards and codes of conduct

What are the key differences between engineering management and engineering consulting?

• Engineering management is only concerned with the technical aspects of a project, while engineering consulting focuses on the business and financial aspects.

• The key differences between engineering management and engineering consulting are the focus on management and leadership within an organization versus providing expert advice and solutions to clients as an external consultant or contractor.

• Engineering management and engineering consulting have no significant differences.

• Engineering management focuses on providing expert advice and solutions to clients as an external consultant or contractor, while engineering consulting focuses on management and leadership within an organization.