PROFESSIONAL ETHICS &
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Module V Ethics in different Domain
By Dr. Nancy Girdhar
Course Content
Module 1: Philosophy and Ethics
Module 2: Ethical Issues and Practices at
Workplace
Module 3: Code of Ethics
Module 4: Sustainable Practices
Module 5: Ethics in Different Domain
Assessment
Internal Assessment
Component Class Test Case Study Minor Home Attendance End
Project Assignment Semester
Weightage 10 10 15 10 5 50
Professional Skills Development Activities:
1. Students will carry out an industrial survey /interview /focus
group discussion to identify and understand the translation of
professional values and ethics in daily work practices. Students will
compile a minor project report based on it.
2. The students will develop a case study based on any major violation
of professional ethics by studying newspaper articles, policy
documents, discussions paper in parliament media interviews and
documentaries etc (Give presentation in team of 3).
3. The students will carry out a home assignment by writing a review
of literature on ethical issues and practices in his/ her area of study.
Course Objectives
• To understand the concept of professional ethics.
• To identify ethical issues at workplace.
• To learn to match code of ethics with appropriate
profession.
• To understand theories of ethics.
Books and References
Text:
• John R Boatright, “Ethics and the Conduct of Business”, Pearson Education,
New Delhi, 2003
• Edmund G Seebauer and Robert L Barry, “Fundametals of Ethics for
Scientists and Engineers”, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001
References:
• Laura P. Hartman and Joe Desjardins, “Business Ethics: Decision Making for
Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility” Mc Graw Hill education, India Pvt.
Ltd. New Delhi 2013.
• A Global Standard for Professional Ethics: Cross-Border Business Concerns By
Allen, Catherine; Bunting, Robert Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 205, No. 5, May
2008
7
ETHICS IN
DIFFERENT
DOMAIN
Content
• Role of ethics in different domain
• Ethics in Research, Medicine, Engineering,
Sciences, Entrepreneurship, Psychology,
Journalism, Management, law, Humanities
etc.
Ethics in Different Domain
Ethics is a system of principles that
helps us tell right from wrong, good
from bad. Ethics can give real and
practical guidance to our lives.
ETHICS IN RESEARCH
Ethics in Research
Research ethics are the set of ethics
that govern how scientific and other
research is performed at research
institutions such as universities,
and how it is disseminated.
Why Research Ethics is Important
• To promote the aims of research.
• To promote the values that are essential to
collaborative work
• Ensure that researchers can be held accountable to
the public.
• Help to build public support for research.
• Promote a variety of other important moral and
social values (no harm to others).
Areas covered in Research Ethics
• Honesty and Integrity
• Objectivity
• Carefulness
• Openness
• Respect for Intellectual Property
• Confidentiality
• Legality
• Animal Care
• Human subject Protection
Role of Research Ethics Committee
• The ethics committee’s role is to consider that what
you are doing is appropriate and proportionate
to your research aims
• You cannot start your research until you have been
granted ethical approval, which will be granted
formally, together with an approval number.
ETHICS IN MEDICINE
Ethics in Medicine
• Medical ethics is an applied branch
of ethics which analyses the
practice of clinical medicine and
related scientific research. Medical
ethics is based on a set of values
that professionals can refer to in the
case of any confusion or conflict.
Why Medical Ethics is important
• Conflicts of interests between the government and
medical institutions, between medical institutions and
medical personnel, between physicians and patients are
getting more and more serious and complex.
• High technologies not only brought us hopes of cure but have
also created a heavy economic burden.
• The ethical dilemmas of high technology medicine-brain
death, organ transplantation, and concerns about quality of
life-have become increasingly prominent.
Why Medical Ethics is important
• A new and more specific code of ethics must be
developed to meet the demands of social
development and medical service.
• This new code integrates the traditional medical
ethics with modern principles and values
Principles of Medical Ethics
• Autonomy – Right of self-determination. It is related to
‘informed consent’. In order to give consent:
autonomy/competency/capacity must be possessed.
• Beneficence – to do well, to promote well-being.
• Non-maleficence – to do no harm, to avoid doing harm
• Justice – treat like alike
Principles of Medical Ethics
• To help resolve disputes between family, patients,
physicians, or other parties
• To maintain a clear conscience
• To not make yourself look uninformed.
• To maintain the respect of your patients.
• To maintain respectful relationships with other
clinicians
• To maintain efficiency.
ETHICS IN ENGINEERING
Engineering Ethics
• The study of moral issues and decisions
confronting individuals and organizations
involved in engineering.
• The study of related questions about
moral conduct, character and
relationships of people and organizations
involved in technical development.
Engineering Ethics
Individual Ethics
• Technical ethics
covers the technical decisions and judgments made by
engineers
examples are – respect of IPR, computer ethics
• Ethical responsibility
making wise choices when such choices suddenly,
unexpectedly present themselves
a willingness to engage others in the crucial choices
making choices on issues that confront technological
society and how intelligently to confront them
Professional Ethics
• The moral responsibility of engineers arise from special
knowledge possessed by an individual in the profession
• Covers professional relationships between engineers
and other individuals who are their managers, clients,
colleagues and employers
• The role of engineers in industry and other
organizations, professional engineering societies, and
responsibilities of the profession
Professional Ethics
• Is concerned with the collective, social
responsibility of the engineering profession
• Collective action can even transcend
international boundaries.
• Macro-ethical issues affect all members of the
profession
• Ex- Ethical implications such as risk and product
liability
Code of Ethics
• Codes of ethics vary from one professional society to
another, but they typically share common features in
prescribing the responsibilities of engineers to the
public, their employers and clients, and their fellow
engineers.
• All modern codes state that the most significant
responsibility of engineers is to protect the public
health, safety and welfare.
Purpose of Code of Ethics For Engineers
• Codes of ethics vary from one professional society to
another, but they typically share common features in
prescribing the responsibilities of engineers to the
public, their employers and clients, and their fellow
engineers.
• All modern codes state that the most significant
responsibility of engineers is to protect the public
health, safety and welfare.
FUNDAMENTAL VALUES
Fundamental Values
Safety, Health and Public Welfare
• Safety- One of the main duties of an engineer is to ensure
the safety of the people who will be affected by the
products that he or she designs.
• Example-Lack of ethics in Bhopal gas leak disaster.
• Health-Public health is affected by many factors such as
pollution, toxic elements, flawed design etc.
• Follow the quality standards, Minimize the emissions,
minimize the use of toxic material, adhere to pollution
standards, potential risks should be reported.
Fundamental Values
• Public Welfare- If the standards for safety and
health are met, it will add to the public welfare.
• It also includes the following:
Identify, define and address ethical, economic,
cultural, legal and environmental issues.
Avoid illegal activities like hacking.
Ensure quality of services and products.
Ethical Values
• The common ethical issues or dilemmas
faced by engineers are
Public Safety
Corruption, Bribery and Fraud
Environmental Protection
Fairness
Conflict of Values and Conflict of Interest
Whistle blowing
Macro Ethics
• Macro-ethics looks issues like
sustainability, poverty, social justice, and
bioethics which need to be addressed by
the engineering profession (and society)
as a whole.
Social Ethics
• Concerns with technology policy decisions at the societal
level.
• Examples
Ethical implications of public policy issues,
sustainable development, healthcare, and information
and communication technology
Ethical issues generated by new developments such as
nano-science and nanotechnology
Ethical issues associated with robotics and
autonomous systems
Cyber weapons
THANK YOU!
