Technology & Engineering
Professional Conduct
Professional conduct refers to the ethical behavior and standards expected of individuals within a specific profession. In the context of technology and engineering, professional conduct encompasses honesty, integrity, respect for intellectual property, and adherence to industry regulations and best practices. It also involves maintaining confidentiality, being accountable for one's work, and upholding the welfare and safety of others.
Written by Perlego with AI-assistance
Related key terms
1 of 5
12 Key excerpts on "Professional Conduct"
- Andrew Whyte(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
If society is to be provided for, then engineers must work within the cul-tural expectations of that society. In other words, engineers must acknowl-edge an accepted (collectively agreed upon) right conduct to provide society with (infrastructure) solutions. This collectively agreed upon right conduct forms the basis of the tenets of professional ethics applicable to all practitioners making up the building design team (with Section 6.4 reviewing the interaction). Teams commonly include a range of players: architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical and electrical services engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers and superintending officers; building practitioners such as con-tract managers, construction managers, resident engineers, quality control professionals, building surveyors, heating and ventilation engineers, envi-ronmental planners, asset and facility management professionals, landscape architects, estate managers, interior designers, specialist subcontracting builders and building materials, fittings and fixtures suppliers. All inter-disciplinary team members must work within professional ethical codes. 6.2 PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING ETHICS Morals might be termed the rules of right conduct for individuals although ethics might be argued to extend individual morality towards an accepted collective, group behaviour. In the case of civil engineers, the group might be termed as a professional body of specialist practitioners offering solu-tions to the community based on existing norms and innovation. The professional body of engineers is then charged to self-regulate its legiti-mate acceptable group behaviour towards the community; in other words, develop and apply acceptable behaviour and codes of ethics to help serve society: effectively, an engineering code of ethics.
eBook - PDFFundamentals of Civil Engineering
An Introduction to the ASCE Body of Knowledge
- Richard H. McCuen, Edna Z. Ezzell, Melanie K. Wong(Authors)
- 2011(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
In place of such guidelines, professionals adopt codes of conduct or codes of eth-ics. Most professional societies have codes of ethics, which serve a variety of pur-poses. First, codes are an outward indication of the values considered important by the profession, as well as the object of the profession’s attention with respect to values. Second, codes serve as a model for professional action and potentially serve to counteract unethical conduct. Third, codes of ethics that stress human and soci-etal values demonstrate that professional decisions should not be based solely on technical and economic decision criteria. Fourth, codes stress value obligations and responsibilities to those outside of the firm, thus broadening the decision-making perspective of management. Fifth, they bring attention to the need for professionals to avoid conflicts of interest. 15.5 RESPONSIBILITIES INHERENT TO CODES OF ETHICS Codes of ethics mention those to whom engineers are responsible, but they also iden-tify the nature of the responsibilities. Engineers are responsible for public health, safety, and welfare, as well as the environment. Codes indicate that engineers should avoid conflicts of interest, be honest, maintain professional competency, not com-pete unfairly with others, and only make objective and truthful statements. Meeting these responsibilities will provide a professional environment throughout the civil engineering profession. Knowledge and its advancement are important to the civil engineering profes-sion. It is inherent to professional codes in a number of ways.
eBook - PDF- Richard S. Rosenberg(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
FIGURE 14-1 Continued 348 Ethics and Professionalism We the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the importance of our technologies in affecting the quality of life throughout the world, and in accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and Professional Conduct and agree: 1. to accept the responsibility in making engineering decisions consistent with the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public or the environment; 2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist; 3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data; 4. to reject bribery in all its forms; 5. to improve the understanding of technology, its appropriate application, and potential consequences; 6. to maintain and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience, or after full disclosure of pertinent limitations; 7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contribution of others; 8. to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national origin; 9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious action; 10. to assist colleagues in their professional development and to support them in following this code of ethics. * The Institute, A News Supplement to IEEE Spectrum, October 1990, p. 2. © 1990 IEEE. Reprinted, with permission, from The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
eBook - PDF- Lokesh Pandey(Author)
- 2023(Publication Date)
- Arcler Press(Publisher)
Engineers conduct engineering, and what they accomplish has far-reaching consequences for others. The ability and obligation of an engineer to appraise his judgments in the perspective of society’s overall well-being is referred to as engineering ethics. It is the study of moral difficulties that engineers and engineering organizations face while making important decisions. Engineering research and practice demand that the work at hand analyzes all of the advantages and disadvantages of a particular action and its implementation. On the basis of their members’ extensive experience, professional engineering groups such as IEEE, ASME, and IEI have developed comprehensive ethical codes pertinent to their respective Engineering Communication & Ethics 105 professions. Independent groups such as the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) have developed value-based ethical codes that apply to all engineering professions. Engineering ethics is mostly taught at academic institutions through a variety of case studies aimed at raising awareness among engineering students of all disciplines. Students improve knowledge and assessment skills of the anticipated consequences of their future decisions on moral and ethical grounds by studying engineering ethics. Several variables influence engineering ethical standards: • Engineering as a human endeavor with far-reaching consequences is a noteworthy factor; • Ethical difficulties make engineering judgments comparatively tough to make; • A key concern of an engineer is the risk and safety of people as a social obligation; • Technological advancement can be very demanding on engineering talent in a worldwide environment; and • Moral principles and responsible conduct will play a crucial role in decision making. Engineering ethics is taught as part of an engineering degree to help students prepare for their future careers.
