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WorksheetsCase Study - Spiro Agnew
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 13mins
What was the primary reason KCI Technologies' predecessor firm struggled to get work in the public sector?
Required to kick back 5% of fees to officials
Did not have enough qualified engineers
Created poor project designs for clients
Had limited resources for public projects
What was the crime that led to the downfall of the Vice President of the United States?
Engaging in unfair competition
Improper use of public funds
Receiving illegal bribes
Evading income tax payments
What was the percentage of engineering fees required to be kicked back to public officials?
Ten percent
Seven percent
Three percent
Five percent
What was the role of the seven engineers who testified against the officials?
They received promotions for their honesty
They received fines for unethical practices
They received immunity from prosecution
They received convictions for bribery
What was the consequence for the engineers who testified against the officials?
They were promoted to higher positions in their companies
They lost their engineering licenses and their ownership interests
They were fined but allowed to continue their practice
They were given government contracts as compensation
What type of projects were primarily affected by the kickback scheme?
Commercial building projects
Educational facility projects
Roads and infrastructure projects
Residential housing projects
What ethical code was violated by bribing public officials?
Code of ethics for fair competition
Code of ethics for conflict of interest
Code of ethics for dishonoring the profession
Code of ethics for environmental sustainability
What was the ultimate impact on KCI Technologies' predecessor firm after reporting the unethical practices?
It expanded its business internationally
It received support from the government for whistleblowing
It struggled to procure public sector work for 5 to 10 years
It was permanently debarred from contracts
Where was money exchanged during the kickback scheme involving the Vice President?
Inside the county executive's office
Inside the basement of the White House
Inside a private bank
Inside the governor's mansion
What was the belief of Mr. Mats and Mr. Childs regarding the kickback practice?
Only a few firms were doing it
Everyone in their sector was doing it
It was a rare thing
It was strictly banned by law
What ethical principle should guide engineers when faced with questionable practices?
Disregard all ethical standards
If it feels wrong, it is not right
Always follow the leader’s actions
Always prioritize financial gain
What was the role of the State Roads Commission director in the scandal?
He was an engineer who gave testimony
He was the mastermind of the scheme
He was the person who blew the whistle
He was convicted for income tax evasion
What was the public impact of the kickback scheme?
Tax dollars were misused, reducing project value by five percent
Public safety was compromised, causing harm to citizens
Projects were delayed significantly, affecting completion dates
Projects were canceled, resulting in loss of services
What was the ethical violation related to unfair competition?
Not meeting project deadlines
Bribing officials for unfair advantage
Using poor materials in projects
Charging too much for services
What was the ethical violation related to conflict of interest?
Engineers accepted gifts from clients for personal gain
Officials did not disclose their affiliations to others
Engineers worked on several projects at the same time
High-ranking officials gained financially from contracts
What was the lesson emphasized regarding groupthink in unethical practices?
If everyone does it, it must be right
Groupthink can cause unethical actions
Groupthink always leads to better choices
Groupthink is not relevant in workplaces
What was the consequence for firms that participated in the kickback scheme?
They were given more contracts as reward
They faced legal and professional penalties
They were freed from ethical codes entirely
They expanded their business operations
What was the primary ethical standard violated in the scandal?
Project management ethics
Financial transparency rules
Professional integrity norms
Environmental sustainability goals
What was the impact on public trust due to the scandal?
It led to mistrust of officials and misuse of public funds
It increased trust in engineering firms and public projects
It improved transparency and accountability in public projects
It had no impact on trust in public officials and projects
What was the ethical dilemma faced by engineers in Baltimore County?
Handling disputes among team members
Deciding on using inferior materials
Choosing unethical practices or losing work
Balancing deadlines with project quality
What was the ultimate lesson from the scandal?
If something feels wrong, it probably isn’t right
Groupthink always leads to better choices
Ethical standards should be set aside for profit
Unethical actions are fine if everyone does them
What was the impact on the engineering profession due to the scandal?
It improved engineers' reputation
It resulted in stricter ethical codes
It caused no effect on the profession
It decreased demand for engineering services
What was the belief of engineers regarding the fairness of the kickback practice?
It gave an unfair advantage to some
It was limited to only a few firms
It was strictly not allowed by law
It was a common practice among firms
What was the impact of the scandal on public sector projects?
Projects were canceled by authorities
Projects were delayed by many months
Projects were unaffected in safety and quality
Projects were redesigned by engineers
What was the ethical standard emphasized for engineers?
Focus on financial gain always
Follow ethical standards always
Ignore ethical standards always
Compromise ethics for deadlines