eBook - PDF- Monique Frize(Author)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Springer(Publisher)
In North America, each professional engineering association and technical society provides its own ethical code and guideline to help engineers avoid misconduct, negligence, incompetence, or corruption. A complaint against an engineer can lead to discipline, which can include a fine, and/or losing the license to practice. Knowledge of the ethical decision-making process can guide engineers facing complex and difficult moral dilemmas. Principles of ethics and ethical codes are at the core of the duties and responsibilities of engineers. Although there are small differences between the ethical codes of various jurisdictions, many of the core values are the same. Engineers should review regularly the code of ethics of the jurisdiction in which they practice to ensure that they remain ethical in all their professional activities and keep up with changes in the codes when this occurs. Ethics is a dynamic concept which must be adapted to emerging issues as they arise. 1.2 A GUIDE TO MORAL CONDUCT Engineers have access to several guides to ensure that they act ethically in all their professional activities. This helps prevent engineers being in a situation of misconduct, incompetence, fraud, 1.3. ETHICAL THEORIES 5 corruption, or of committing a crime. First and foremost are the laws in the jurisdiction where the engineer practices. But this is not enough to ensure ethical behavior. Kluge argues that laws are prescriptive; they tell people what to do and not to do. Laws regulate the behavior of the members of that society; they are decided by the people designated to that role and so to some extent are arbitrary [Kluge, E., 2005]. Laws have to be obeyed of course, but they alone cannot guide ethical behavior; laws have not always been ethical; take for example the law that allowed slavery, or that women were non-persons, or the nonconsensual sterilization of severely mentally handicapped persons [Kluge, E., 2005].
eBook - PDF- Frank Bott, Allison Coleman, Allison Coleman, Diane Rowland(Authors)
- 2000(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
1.8.4 Contentious issues Because the social consequences of developments in computing are perceived as being profound, ubiquitous, and long-lasting, several codes of ethics or conduct have tried to make software engineers responsible for the social and economic consequences of their actions. There is a danger here. Predicting the social and economic consequences of any major development may require professional skills in the social sciences that few software engi-neers possess. If a code of conduct demands that software engineers take responsibility for these matters, it is inviting them to form judgements, and presumably promulgate them, in areas outside their competence, something which is expressly forbidden elsewhere in most codes. Furthermore, their technical competence in software engineering may give their pronouncements an authority they do not merit. The issue of moral relativism has significant commercial consequences. If country X has a strict code of Professional Conduct, which is vigorously enforced, there will be some types of work in other countries for which com-panies from country X cannot bid. This will place companies from country X at a significant competitive disadvantage vis-a-vis companies from country Y, which has no such strict code. The arguments here are similar to those con-cerning arms sales and ethical foreign policy. The engineering profession 31 The boundary between ethics and politics is a fuzzy one. Some codes of ethics are largely concerned with personal conduct, while others seem to seek to impose political views on members. Some of these issues relate to a more fundamental conflict. Whom do professional engineers serve? Is it the public, their employer, the profession -or even themselves? In practice, of course, compromises are necessary and most engineers will accept that they have obligations to each of these four groups.
eBook - PDF- Sue Carroll, Taz Daughtrey, Sue Carroll, Taz Daughtrey(Authors)
- 2007(Publication Date)
- ASQ Quality Press(Publisher)
Because their responsibility to their own profession is to challenge established modes of operation in order to discover new scien- tific results, it is thus the software developer’s responsibility to develop soft- ware that does not functionally prohibit them from exploring new horizons. The software professional’s responsibilities to his or her constituents directly influence what behaviors and actions will be considered professional. Professionalism in Software Engineering In his foreword to the book The Responsible Software Engineer by Myers et al., software project management expert Tom DeMarco attempts to define the mean- ing of professionalism as it pertains to software engineering. He first suggests that in many lines of work, professionalism is merely “compliant uniformity” in which employees are expected to dress and act in certain ways, and not to upset the delicate balance of the status quo. He argues that professionalism should instead be defined by a “4P” model of proficiency, permanency, professing, and promise keeping. A professional, in his opinion, will have: 1) developed mas- tery of a body of knowledge common to his or her profession, 2) decided upon the profession as a life’s calling, and 3) made a statement declaring membership in the professional ranks. Professionalism is reaffirmed each time the individual keeps his or her promises, thus earning respect as a reliable and consistent per- son, and adding what the author believes to be an ethical dimension to the defi- nition (Myers, Hall, and Pitt 1996). Software engineering does require a certain level of compliant uniformity. Although progressive high-tech companies may implement radical policies that allow employees to bring their dogs to work or dress in tattered jeans at the office, this is largely dictated by the culture that a company chooses to allow and not the standards deemed acceptable to a profession.
eBook - ePubContracts for Engineers
Intellectual Property, Standards, and Ethics
- Robert Hunter, Robert D. Hunter(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
Standards engineering and the development of standards are an important part of the engineering profession. Those engaged in standards engineering recognize that their work has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people. Consequently, it is imperative that standards engineers and other engaged in the practice of standardization, conduct their activities in an ethical manner that merits the confidence of their employers, colleagues, employees, and clients, as well as the general public. Members of the Standards Engineering Society are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with this code and with all applicable laws, and to support others who do the same.Section I: Fundamental Principles Standards Engineers shall: 1. Maintain high standards of diligence, state-of-the-art, and productivity. 2. Accept responsibility for their actions and undertake standards development activities to the degree that their qualifications allow. 3. Be realistic in collecting information or estimating standards values from available data and experience. 4. Maintain professional skills at the level of the state-of-the-art standards and recognize the importance of developing standards for new technology. 5. Advance the integrity and prestige of the standards engineering profession by practicing in a dignified manner. 6. Treat fairly all colleagues and coworkers, regardless of their international or political status, technical background, or position as competitors. 7. Seek, accept, and offer honest comments on proposed standards and properly credit authors and contributors. 8. Cooperate in advancing the development of the profession by exchanging information with SES members and all others engaged in standards engineering activities. 9. Endeavor to provide opportunities for the professional development and advancement of students and personnel under their supervision. 10. Support and participate in the activities and programs of the Standards Engineering Society and other organizations engaged in the development or use of standards. Section II: Standardization Activities
- Frank Bott(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT(Publisher)
2.3 Professional Conduct The BCS charter specifically requires BCS to ‘establish and maintain a sound ethical foundation for the use of computers…’. All professional bodies are under a similar obligation; this, indeed, is one of the most important characteristics of a professional body. It is normally done by laying down a code of conduct to which their members are required to adhere. A code of conduct sets out the standards of behaviour that members of the body are expected to follow in their professional life. Sometimes the code is called a code of ethics. It looks outwards, in the sense that it is concerned with the relationship between members and society as a whole. Although all codes of conduct have much in common, they also have significant differences, if only because the nature of the activities of different professions places different temptations in the path of their practitioners. Codes of conduct should not be confused with codes of practice, which are concerned with the way in which the professional activities should be carried out. BCS’s Code of Conduct is currently divided into the following sections (please consult the BCS website for the latest version at www.bcs.org/codeofconduct): 1. The Public Interest 2. Professional Competence and Integrity 3. Duty to the Relevant Authority 4. Duty to the Profession. 10 THE COMPUTING PROFESSION 2.3.1 The public interest This section requires members to be aware of and comply with aspects of the law and regulations that govern acting in the public interest. For example, members need to safeguard public health, protect the environment, have due regard for privacy and human rights and avoid discrimination. Some of these elements can cause problems for members working for clients or companies in countries whose governments practice or encourage systematic discrimination on, for example, grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation.
No longer available |Learn moreReflective Primary Teaching
Meeting the Teachers Standards throughout your professional career
- Tony Ewens, Paul Cammack(Authors)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Critical Publishing(Publisher)
Learning outcomes By the end of this chapter you should have developed and clarified: • an appreciation of the concept of a profession and what makes teaching a profession; • some insights into the relationship between personal conduct and professional responsibility; • knowledge of professional and legal frameworks within which teachers operate; and • your awareness of the professional knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes which teachers must display. Part Two of the Standards contains just one standard: Personal and Professional Conduct. However, any suggestion that this aspect of your work can be isolated from everything else that you do is quickly dispelled when you read the bulleted statements which exem-plify this section of the Standards. This is explicitly stated in the Early Career Framework (ECF) and Part Two of the Standards sits alongside the ECF (DfE, 2019 , p 5). High levels of conduct, in both moral integrity and knowledgeable professionalism, must permeate everything that you do as a teacher. This chapter looks first at the idea of professionalism and its implications for personal conduct, then explores the bulleted statements in detail, showing how this part of the Standards relates to the eight standards set out in Part One of the Teachers’ Standards. The concept of professionalism Teachers like to think of themselves as belonging to a profession, rather than pursuing a trade or doing a job. Jacques and Hyland ( 2007 ) describe professionals as exhibiting distinc -tive characteristics: 9 Personal and Professional Conduct
- Diane P. Michelfelder, Neelke Doorn, Diane P. Michelfelder, Neelke Doorn(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
A code of ethics can also be used to justify formal discipline or legal liability, but either of these uses turns a code of ethics into (something like) law. When, then, someone complains that a code of ethics is “mere window dressing” unless it is “enforced” by penalties or unless violators are “held legally accountable,” that person has made a mistake. That person has assumed that punishment is the only, or at least the primary, way to guide conduct and has forgotten about social pressure, conscience, and (most important of all) good will. For those who will the good, to know what they should do is reason enough to do it. For them, “enforcement” is primarily a matter of learning what is justifiably expected of them—and of being reminded of that now and then. They hold themselves accountable.A professional code of ethics has at least three other legitimate uses in engineering. First, it can help those outside engineering (“the public”) understand what may reasonably be expected of any engineer. The code tells those outside the profession what engineers expect of themselves, indeed, what they invite the world to expect. Second, a professional code can provide a vocabulary for interpreting engineering’s technical standards, for example, “If we accepted your interpretation of this specification, we’d be putting the public safety at risk. But, as engineers, we agree that the public safety should be paramount.” Third, a professional code can help engineers resist pressure from client, employer, or other superior to do what they should not. An engineer can say, “You hired an engineer. Engineers are hired, in part, to maintain certain standards. If you wanted someone to do whatever you want, you should not have hired an engineer.”While I believe an engineer’s professional code always pre-empts the wish, rule, or practice of a client, employer, or superior, I know of only one code of engineering ethics that makes that explicit. The “Fundamentals of Engineering Ethics” (2002) of the German Federation of Engineers (VDI) contains the following provision: “such professional regulations have priority over individual contracts.” Some such provision should be more common in engineering’s professional codes, since it is already implicit in all of them.3
- John Weckert, Richard Lucas, John Weckert, Richard Lucas(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- ANU Press(Publisher)
The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions. In some situations, standards may be in tension with each other or with standards from other sources. These situations require the software engineer to use ethical judgment to act in a manner that is most consistent with the spirit of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, given the circumstances. Of course, this leads one to wonder how to identify the ‘spirit’ of the code. The answer seems to lie in the genealogy of the code itself: ‘As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers’ (IEEE/ACM Joint Task Force, 1999). This suggests that the spirit of the IEEE/ACM code can be understood as the consensus of the profession on ethical matters. Before joining the task force, Michael Davis had argued ‘a code of ethics is primarily a convention between professionals. According to this explanation, a profession is a group of persons who want to cooperate in serving the same ideal better than they could if they did not cooperate’ (Davis, 1992). The moral force of the code, in this view, comes from its being the articulation of the considered judgement of those in the profession about the best way to achieve the values that define the profession. Engineering, for example, is about ‘the efficient design, construction, and maintenance of safe and useful objects,’ and the values embedded in this description of what engineering is about characterise what it means to be ‘thinking like an engineer’ (Davis, 1992). The code of ethics expresses the culture of the profession, and the process whereby that culture is articulated in a written form is normatively more important than the precise articulation of the rules or values in the artefact itself. The culture that animates the code identifies the ‘spirit’ of the code.
Index pages curate the most relevant extracts from our library of academic textbooks. They’ve been created using an in-house natural language model (NLM), each adding context and meaning to key research topics.
